SFCG – Search for Common Ground

Europe Partnership and Business Development Specialist

SFCG – Search for Common Ground

Brussels, Belgium

Search for Common Ground

In a world often divided, Search for Common Ground stands for the power of bringing diverse people together to find solutions. By meeting this moment with Search, you join a powerful global peace movement that believes in the profound impact of courageous multipartiality – that all voices should be heard and respected in shaping a better, more connected world and collaborative vision is essential for lasting peace.

From our founding during the Cold War to our programming today we are 800 peacebuilders in 36 countries. We work with 34 million people in conflict every year. Search for Common Ground takes a dynamic approach by building solutions that are based on the needs of communities. We engage with leaders and elected officials to advance dialogue and collaboration. We are community leaders. We are youth activists. We are women. We are Peacebulders. We have been doing this work for over 40 years, we have developed our understanding of what peace looks like, being able to quantify our impact and design more effective programming. Peace moves at the speed of trust, so we invest for the long haul. When we’re no longer needed, we leave, leaving behind people and institutions with the ability to manage future conflicts.

Main responsibilities

Based in our Brussels headquarters with frequent travels to European capitals, the main responsibilities of the Europe Partnership and Business Development Specialist are as follows:

• Strategically leads Search for Common Ground’s engagement with European donors; develops new relationships and markets for the organisation;
• Serves as one of Search for Common Ground’s external representatives in Europe, alongside the Executive Director;
• Provides expertise to European Business development processes, including European Union granting guidelines;
• Provides current strategic intelligence on emerging trends and changing landscapes for peacebuilding funding in Europe;
• Provides significant input across all strategy processes in areas relevant to European Business Development;
• Leads and manages relationships with European peer organisations, donors and consortium partners.

About the role

The Europe Partnership and Business Development Specialist is responsible for designing Search’s engagement plan in Europe and to implement it. They work hand in hand with the Executive Director to lead donor and partner relationships in Europe. They build and maintain a network of relevant stakeholders within key European Ministries of Development and of Foreign Affairs, the European Union, relevant multilaterals organizations, foundations, peer organisations in the peacebuilding, development and humanitarian sector.

The Europe Partnership and Business Development Specialist builds and maintains a network throughout Europe and uses it to gather key information about the trends relating to the peacebuilding sector. They use that information to provide advanced analysis, guidance and advice to the Executive Director and other Search colleagues at the global and regional level about how these trends might affect the organisation and how to adapt the business model accordingly. They monitor peacebuilding donors’ priorities and strategies and share that intelligence within the Business Development team to ensure that this information feeds the regional and country Business development strategies.

They lead and champion the proposal writing processes of strategic European multi-year and multi-country proposals. On a routine basis, they contribute to the Proposal writing process by drafting specific sections and providing input on the competitiveness of proposals.

The Europe Partnership and Business Development Specialist travels regularly to priority European countries to build and maintain relationships. While they hold their own relationships, they are also responsible for planning the Executive Director’s travels and preparing briefings for them. They contribute to organising the country and regional team’s visits to Europe and may accompany these visitors to donors’ meetings in key European capitals.

The Europe Partnership and Business Development Specialist Ensures Search builds credibility on the issues identified in the European engagement plan and Business Development strategy. They are public speakers representing Search for Common Ground and participate in various conferences and fora relevant to the sector in Europe.

The Europe Partnership and Business Development Specialist builds and maintains partnerships with peer peacebuilding organisations in Europe, key humanitarian and development organisations, as well as with potential partners. They advise on partner selection processes as requested. They contribute to creating funding opportunities for Search and these partners, and participate actively in the design of joint programmes as relevant.

The Europe Partnership and Business Development Specialist keeps abreast of key rules and regulations regarding the European peacebuilding donors and provides expert guidance to Search’s Business Development teams across the globe about these rules and any adaptation needed to Search’s systems and processes. They train colleagues on European donors and partners’ specificities, where relevant. They use their networks to advocate for quality funding for peacebuilding in Europe.

The Europe Partnership and Business Development Specialist is a key member of the Europe Senior Management Team and participates actively in the strategy development for the European entity. They are also a key member of the Business Development Senior Management Team and contribute actively in the strategy development for the Business Development function.

About our Brussels Headquarters

Search for Common Ground is registered in Belgium as an international non profit organization (AISBL). This entity manages all contracts and relationships with European partners, peers and donors, and oversees all European funded projects (currently, a portfolio of +/- 50 projects). It is headed by an Executive Director, supported by a Senior Management team, and overseen by a Board of Directors. It is a vibrant and international workplace, located around the Schuman area of Brussels. The Brussels office receives frequent visits by colleagues and partners from across the globe.

About the Business Development team

The Business Development team is made out of a team of 15 staff spread across the globe, under the leadership of a Global Director of Business Development. The Business Development team creates new and repeat business for the organization in line with the Business Development Strategy.

Collaborations

Internal collaborations:

• This position has no supervision responsibility. They report to the Brussels-based Executive Director with dotted line supervision to the Global Director of Business Development;
• They are a member of the Europe Senior Management team and of the Global Business Development’s Senior Management Team;
• They are in regular contact with regional and country-based colleagues and with the Policy team.

External collaborations:

• The Europe Partnership and Business Development Specialist is a key external relationship manager. This role is externally-facing and the candidate is expected to spend a significant amount of time engaging with partners, donors, peers, both in Brussels and in key European capitals;
• They are responsible for identifying key relationships in Europe and hold a large portion of said relationships.

Competency Behavior Indicators (Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities)

• Manages overall strategy and vision. Provides functional and program/project management. Anticipates and plans for needs and takes action accordingly. Provides guidance to direct reports or matrixed team members;
• Develops and maintains collaborative relationships with vendors, organizations, professional associations, partners, funders, and Search’s network of experts critical to the area of purview;
• Modifies a planned course of action in response to new information or new circumstances;
• Responds to changing circumstances and expectations readily;
• Articulates Search/function program/project goals and objectives within and external to Search. Develops program objectives that reflect broader Search strategies and approaches;
• Provides input for standards across functions globally within Shared Services teams and with a view from a multicultural perspective that reflects consideration of other cultures, other viewpoints, and other ways of doing things;
• Overcomes obstacles using ethical practices; formulates and evaluates morally and ethically justified solutions;
• Assesses risks and opportunities to lead decision-makers to a favorable outcome;
• Checks the accuracy of one’s own and others’ work and sets up systematic checks and balances to support content and data integrity;
• Has knowledge of project management tools including technology as resources for efficiency and reduction of stress.

Minimum Education and Experience

• At minimum, an Bachelors degree in a related field with 9 years of experience or a Masters degree with 7 years of work experience;
• Minimum of 4 years of experience in program design and development and/or fundraising;
• Minimum of 2 years experience working with funders and/or policy-makers in the EU or one of the major European governments funding the peacebuilding sector;
• Representation experience at mid to senior-level;
• Strong network within the EU, and key European peacebuilding funders;
• Demonstrated experience managing collaborations in cross-cultural settings and working in matrixed organisations;
• Full working proficiency in English.

Preferred Education and Experience

• Professional work experience in a non-profit setting;
• Demonstrated understanding of peacebuilding or related fields such as democracy and governance;
• Full working proficiency in French is desirable. German, Dutch or other additional languages are a strong added value.

Salary Range and Contract Duration

This position is Belgium-based and requires a minimum of two days a week in our Brussels office.

The salary range for this position would be between EUR 4.620 and 5.800 EUR gross per month, based on relevant experience, with following benefits: 22 days of annual leave, end-of-year office closure, double vacation pay, meal vouchers (Eur 7,- per worked day), life insurance, hospitalisation, dental and ambulatory health insurances, disability insurance, contribution to mobile phone use, transport allocation, home office allowance and a contribution to private pension fund (2% of annual gross salary).

This position is an open-ended contract (CDI).

This position will close on 14 April 2024.

Working Conditions and Physical Requirements

Usual office environment conditions; ability to travel least 25% within Europe and occasional travels to country offices. Office presence (Brussels) twice a week, with the ability to attend external meetings and events in Brussels on any day of the week.

Supervisory and Budget Responsibility

The Europe Partnership and Business Development Specialist doesn’t supervise a team. They may supervise one or more interns or fellows.

Foreseen Start Date

1^st of May (preferred) or 1^st of June.

As job descriptions cannot be exhaustive, the position holder may be required to undertake other duties that are broadly in line with the above key responsibilities.

Only applicants invited for an interview will be contacted. No phone calls, please. Please see our website www.sfcg.org for full details of our work. All Search Employees must adhere to the values: Collaboration – Audacity – Tenacity – Empathy – Results. In accordance with these values, Search enforces compliance with the Code of Conduct and related policies on Anti Workplace Harassment, Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Conflict of Interest, and Anti-fraud. Search is committed to safeguarding the interests, rights, and well-being of children, youth, and vulnerable adults with whom it is in contact and to conducting its programs and operations in a manner that is safe for children, youth, and vulnerable adults. Search for Common Ground does not and shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status, in any of its activities or operations. View our code of conduct here and our privacy policy here.

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