Who We Are
SAO GROUP is a Social Impact, Investment & Advisory group of companies focused on Renewable Energy, Agriculture, Infrastructure Projects and Real Estate. We partner with and serve communities, governments, and companies in Africa, providing an innovative mix of advisory, investment, research, analytics, and design services.
With the understanding that today’s complex global problems require new solutions, as a global group, we work to build a more inclusive and sustainable world where all people, and governments everywhere, can reach their fullest potential.
Comprised of SAO Capital, SAO Agro, SAO Energy, SAO Advisory and SAO Environment; our businesses approach problems differently and work together to create impact at scale.
SAO is a place where a diverse mix of the most talented individuals are able to bring their authentic selves to work – whether it’s how you identify, where you come from, the languages you speak, the person you love, or the way you worship. SAO is a home where people feel safe, understood, nurtured and encouraged to grow.
Role Description
As a member of the Senior Management Team, the Business Development manager will contribute to the business development process and the production of winning proposals that drive strategic growth for the organization.
S/he will be a confident and service-oriented individual with the ability to assist with initiatives from proposal-specific duties to overall team management, projections, and opportunity tracking.
The Business Development Manager works with the Executive team to increase funding in support of the organization’s mission by managing, writing, and finalizing proposals and concept notes that are submitted to donors related to Health, Agriculture, and Environment funding sources, as well as others upon request, including opportunities focused on youth, economic development etc.
Main Responsibilities
• Review government and other public sector Requests for Application (RFA) and/or Requests for Proposals (RFPs), to determine a strategy for application and lead cross-functional teams to design and write proposals.
• Implement strategies for identifying, tracking, and engaging potential clients and creating tailored proposals to meet their needs.
• Represent the organization and attend regular meetings with government officials, donors, and other partners to ensure the success of programmatic activities.
• Keep the Executive Officer apprised of all developments on the projects within their portfolio.
• Take the lead in generating presentations for donor solicitations, working with relevant team members to finalize proposals, by following a structured review process.
• Write, review, and edit proposals and concept notes to donors, including the development of its technical approach, conducting basic desk research, document formatting, and the development of situation analysis, capacity statements, and past performance references.
• Ensure that project deliverables, such as reports and financial statements, are submitted to donors and partners on time.
• Build relationships with community stakeholders to advance the mission and fundraising goals of the organization.
• Identify external industry, national, or global work trends that impact our business and contribute ideas about potential positive and negative impacts of external trends on teamwork in group discussions.
• Other responsibilities that may be added based on business requirements.
Qualifications & Professional Experience
• Minimum of five years of progressively responsible experience in managing proposal development processes.
• An advanced degree in a relevant field is preferred and can substitute for up to 2 of the required years of experience described above.
• Strong expertise in writing proposal sections and ability to strengthen team members’ capacity in proposal writing, particularly related to management, personnel, qualifications, and similar sections.
• Strong understanding of corporate BD processes and management, including proposal resourcing, budget and consultant tracking, and other tasks.
• Demonstrated flexibility and interpersonal skills to interact with employees at all levels.
Core Skills and Functional Competencies
• Commitment & Integrity
• Proficiency with MS Office Suite and other presentation tools like Canva
• Subject matter expert and thought leader.
• Good scalability and sound judgement.
• Accountability and proactiveness
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Excellent people management skills
• Extensive risk management skills
• Strategy development and implementation
• Ability to influence decision-making and negotiate to obtain a desired result.
• Fast Learner and can tolerate ambiguity.
General Conditions
– Remuneration – Competitive
– Health & Safety – Health Maintenance Plan & Gym Membership
– Employee Benefits – Career Development Packages
– Work Hours – 45 Hours per week
– Work Type – Hybrid