Pathfinder Overview

Pathfinder International is driven by the conviction that all people, regardless of where they live, have the right to decide whether and when to have children, to exist free from fear and stigma, and to lead the lives they choose. As a global health organization with locally led, community-driven programs, we support women to make their own reproductive health decisions. We work with local partners to advance contraceptive services, comprehensive abortion care, and young people’s sexual and reproductive rights in communities around the world—including those affected by poverty, conflict, climate change, and natural disasters. Taken together, our programs enable millions of people to choose their own paths forward.

Summary:

Leads the process of developing sound technical proposals that have strong and compelling strategic approaches in line with Pathfinder’s relevant technical strategies and in response to donor priorities and requirements. Leads internal capacity building for Pathfinder staff in program design and proposal strategy development.

Key Job Outcomes: 

• Program Design: Collaborate with the Business Development, Technical, Country and Program Strategy, Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning, and Country teams to design the proposal strategy in response to donor requests for proposals/applications. Leads strategic framework design through collaborative teamwork, facilitating inputs from Technical Advisors and country teams. Lead the program design process, working with the Technical Writer, to demonstrate Pathfinder voice, style, and technical familiarity with Pathfinder strategies and approaches. Advises on appropriate potential partners and participates in discussions with partners on their input and roles.
  • Facilitate proposal planning meetings with technical, program, MEL, and country teams, leading the group through collective brainstorming sessions to identify win themes, theory of change, and strategic approaches
  • Meet with government officials and key stakeholders to identify strategic priorities within the country context and capture these in the program design and contextual analysis.
  • Draft theory of change and technical proposal outlines
  • Contribute to decision-making regarding proposal package including selection of key personnel and project management structure, budget alignment, and workplan
  • Review proposal drafts and conduct final review and sign-off on technical narrative
• Capacity Building: Builds internal capacity through formal training and informal mentorship in program design and proposal development processes. Develops and leads in-house training program for staff on program design.
• Technical Writing: Serve as Technical writer as needed to write and edit Pathfinder proposals and other technical materials.

Minimally Required Job-Specific Competencies:

• Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights Services: Advanced knowledge of family planning and reproductive health principles, practices and services of programs, including program strategies and indicators, and the latest professional developments in SRHR, including special challenges faced in the developing world.
• Program Design: Advanced skills in program design from development of strategic frameworks, to consortium/partner composition, to full proposals package.
• Data Analysis: Intermediate knowledge of demographic health data analysis for decision-making.

Minimally Required Organizational Competencies: 

• Software Applications: Advanced knowledge of MS Excel, PowerPoint, Word and Outlook.
• Project Planning and Management: Advanced knowledge and skills in project management and planning to fulfill performance objectives.
• Languages: Proven writing and speaking skills using English language required with full professional proficiency in French highly preferred. Professional fluency includes the ability to lead and facilitate meetings with native speakers, conduct interviews, and prepare and interpret correspondence and documents.
• Communication and Influencing Skills: Proven ability to influence others, including donor agencies and local partners, through diplomacy and proven oral and written communication skills.
• Presentation Skills: Proven ability to make presentations from prepared materials to small and large groups.
• Community Relations: Advanced skills in facilitating working relationships with key constituents.

Required Education, Training, and Experience:

• Master’s degree in public health, epidemiology, statistics, social sciences or a related field, or a combination of education and experience that yields the required competencies.
• 10 years’ experience as proposal lead, with record of developing successful USAID, private foundation, and other donor-funded proposals/applications.
• Prefer: Experience in designing and facilitating staff trainings
• Experience living in counties where Pathfinder works. Extensive experience in cross-cultural collaboration and engagement.

Other Information:

• Travel required (at least 35%)
• Must be eligible to work in the US
• Uses cellular and desk phone; laptop or desktop computer

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities

The contractor will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor’s legal duty to furnish information. 41 CFR 60-1.35(c)

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities

The contractor will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor’s legal duty to furnish information. 41 CFR 60-1.35(c)