Director of Strategic Growth

Background

Since formally launching Chemonics UK in May 2019, we have established a strong and diverse portfolio of UK Aid-funded programmes as well as partnerships with donors including International Development Banks and European bilateral donors. We work with government and development sector counterparts across three continents to deliver programmes in sectors including climate action, education, governance, peacebuilding, stabilisation, social cohesion, and research.

Purpose

The Director of Strategic Growth will be responsible for driving the growth and diversification of our client portfolio, with a particular focus on maintaining and expanding our relationship with the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO). This role will be accountable for achieving annual backlog targets, driving diversification across Chemonics European entities managing a new business team and collaborating with technical practices to achieve these targets.

The Director of Strategic Growth will balance external market and stakeholder engagement with the leadership of strategic proposals, ensuring the delivery of high-quality, competitive bids. The role will support commercial strategies within proposals, ensuring they align with the corporate commercial requirements. This position will sit on the senior leadership team and report directly to the Managing Director.

Key Responsibilities:

Strategic Leadership

• Provide strategic oversight and management to improve new business development functions and increase revenue, coordinating across teams in the UK and overseas.
• Develop and implement a comprehensive new business strategy to achieve annual backlog targets.
• Lead diversification efforts to attract and secure new clients beyond the FCDO.
• Monitor market trends and ensure that Chemonics UK are aware of the latest trends in our focus sectors, monitoring competitors and reviewing our offering considering competitors’ developments.
• Take a leadership role in deciding and approving which opportunities Chemonics UK responds to.
• Analyses development funding trends and priorities; formulates the largest and most complex strategies, new directions, and techniques to grow the company and improve market share; networks with clients, consultants, and counterparts regarding new business opportunities.
• Coordinate and leverage expertise and experience across Chemonics European entities to achieve growth for the European business line.

Proposal Leadership

• Bring an understanding of the competitive landscape and the required strategy to both win bids (commercial and technical) and ensure that the commercial strategy of Chemonics UK is applied.
• Lead the development of strategic proposals, ensuring alignment with client requirements and organisational standards.
• Ensure all proposals are thoroughly reviewed and meet internal quality standards (technical and commercial) before submission.
• Oversee the bidding process, including bid writing, development, and submission collaborating with others, work with the commercial team to ensure that the commercial submission is compelling whilst also balances the risk and reward of delivering the proposal.

Client and Stakeholder Engagement

• Build and maintain strong relationships with key client decision makers, particularly HMG and EC.
• Proactively identify and develop effective working relationships with new clients, counterparts, potential partners, and stakeholders and continually promotes outstanding client service with corporate office staff and project office teams.
• Represent Chemonics UK at industry events, conferences, and meetings to enhance visibility and reputation.
• Engage with stakeholders to understand their needs and ensure our proposals address their priorities.
• Support the development and growth of our network of consultants, ensuring Chemonics UK has access to the right knowledge and skills to implement new projects.

Financial Management

• Backlog target responsibility.
• Develop and manage the new business budget, ensuring efficient allocation of resources.
• Track and analyse income generation activities, prepare regular reports and revenue forecasts on new business progress, outcomes, and ROI.
• Track proposal expenditure and ensure it remains within budget while delivering desired outcomes.
• Report on financial performance and provide insights to senior leadership.

Continuous Improvement

• Drive continuous improvement initiatives to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the new business function.
• Implement lessons learned from previous proposals to improve future bid success rates.
• Stay updated on industry best practices and incorporate them into the new business strategy.

Management and Leadership

• Supervises, mentors, and evaluates multiple direct reports, communicating clear performance goals and standards and offering regular performance feedback and prompt resolution of problems conducts performance reviews; promotes staff development through coaching, mentoring, and facilitating professional growth.
• Leads and significantly contributes to corporate initiatives that leverage new revenue streams, realising efficiencies and cost savings.
• Manages and mitigates project and corporate risks, including those that required company-wide policy and practice shifts.
• Leads, implements and/or significantly contributes to corporate initiatives to share knowledge and solutions; builds staff and company capacity.
• Promotes and exemplifies Chemonics’ values and ethical standards and manages staff to achieve team and development objectives.
• Creates a productive and motivating work environment for staff by promoting cooperation and teamwork across departments, staying abreast of management leadership, and team building strategies and advocating for them within Chemonics.
• Demonstrates inclusive behaviors and leadership consistent with Chemonics’ values and leadership competencies.
• Performs other duties as assigned.
• Participate in the Senior Management Team contributing to leadership and decision-making across Chemonics UK.
• Provides cover for the UK Managing Director as required; may be delegated specific approvals from the Managing Director.

Person Specification:

Essential Skills

• Demonstrable and adequate skills and experience in leading business growth and development within the international development sector.
• An exceptional writer, with the ability to produce compelling inputs, tailored to the specific needs and interests of different donors.
• Comfortable working in an organisation that is fast-paced and experiencing significant growth showing flexibility and resilience as structures, processes and ways of working evolve.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and implement successful business strategies.
• Strong commercial acumen and an enthusiastic entrepreneurial spirit.
• Financial literacy with the ability to interpret management accounts, create and manage budgets.
• Proven experience in income/revenue generation or new business sales, preferably within the international development sector.
• Excellent communication, writing and interpersonal skills, displaying a commitment to excellence and careful attention to detail.
• Target driven with an ability to think strategically and develop and implement compelling new business strategies.
• Thorough knowledge of Chemonics main clients and their operations and experience cultivating client and partner relationships.
• Demonstrated leadership, management, organisational, negotiation and decision-making skills.
• Demonstrated experience managing and supervising staff assigned to a department or several project teams and new business efforts; demonstrates leadership, versatility, and integrity.
• Ability to manage and inspire cross-funtional teams to drive growth.
• A flexible and adaptable approach to changing demands and priorities.
• Optimum standards of presentation, attention to detail and accuracy.
• Willingness to travel and work abroad up to 4 months per year.
• Engaging in other areas of work as determined by the demands of the business and the UK Managing Director.

Other

• UK work authorisation or ability to obtain it required.

Education / Professional Skills:

Essential

• Relevant undergraduate degree in business, international development or similar.

Desirable

• Master’s degree in a relevant subject.