Business Development Specialist II – Central & Western Africa

About the role

The Business Development Specialist II supports CRS’s Institutional Funding Team by leading high‑quality funding applications for donors focused on Central and Western Africa. The role combines strategic analysis, proposal coordination, writing, budgeting, and partnership management to secure resources for vulnerable populations.

Key responsibilities

• Provide business development expertise to country leadership and proposal teams, guiding capture planning and proposal preparation for institutional donors.
• Manage pre‑positioning, capture, and proposal development processes to ensure timely, compliant, and high‑quality submissions.
• Act as proposal coordinator, leading go/no‑go decisions, partner input coordination, and review panels while maintaining accurate BD data.
• Write and edit technical and non‑technical proposal content, integrating inputs from staff and partners.
• Develop and review proposal budgets, offering recommendations for competitive pricing.
• Identify and negotiate partner roles in consortia, ensuring alignment with CRS partnership principles.
• Liaise with senior management and donor focal points to shape resource‑mobilization strategies.
• Research, track, and analyze new funding opportunities and CRS’s competitive position.
• Lead donor‑mapping exercises, after‑action reviews, and development of BD tools and guidance.
• Train and mentor staff on proposal development, donor engagement, and BD best practices.

Required profile

• Proven experience in business development, donor engagement, and proposal coordination within international development.
• Strong analytical skills for opportunity assessment and donor mapping.
• Ability to lead cross‑functional teams and manage complex proposal cycles.
• Excellent written communication for technical and narrative proposal sections.
• Experience developing and reviewing budgets for donor proposals.
• Capacity to build and maintain strategic partnerships and consortia.

Required skills

What we offer

• Opportunity to work on high‑impact funding initiatives across Central and Western Africa.
• Collaboration with a global Institutional Funding Team.
• Professional development through mentorship and training programs.