Athena Infonomics - Assistant Manager/Manager - Business Development

Position: Assistant Manager/ Manager- Business Development (5-8 years)

Location: Delhi NCR (We are following a remote working set up for now)

Start Date: Asap

About Us:

Celebrating twelve years of innovative and collaborative work, Athena Infonomics has established itself as a data-driven global consultancy that leverages social science research, data science, and technology to provide user-centric, context-specific solutions and advice to decision makers. Our multidisciplinary and multi-cultural team spread across Asia, Africa, North America and Europe exemplify extensive experience in designing and applying research methods to co-design and co-produce useful research that is inclusive and relevant.

Core Job Responsibilities:

Overview:

Athena Infonomics seeks a dynamic and experienced business development professional to join us in our growth path as a leading global development consultancy working at the intersection of social science research, data, and technology to deliver locally contextualized solutions to economic development challenges. The ideal candidate will possess a combination of strategic thinking, exceptional writing, a strong attention to detail and commitment to excellence, an ability to contribute effectively both independently as well as in a team setting, and a relentlessly collegial and entrepreneurial attitude that thrives in a fast-paced, ambitious organization.

The Assistant Manager/ Manager- Business Development will sit within Athena's Central Business Development (CBD) team, reporting directly to the Senior Manager - CBD, and working in close collaboration with the Director of Business Development, other members of the CBD team, and members of Athena's consulting teams.

Team Management and Oversight :

- Serve in a deputy leadership position within Athena's Central Business Development (CBD) team; this will involve working in close coordination with the Senior Manager- CBD, providing mentorship to and supervision of junior CBD team members, and providing quality control / quality assurance on capture and proposal development activities.

- Work in close collaboration with Athena's consulting teams stationed across India, US, UK, Africa and provide managerial support to the firm's overall business development pursuits.

Pre-Proposal Planning and Capture :

- Collect, provide, synthesize and present expert knowledge of various key clients' procurement portals and investment priorities (e.g., World Bank, UNGM, ADB, FCDO, USAID, E-proc etc) in service of Athena's growth priorities.

- Lead business intelligence gathering, contribute to capture efforts, and support various proposal tasks.

- Market research activities to support the identification and sourcing of new business opportunities.

- Utilize his/ her skills and networks to identify high-quality and compliant candidates as well as partner organizations for potential inclusion on proposals, both national and international.

Proposal Management :

- Manage the entire lifecycle of the bids, from the capture till the final proposal submission. This includes sourcing opportunities, carrying out a competitive analysis, liaising with potential partners, participating in teaming discussions, developing proposal calendars, compliance matrices, ensuring adherence to calendars, work plans and standard procedures, and coordinating the day-to-day proposal development activities with proposal teams.

- Support cross-functional proposal teams to design and produce high quality submissions that comply with clients' requirements and distinguish Athena as a partner of choice.

Organizational Systems Strengthening :

- Contribute to the development and improvement of business development processes, tools, and CBD team's capacities, supporting stronger competitive positioning and higher win rates.

- Using his/ her strong writing and editing skills, and working in consultation with the Director of Business Development, Senior Manager - CBD, and Athena's consulting teams develop proposal and marketing products that describe Athena's technical competencies and past performance for new business development purposes

- Support development of corporate capability statements and other marketing materials.

- Preparing and reporting of key business development analytics and metrics.

Qualifications and Competencies :

- Master's degree in a relevant field (e.g., social sciences, international development, economics, public policy, public administration, business administration).

- Demonstrated understanding of and interest in business development, with at least 6 years of relevant experience (preferably in the development sector with INGOs or management consultancies).

- Demonstrated experience in the preparation and management of winning bids for both national and international clients. Preference given to candidates with experience winning work from at least two of the following: World Bank, ADB, AfDB, International Finance Corporation, GIZ, FCDO, USAID.

- Experience of developing bids / BOQs and submitting on eProcurement portals/ GEM portal for state governments and national departments.

- Detail-oriented, flexible, and able to handle multiple concurrent tasks.

- Strong management skills, both in planning, scheduling, and managing multiple tasks and people, and providing mentorship and growth opportunities to less experienced BD colleagues.

- Strategic thinker with substantial capacity to thrive in deadline-driven, dynamic environment.

- Exceptional writing, analytical and research skills.

- Demonstrated MS Office skills, including experience with MS Word and Excel. Experience working with MS Teams and SharePoint / OneDrive a plus.

Additional Requirements :

- This position requires successful completion of a reference check and employment verification.

- The successful candidate must not be subject to employment restrictions from a former employer (such as a non-compete) that would prevent the candidate from performing the job responsibilities as described.

- Only candidates who have India work authorization will be considered.

Apply :

Interested applicants can send their CV, a cover letter and two writing samples. Please state in your cover letter your current location, current and expected salary and availability to start. The writing samples should preferably be prepared for proposal development and/or strategic communication. Please mention "Application for Associate Manager/Manager - Business Development, 2022" in the subject line.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for further steps.

Athena's Work Culture

At Athena, we function in an outcomes-based work environment with flexible hours and a high level of autonomy. Professional development and thought leadership are key elements of our business model: we support our team members' professional growth through on-the-job training, and we encourage the cultivation of our colleagues' personal brands through participation in panels, events, publications, and other thought-leadership opportunities. We embrace a transparent, open work environment with meaningful leadership pathways for those with inventive ideas and initiatives.

Athena Infonomics is an Equal Opportunities Employer

Athena Infonomics is an equal opportunity employer with a commitment to diversity. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, protected veteran status, or disability status.