Senior Business Development Officer (SBDO)

Overview

Lead grants acquisition and proposal design for vulnerable children's projects.

You have:

• Minimum 4-5 years of relevant experience in humanitarian or development programming, with a focus on business development, grant acquisition, and donor reporting.
• Bachelor’s degree in international development, International Relations, Social Sciences, Public Administration, or related field.
• Master’s degree in international development, International Relations, Public Policy, or a related field preferred.
• Excellent writing and communication skills in English; Dari and/or Pashto an asset.
• Knowledge of humanitarian principles and standards (e.g. SPHERE, CHS, Red Cross Code of Conduct).
• Ability to interpret and present information with influence and clarity.
• Self-motivated, adaptable, and able to work under pressure with minimal supervision.
• Experience coordinating across departments (technical, finance, MEAL, operations) to deliver high-quality proposals and reports.

With 75 years of experience, our focus is on helping the most vulnerable children overcome poverty and experience fullness of life. We help children of all backgrounds, even in the most dangerous places, inspired by our Christian faith.

Come join our 33,000+ staff working in nearly 100 countries and share the joy of transforming vulnerable children’s life stories!

Employee Contract Type:

Local - Fixed Term Employee (Fixed Term)Job Description:

Grants Acquisition and Proposal Design

• Lead the development of concept notes and full proposals in close collaboration with technical specialists, finance and procurement teams, and Support Offices.
• Facilitate inclusive and timely design processes, ensuring proposals are responsive to donor priorities, aligned with WV Afghanistan’s strategy, and technically sound.
• Coordinate grant design and startup workshops in collaboration with relevant teams.
• Monitor the funding pipeline to identify gaps and ensure continuity across projects and sectors.
• Coordinate early positioning and engagement with institutional donors (e.g. UN, EU, bilateral agencies), including through collaboration with GC DM and EUREP.
• Lead the internal Go/No-Go process for all new funding opportunities and ensure appropriate approvals are obtained.
• Collaborate with Support Offices to negotiate match funding, technical support, and donor-specific requirements.
• Ensure accurate and timely updates to Horizon/IMPAQ, WV Response Portal and other donor opportunity trackers.
• Contribute to the annual update of the BDU Business Plan, including the development and monitoring of the funding matrix.

Grants Management and Reporting

• Coordinate the development and submission of high-quality donor reports (monthly, quarterly, annual, and final), ensuring compliance with donor requirements and WV standards.
• Support the Business Development Manager in overseeing grant performance and monitoring non-financial requirements across the portfolio.
• Facilitate grant start-up and close-out workshops in collaboration with finance, operations, and technical teams.
• Maintain regular coordination with project teams to track progress against objectives and proactively address challenges.
• Support and, when required, lead on the monthly Grant Health Tracker process, ensuring timely updates and flagging of issues to the Business Development Manager and Grant Finance Manager.
• Ensure alignment of implementation and reporting with relevant standards (e.g. WV policies, Red Cross Code of Conduct, SPHERE).

Quality Assurance, Accountability and Information

Management

• Ensure timely and high-quality preparation of grant proposals and donor reports by streamlining processes and coordinating closely with relevant teams.
• Maintain and improve internal tools, trackers, and systems within the BDU to support effective grant compliance and positive audit outcomes.
• Promote understanding and consistent use of BDU processes across technical, finance, and field teams.
• Ensure project designs and reports align with international humanitarian standards (e.g. SPHERE, CHS) and internal WV standards and indicators.
• Work with relevant teams to ensure reporting and documentation supports strong accountability to donors and affected populations.

Partnership & External Relations

• Maintain strong relationships with Support Offices, providing regular updates and seeking their strategic and technical input where needed.
• Coordinate with the Programs and Operations teams to identify and assess potential local and international partners for new grant opportunities.
• Support BDU-led capacity strengthening efforts for implementing partners, particularly related to donor compliance and proposal development.
• Ensure alignment with WV’s partnership principles and external engagement strategies when developing new consortiums or collaborations.
• Support the Business Development Manager and PDQ Director in external representation, including meetings with donors, peer agencies, and other stakeholders.

Information Management

• Ensure timely and accurate updates to the Horizon/IMPAQ system, WV Response Portal and other internal databases, including opportunity tracking and proposal/reporting records.
• Maintain organized and audit-ready project documentation in coordination with finance and technical teams.
• Support the development and refinement of BDU tools for data collection, knowledge management, and reporting workflows.
• Promote consistent filing practices and information sharing across teams to ensure access to key documents and institutional memory.

Supervision and Staff Development

Preferred Knowledge

and Qualifications

• Provide coaching and day-to-day supervision to the BDU Program Assistant to support their growth and performance.
• Lead the setting of performance objectives, conduct regular feedback sessions, and identify learning and development needs.
• Ensure that the BDU PA is equipped to contribute meaningfully to proposal development, reporting, and other BDU functions.

• Other Responsibilities

  Emergency Preparedness and HEA

• Remain aware of WV Afghanistan’s emergency preparedness and response protocols.
• Support emergency proposal development or reporting tasks as needed during rapid-onset or protracted crises.
• Contribute to HEA-related planning and ensure emergency-related responsibilities are incorporated into BDU workflows.
• Security and Risk Management
• Be familiar with WV Afghanistan’s security protocols and adhere strictly to all safety guidelines.
• Follow WV International policies and procedures related to project and program security.
• Support compliance with donor and internal risk mitigation measures, particularly during design and implementation of high-risk grants.
• Representation and Team Culture
• Represent WV in a professional and appropriate manner in external meetings and networks.
• Contribute to a collaborative, respectful, and high-performing team culture.
• Actively participate in team meetings, planning sessions, and learning events.
• Other Tasks
• Support special assignments, learning initiatives, or cross-functional collaborations as requested by the Business Development Manager.
• Stay committed to WV’s Core Values and Child Protection standards.
• Uphold WV’s safeguarding protocols in all aspects of work.

• KNOWLEDGE, SKILL AND EXPERIENCE

  Required Professional Experience

• Minimum 4-5 years of relevant experience in humanitarian or development programming, with a focus on business development, grant acquisition, and donor reporting. Proven experience in proposal development and donor engagement, preferably within large INGOs or multi-stakeholder environments.
• Experience coordinating across departments (technical, finance, MEAL, operations) to deliver high-quality proposals and reports.
• Bachelor’s degree in international development, International Relations, Social Sciences, Public Administration, or related field.
• Master’s degree in international development, International Relations, Public Policy, or a related field preferred.
• Technical & Sector-Specific Knowledge
• Master’s degree in international development, International Relations, Public Policy, or a related field.
• Familiarity with institutional donor requirements, including FCDO, GAC, BMZ, GFFO, UN agencies, and Arab donors.
• Strong understanding of project design, logical frameworks, theory of change, and budgeting processes.
• Knowledge of humanitarian principles and standards (e.g. SPHERE, CHS, Red Cross Code of Conduct).
• Experience in large-scale humanitarian contexts or fragile and conflict-affected settings.
• Excellent writing and communication skills in English; Dari and/or Pashto an asset.
• Knowledge of World Vision’s field operations in both relief and development contexts.
• Soft Skills & Field Readiness
• Ability to interpret and present information with influence and clarity.
• Self-motivated, adaptable, and able to work under pressure with minimal supervision.
• Cross-cultural sensitivity, emotional maturity, and a flexible worldview.
• Physical and mental resilience to perform effectively in high-stress, resource-constrained environments.
• Strong interpersonal skills and a collaborative working style.
• Demonstrated ability to manage work-life balance in demanding conditions.
• Completion of a recognized personal security training (or willingness to complete one upon onboarding).

• Required travel and/or work environment accommodations

  Up to 25% travel

  Position’s physical requirements

• The role requires the ability to operate in physically demanding environments, including travel to remote field sites under sometimes austere conditions.
• The position may involve extended screen time and long working hours during proposal deadlines.
• Language Requirements
• Full professional proficiency in English (written and spoken) required.
• Working knowledge of Dari and/or Pashto is an asset
• Required Education, training, license, registration, and certification

Applicant Types Accepted:

Local Applicants Only

Apply now

Potential interview questions

Added 1 year ago - Updated 1 year ago - Source: wvi.org