About us 

One growing network. One shared mission. Includovate (Include+Innovate) incubates inclusive and rigorous research talent. That talent will help to create an equal world free from biases where knowledge is co-created, and justice is clearly defined. Are you passionate about inclusion and equality and ready to make an impact in a startup organisation? 

We believe that your attitude matters more than your experience. We are looking for an ambitious, motivated, passionate individual who wants to make the world more equal. We are a mission-first and salary-second organisation.

Our fast-paced organisation values collaboration, capacity building, and a growth mindset. We look for people who are lifelong learners, hard workers, empathetic, and supportive. We promote excellence at Includovate. This is not a conventional job. Includovators improve the world by removing data biases, power imbalances and discriminatory mental models through evidence and learning. We guarantee interesting work.

Job Summary:

As the Business Development Lead at Includovate, you will be at the forefront of driving our growth strategy, securing funding, and expanding our impact globally. Your role will identify, cultivate, and convert new business opportunities while managing the BD team, consisting of a coordinator, proposal writers, recruiters, and some surge proposal writers on drawdown contracts. With a sharp focus on long-term sustainability, you will be in charge of winning multi-million-dollar projects, responding to complex proposals, and ensuring a steady pipeline of short-term work. This is a dynamic and strategic position for someone who thrives in a fast-paced, mission-driven environment, leveraging creativity, innovation, and entrepreneurial spirit to deliver results.

Responsibilities and Duties:

(1) Strategic Leadership:

• Design and implement Includovate’s business development strategy to ensure financial sustainability and position the organisation as a leader in inclusive research and innovation.
• Lead the identification, pursuit, and capture of funding opportunities across diverse sectors, including research, development, and consultancy projects
• Drive the development and management of a robust business pipeline, ensuring alignment with Includovate’s mission and long-term goals.
• Lead the roll-out of our artificially intelligent proposal management system.
• Stay across international development trends and policies.

(2) Proposal and Bid Management:

• Oversee the entire proposal development lifecycle—from identifying opportunities, coordinating with teams, writing, submitting, and peer reviewing competitive bids to successfully securing funding, using analytics to inform decisions, and documenting lessons learned.
• Lead proposal writers and temporary business development staff, ensuring high-quality outputs that reflect Includovate’s expertise and vision.
• Develop and maintain a high-quality CRM system to track opportunities, clients, and partnerships.

(3) Collaboration and Innovation:

•  Help the Head of BD to create a high-performing business development team.
• Work closely with cross-functional teams, including program managers, researchers, and communications experts, to align business development efforts with organisational goals and strategies.
• Collaborate with the Communications and Marketing teams to develop compelling sales pitches, presentations, and outreach materials that resonate with target audiences.
• Drive innovative approaches to proposal writing, ensuring that Includovate’s offerings are positioned competitively and that proposals are tailored to each client’s needs.

(4)  Team Leadership and Management:

• Lead and mentor the business development team, providing clear direction support and fostering a culture of continuous learning and improvement.
• Assign tasks to team members, set clear expectations, and hold the team accountable for delivering high-quality proposals on time.
• Oversee results-based management practices to meet and exceed revenue and funding targets.
• Ensure knowledge sharing and capacity building within the team to maintain high performance and adaptability in a rapidly changing environment.

Qualifications & Skills:

• Degree in social science, international development, business, marketing, communications, or other relevant field.
• 7+ years of experience developing winning bids and writing short and long-term proposals for research and international development projects and consultancies
• A global network of individuals working in international development that you can utilise to enable business development
• Proficiency in Google suite of applications
• Strong organisational and critical thinking skills
• Previous cross-cultural team management and leadership experience
• Strong presentation, research, and verbal and written communication
• Fluency in English. Fluency in other languages will also be considered favourably.

Attitudes: 

• You listen well, instead of reacting fast, so you can better understand.
•  You’re concise and articulate in your communications
• You are good at planning and implementing even small tasks.
• You learn eagerly and rapidly.
• You are a democratic person who rejects command-and-control structures.
• You take smart risks, creative and curious.
• You think of critical feedback as a growth opportunity
• You believe in gender equality and equal opportunity
• You are a feminist

Work conditions: 

• Work Location: Remote working with excellent flexibility, successful candidates need to have a computer/ laptop with a high-speed internet connection.
• Employment Type: This is a twelve-month contract (part-time or full-time, as we try to be flexible) with performance bonuses and a high probability of being extended based on performance and finances.
• Work hours: Flexible working arrangements apply, with some work falling outside core business hours to accommodate time zone differences.
•  Remuneration: We offer competitive remuneration depending on the candidate’s base location and role suitability.
• Applications close: November 10, 2024.