Director, Business Development

Overview

FES seeks a qualified expert to join its team and lead business development initiatives in close collaboration with senior management. The successful candidate will have extensive experience working in the private sector and collaborating on public sector-funded programs such as USAID. This individual will be responsible for researching, identifying, initiating and managing the business opportunities with companies, foundations, and donors.  

Duties and Responsibilities

The Director for Business Development will have the follow duties and responsibilities:

• Co-create with FES Principals a “Global Food Company and Investor Engagement Strategy” and then lead and manage this strategy.Identify and provide insights on emerging issues and trends in the food systems, especially with a focus on private sector-driven solutions. 
• Track foundation and donor-funded opportunities of interest to FES. 
• Develop positive customer relationships with private sector companies, development partners, donor organizations, impact investors, and international finance institutions. 
• Engage closely with private sector customers that have interest in working in emerging economies to ensure their satisfaction and to develop insights for future impact opportunities. 
• Seek opportunities that build the FES brand as innovative, effective, food safety and food systems organization in the minds of current and future private food sector customers and partners. 
• Provide technical direction to support proposals, projects, and strategies to ensure approaches are based on current donor/client evidence, research, and learning. 
• Promote technical best practices to all/existing projects that are consistent with FES’ mission and strategy. 
• Serve as technical contributor, technical writer, technical lead, and/or technical reviewer for new business pursuits for a variety of US and international clients (e.g. USAID, foundations, private companies, etc.)
• Develop and execute customer and country business plans that support FES strategic growth priorities.
• Represent Food Enterprise Solutions at food systems-focused international forums, conferences, roundtables, and other technically relevant events. 
• Work alongside and collaboratively with other members of FES, stakeholders, and partners.

Qualifications

• Advanced degree in business, economics, agribusiness, or a related field.
• Minimum ten years of experience working with private sector food companies in areas such as supply chain, cold chain, business expansion, quality management, etc. in an emerging economy environment.
• Strong communication skills, with the ability to communicate detailed concepts clearly and concisely both in writing and verbally.
• Demonstrated capacities to establish and maintain strong, collaborative working relationships with project staff and consultants.
• Demonstrated experience writing proposals.
• Flexibility to work in environments with little information and guidance.
• Able to work from FES office in Arlington, VA. 

How to Apply

Interested applicants should submit the following documents to jobs@foodsolutions.global no later than July 15, 2024:

• Resume
• Cover letter highlighting relevant skills and experience for this position
• 3 professional references and contact information for each

Food Enterprise Solutions reserves the right to accept or reject all applications. Only short-listed applicants will be contacted. FES is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE) and does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment based on race, color, religion, national origin, age, gender, sex, ancestry, citizenship status, mental or physical disability, genetic information, sexual orientation, veteran status, or military status.