Alumni Talent Pool: Business Development and Grants Management Roles

Mercy Corps

92d

About The Position

The Alumni Talent Pool is open exclusively to former Mercy Corps team members who were employed within the past 4 years and completed at least 1 year of service. Mercy Corps has created an Alumni Talent Pool to support business development and grants management by fast-tracking Mercy Corps alumni into temporary Business Development and Grants Management roles. The initiative focuses on matching qualified team members with urgent country-based needs, for short-term placements (3 months on average). This is an opportunity that offers more professional and personal flexibility and access to diverse experiences.

Requirements

• BA/S or equivalent in international development, political or social sciences, public administration, business, or a related field. Master’s degree preferred.
• At least 5–7 years of experience in program design, proposal development, business development, donor engagement, grants management, and/or award administration in international relief and development.
• Prior experience with Mercy Corps within the last four years, as an employee and/or consultant (Should have worked with Mercy Corps for at least one year.)
• Demonstrated experience with major donors such as FCDO, ECHO, Sida, US Department of State, UN agencies, and private foundations.
• Proven success in managing large, complex, or multi-country proposal processes and/or in managing donor-funded awards.
• Experience developing budgets and cost proposals and understanding staffing/personnel requirements for institutional donor submissions.
• Knowledge of donor compliance requirements and award management systems.
• Exceptional writing, negotiation, and partner coordination skills.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively under tight deadlines, manage multiple priorities, and adapt to changing circumstances.
• Professional-level proficiency in at least one of Mercy Corps’ working languages (English, French, Spanish, Arabic, Russian); proficiency in multiple languages strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership and oversight of proposal development for complex, multi-country, or high-value bids.
• Lead proposal design teams, negotiate partnerships, and ensure technical integration and donor compliance.
• Guide pre-positioning efforts, track donor strategies, and represent Mercy Corps with donors and partners.
• Strengthen country and regional teams’ BD capacity through mentoring, training, and knowledge sharing.
• Lead and/or support the design of small, medium, and large-scale proposals, including emergency and humanitarian opportunities.
• Manage dispersed proposal teams, coordinate with technical, finance, and compliance colleagues, and oversee cost proposal development.
• Support donor engagement, partnership building, and targeted assessments to increase competitiveness.
• Provide real-time technical support and reviews to strengthen country-led proposal processes.
• Ensure effective award management across a portfolio, including compliance with donor requirements and Mercy Corps’ internal policies.
• Monitor program and financial performance of awards, support timely and high-quality donor reporting, and coordinate with Finance and Compliance.
• Serve as the key point of contact for donor communication on award management issues.
• Support country teams in implementing Program Management Minimum Standards and strengthening systems for reporting, documentation, and compliance.
• Provide short-term leadership for business development or grants management during start-up or transitions.
• Establish systems for proposal development, donor reporting, budget tracking, and partner management.
• Work with HR/Admin on rapid recruitment and onboarding of proposal/grants staff.
• Ensure compliance and accountability standards are embedded from the outset.

Benefits

• Competitive salary and benefits depending on the type of employment.
• Access to diverse experiences and professional flexibility.

What This Job Offers

• Education Level: Bachelor's degree
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees