Business Pursuit Lead at Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO)

Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO) is the world’s leading international development charity that works through volunteers to create a fair world for everyone. Our track record is one of adaptability, growth, and resilience. In the last 60 years, we have worked in over 90 countries and supported over 50 million people. The way we operate is truly global development organisation. As the world has committed to meeting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030 we know these Goals will not be met without mobilising and engaging citizens across the world to support, demand, oversee and deliver them.

This underpins the UN’s recognition of the power of volunteering in SDG implementation1. At VSO we develop programmes using our Volunteering for Development (V4D) approach, we do development differently. But given the scale of the challenge of the Sustainable Development Goals we realise that playing our part means we must be more ambitious and challenge ourselves harder if we are to make a bigger contribution. This is why we talk about taking Volunteering for Development (V4D) to scale.

Our ambition is born out of our confidence in V4D as a highly effective approach in creating a fair world for everyone. Done right, it’s a model of development that creates the space for every person to play a role in making change happen and in doing so, to create the systemic shift needed to create a world which is equitable and just in its opportunities and in the rights and justice it offers for all. Our Volunteering for Development work funded by the UK FCDO is building networks of engaged youth from Nigeria to Cambodia, generating social cohesion and supporting disaster preparedness in Pakistan and the Philippines We are promoting the Global Standard in Volunteering for Development working with the African Union and their member states and with many local community organisations in over 15 countries.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Business Pursuit Lead - Nigeria

Location: Abuja (FCT
Employment Type: Full-time
Team: VSO Global Business Pursuit Team
Responsible to: Global Head of Business Pursuit
Work Location: Home, VSO office or registered work location.
Line Reports/Supervision: No direct line management responsibility
Contract type: 3yrs. Fixed term Contract
Date: TBC

Role Purpose

• As a Business Pursuit Lead, you will be responsible for growing VSO’s ability to deliver impact and influence through volunteering for development by securing funding for projects in Nigeria, Sierra Leone, and the Sahel.
• The primary focus for this role is to pursue new opportunities for VSO work in Nigeria (80%). As part of the global business pursuit team, you will also from time to time contribute to the pursuit and development of opportunities in other countries.

Responsibilities

• Achieve ambitious annual business pursuit targets (£3m+) working with institutional donors, foundations, corporations and implementing partners to enable VSO to scale its programmes and impact in Nigeria by securing large grants and contracts.
• Proactively lead the development, positioning and deepening of relationships with VSO strategic and key donors (to include; UK FCDO, USAID, World Bank, EU, UN, German GIZ & KfW, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Dutch MoFA, GAVI, Global Fund) in Nigeria, Sierra Leone and the Sahel.
• Proactively lead the development and deepening of VSO’s relationships with key partners and networks (government agencies, INGOs, Local Nongovernmental Organizations, the private sector and others to secure funding and raise the profile of VSO in Nigeria, Sierra Leone and the Sahel.
• Represent VSO externally and internally, in line with our organisational mission through evidence-based pre-positioning, influencing, partnership and consortium building and policy dialogue.
• Develop a deep understanding of VSO’s Practice Areas and local programmes in Nigeria, and across VSO’s global operations to be able to talk persuasively with external donors and partners about VSO’s track-record and impact from our volunteering for development approach in contextually relevant ways.

Collaboration:

• Ensure alignment of income growth activity with programme strategy and to agree VSO internal and external messaging with other members of the Business Pursuit team and Business Pursuit network.
• Identify new programme opportunities, cultivate donor/partner relationships and secure major new funding in line with direction from VSO’s Practice Area and Volunteering for Development Engagement and Leadership leads.
• Share learning from donor relationships with Project Implementation Leadership and teams
• Contribute to the development of a positive VSO workplace culture, identifying opportunities for collaboration and sharing knowledge with the implementation teams in Nigeria
• Compliance with relevant regulatory, data sharing and due diligence requirements working with People, Compliance and Legal colleagues
• Contribute senior leadership or accompaniment to in country implementation team in the management of incidents to assist with compliance and reputational perspectives.

Qualification and Experience

• Significant business pursuit experience with a proven track record of increasing secured funding success and delivering income against targets.
• Experience of establishing and cultivating strong donor relationships that have delivered substantially increased funding.
• Experience of proactively building and maintaining effective partnerships both internally and externally.
• Excellent personal relationship and communication skills with substantial experience in networking and influencing a diverse range of stakeholders.
• Tenacious marketing and pre-positioning skills and attributes.
• Strong political and cultural awareness and sensitivity.
• Knowledge and understanding of the role of volunteerism, social inclusion, social accountability and resilience in development.
• Fluency in written and spoken English (additional language abilities welcome).
• Commitment to VSO’s vision and values, including safeguarding and taking a zero-tolerance approach to abuse and harm.
• Excellent practical knowledge of Microsoft 365.

How We Pay

• VSO understands the need for appropriate levels of pay for work done and offers a compensation package that includes flexible working patterns, the opportunity to work from home or from a VSO office and benchmarked remuneration.
• We issue National Contracts - that means your employment terms are those of the country which will be your main place of work.
• As well as a competitive annual gross salary, paid in the national currency

We Offer

• 37 days annual leave days including public holidays
• Medical insurance
• Contribution to Pension (saving scheme)
• For candidates recruited outside of the country in question and requiring relocation to take up the employment, VSO can in exceptional circumstances offer a transition payment.
• This would be to support your settling into the country. This will be payable annually for a maximum of two years.
• The transition allowance can be up to 20% of salary, dependent on circumstances.
• It will reduce in the second year and is a taxable benefit.

Application Closing Date
6th August, 2021.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online

Click here for more information (PDF)

Our Application Process

• If you are interested in this role, please submit the Application along with your CV using the link above.
• Once the application is received at our end, we will review your profile and if you have the required skills you will be shortlisted.
• You will undergo a blended selection process which includes an assessment of various competencies linked to our values.