This position works primarily on multimillion-dollar international public health proposals for various donors, including USAID and DFID. The Writer works with the Technical Strategy Lead and Proposal Manager to ensure that final proposals are responsive to the needs of the client and reflect the technical approach of MSH and its partners.
Specific Responsibilities:
1. Writing of proposals, applications, expressions of interest, and other procurement documents(70%)
- Drafting: Draft sections of proposals as requested by the Proposal Manager and Technical Strategy Lead, which may include the technical approach, management plan, personnel section, executive summary, and/or capabilities statement, in close coordination with the Technical Strategy Lead.
- Research: Contribute to identifying and reviewing background materials to use in writing technical proposals or to provide to other team writers.
- Outlining: Develop annotated outlines for proposals in collaboration with the proposal team, working closely with technical experts and the Proposal Manager/Coordinator.
- Coordination: Coordinate with other writers to meet all deadlines for proposal drafts.
- Rewriting: Rewrite and rework sections of proposals submitted by other writers as needed, including condensing sections to meet length requirements.
- Capability statements: Work with proposal teams to ensure that the institutional capability statements and past performance narratives of MSH and partners are relevant to the technical proposal.
- Staffing sections: Work with the human resources team to ensure that job descriptions, biographical summaries, and CVs of proposed staff accurately reflect their skills and accomplishments in relation to procurement requirements.
2. Development of technical strategies for proposals (10%)
- Actively participate in strategy sessions to help to develop the technical approach and strategies and identify win themes.
- Work with the Technical Strategy Lead and graphic designer to help develop high-quality, compelling graphic portrayals of key concepts and strategies.
3. Positioning (10%)
- Within a target geographic portfolio, technical area, and/or priority donor, work collaboratively with designated BSA, Center, and field staff to develop and implement positioning strategies to strengthen MSH stature, credibility, and likelihood of winning new business, including, but not limited to, intelligence gathering (desk and field), analysis, and information sharing.
4. Quality assurance and review of proposals (5%)
- Check that technical proposals are responsive/compliant, sound, internally consistent, and appropriately address all procurement requirements.
- Review drafts of selected proposals to make recommendations to improve responsiveness/compliance, organization, and clarity.
5. Proposal Editing (3%)
- Edit selected proposals in accordance with the standards of the Business & Resource Development Unit.
6. Capacity building (2%)
- Build the capacity of other staff in proposal writing and editing.
Qualifications: - Postgraduate degree in English, communications, health sciences, international development, journalism, or related field, or equivalent experience.
- A minimum of 7 years related writing experience, including at least 5 years of writing and substantive editing of international development-related materials, including competitive proposals, in a professional setting.
Knowledge and Skills:
- Significant experience in writing proposals for the US Agency for International Development (USAID), other US government agencies, and/or other donors.
- Outstanding skills in persuasive writing and the ability to present technical ideas in a concise way that is relatively free of jargon.
- Expert skills in drafting, condensing, and revising text rapidly to meet proposal deadlines and length limits.
- Advanced skills in Microsoft Word.
- Ability to interview technical experts and use information to craft easily understood language.
- Ability to take in and process reviewers’ comments and other feedback and make sound decisions about when to ask questions.
- Familiarity with issues related to international development, public health, the social sector, or the social sciences required.
- Ability to quickly research and identify factual information.
- Strong editing skills.
- Experience living and working in developing countries and understanding of field realities and social needs required.
- Professional proficiency in Spanish or French a plus.
Competencies:
- A love of writing and crafting clear language, with careful attention to detail.
- Flexibility, tact, and ability to work with diverse kinds of team members under tight deadlines.
- Strong, demonstrated ability to perform well under pressure and in challenging environments.
- Expert skills in verbal communication with staff at all levels.
- Self-motivation and capacity to take the initiative.
- Ability to think strategically and work with designers to convey strategies and themes visually.
Physical Demands:
- Keyboard use, pulling drawers, lifting papers <10 lbs. Ability to travel internationally approximately 20% time and on short notice.
Management Sciences for Health is an equal opportunity employer offering employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, national origin, citizenship, physical or mental handicap, or status as a disabled or Vietnam Era veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces.
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