Business Development Coordinator

About the role

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) Ethiopia program is looking for a Business Development Coordinator based in Addis Ababa. The role owns the design and development of assigned funding proposals, from opportunity assessment through to contract signature, and reports directly to the Deputy Director for Grants and Partnerships. It works closely with the Senior Business Development Coordinator, who owns strategy, the opportunity pipeline and donor relationships.

Key responsibilities

• Research and maintain donor briefs, identify and track new opportunities, and prepare opportunity assessments for Go/No-Go decisions.
• Facilitate technical design meetings, develop the theory of change and results framework, and test designs for feasibility and donor compliance.
• Write concept notes and proposal narratives, compile narrative, financial and MEAL inputs, and ensure submissions are compliant, complete and on time.
• Prepare proposal plans and timelines, chair team meetings, manage external contributors and coordinate reviews with regional and global funding departments.
• Develop budgets aligned with the narrative and results framework, and review them for cost-effectiveness and allowability.
• Coordinate day-to-day with consortium partners, including vetting, due diligence and teaming agreements.
• Analyse the country program's funding needs and gaps to inform the Business Development Action Plan, and maintain proposal templates and the evidence library.
• Carry out safeguarding duties, including promoting team inclusion and participation in safeguarding learning.

Required profile

• BA degree required; a Master's in International Affairs, Social Sciences or a related field is preferable.
• Six years of substantial experience in business development or proposal development in humanitarian and international development, with a proven track record of leading proposal teams on complex, multi-year, multi-partner proposals with minimal direction.
• Proven record of authoring successful concept notes and full proposals under tight deadlines.
• Experience collaborating with and supporting national and community-based partners.
• Familiarity with the Ethiopian humanitarian and development context is an advantage.

Required skills

• Technical design skills, including facilitating design workshops and developing theories of change, results frameworks and logframes.
• Strong working knowledge of the strategies and proposal processes of major donors such as FCDO, EU institutions, US DoS, GAC, Sida, World Bank and others.
• Excellent written English, able to write evidence-based narratives without dependence on AI tools.
• Ability to work independently in a fast-paced environment, manage several proposals at once and escalate early when deadlines or resources are at risk.