Partnerships & Business Development Manager

About the Company

Adroit Associates is an international development firm specializing in four pivotal domains that collectively aim to promote prosperity and resilience, specifically in conflict-affected and fragile contexts. Our expertise spans Research and Analysis, Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL), Institutional Strengthening, and Engineering & Infrastructure Advisory (EIA). As passionate, data-driven professionals, we are committed to making a real difference in some of the world’s most challenging settings.

We collaborate with governments, civil society organizations, international aid and development organizations, and corporations through a combination of robust, data-driven research and deep, place-based engagement to make international development more effective, inclusive, and sustainable. We harness the power of evidence and data to co-design and deliver solutions that contribute to transforming the extraordinarily vulnerable communities we serve.

Adroit Associates Value

In this position, you are expected to demonstrate Adroit Associates’ values:

• Passion for Positive Change: We place the lives of communities at the forefront of all our work. We believe transformation is possible and approach each project with enthusiasm and a passion for positive change.
• Commitment to Quality: We are rigorous, robust, and evidence-based in the work we undertake. We plan and control for quality and do all it takes to achieve the high standards we expect of ourselves and those we serve.
• Upholding Integrity: We abide by the highest professional and ethical principles in everything we do. We take complete ownership of and provide accountability for our work.
• Continuous Learning and Adaptability: We strive to be the best at what we do by maintaining an internal culture of critical thinking, openly sharing our successes and failures, and engaging in reflection and learning.

Job Summary

The Partnerships and Business Development Manager is responsible for driving Adroit Associates’ growth across key markets by leading the organization’s partnerships, opportunity development, and external positioning efforts under the supervision of the Head of Partnerships and Business Development. The role focuses on identifying, pursuing, and securing new business opportunities across all service lines, while building and maintaining strong relationships with donors, clients, and strategic partners.

Within this mandate, the position also provides dedicated leadership for the SnapSolutions (https://snapsolutions.adroitassociates.org) micro-consulting portfolio as a core business line under the Partnership and Business Development Department. The Manager oversees the marketing, client outreach, and performance management of SnapSolutions services, ensuring effective promotion, high-quality delivery, and measurable contribution to Adroit’s overall growth objectives.

• Department/ Project: Partnership and Business Development Manager
• Type of Appointment: Permanent
• Reports to: Country Director - Ethiopia | Head of Partnerships and Business Development
• Contract Duration: 12 months with the possibility of extension

Main Duties & Responsibilities

As the Partnerships and Business Development Manager, you are responsible for identifying, pursuing, and securing new business opportunities that contribute to Adroit Associates’ growth across all service lines. You will manage opportunity intelligence, proposal development, client engagement, and BD systems to position Adroit as a competitive partner in key markets. Within this mandate, you will also lead the SnapSolutions micro-consulting portfolio as a key business line under the Partnership and Business Development Department.

A. Opportunity Identification & Growth Planning

• Conduct regular scanning of donor portals, government platforms, procurement systems, and sector networks to identify new tenders, grants, and partnership opportunities.
• Analyze client needs, industry trends, and competitor activities to determine best-fit opportunities.
• Develop short- and long-term business development plans aligned with organizational priorities in collaboration with Head of Partnerships and Business Development.
• Assist in maintaining an up-to-date opportunity tracker with potential, active, and high-priority opportunities.

B. Proposal & Bid Development

• Lead the end-to-end proposal development process, including planning, writing, coordinating inputs, reviewing, and submitting high-quality proposals and bids.
• Support the Head of Partnerships and Business Development in preparing compelling EOIs, concept notes, pitch decks, and capability statements.
• Coordinate contributions from technical teams, finance, HR, and external experts to produce well-integrated submissions.
• Maintain and update a structured library of templates, CVs, project references, methods, and past performance documents.

C. Relationship Building & Representation

• Proactively reach out to prospective clients, partners, and experts to build strong professional relationships under the direction of Head of Partnerships and Business Development.
• Represent Adroit Associates at conferences, events, donor briefings, academic forums, and sector meetings to strengthen visibility, as delegated by the Head of Partnerships and Business Development.
• Maintain communication with partners and stakeholders to position Adroit for future collaborations.
• Build and manage a network of consultants and thematic experts relevant to upcoming opportunities.

D. Pipeline Management and CRM

• Maintain and update the BD pipeline in the CRM, ensuring opportunities, outreach, and meetings are logged accurately and consistently.
• Track and report pipeline progress, proposal submissions, win/loss trends, and forecasts to the Head of Partnerships and Business Development for leadership review.
• Support structured pipeline reviews by flagging priority opportunities, upcoming deadlines, and next actions for decision-making.

E. Internal Coordination & Knowledge Sharing

• Collaborate closely with technical teams to understand strengths, capabilities, and past experiences for positioning in proposals.
• Coordinate with Finance and HR for budgeting, sourcing experts, and staffing requirements.
• Share lessons learned from wins and losses to improve BD processes and competitiveness.
• Support production of BD-related communication materials such as capability statements and success summaries.

F. SnapSolutions Micro-Consulting Portfolio

• Lead the management and growth of SnapSolutions as Adroit’s micro-consulting service line, ensuring alignment with overall BD priorities.
• Oversee service launch, positioning, and marketing campaigns, including digital presence, promotional materials, and participation in relevant events and forums.
• Drive client outreach and onboarding, ensuring clear communication of service scope, deliverables, pricing, and timelines, and maintain accurate tracking of prospects and conversions in CRM/ClickUp.
• Monitor SnapSolutions service delivery, ensuring quality, timeliness, and client satisfaction, and address any delivery issues in coordination with relevant teams.
• Track and report key performance metrics (e.g., consultations, pilots, conversions, revenue, and client feedback) and recommend improvements to pricing, features, and delivery models.
• Capture and organize lessons learned, success stories, and case studies from SnapSolutions engagements for reuse in proposals, pitches, and marketing.
• Represent SnapSolutions in external forums and build partnerships with peer organizations, networks, and platforms to expand visibility, referrals, and joint opportunities.

Qualification:

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Marketing, Commerce, or a related field (Master’s degree preferred).
• Additional business development and marketing certifications from reputable institutes will be considered a strong asset.
• At least 4 years of professional experience successfully managing business development, partnership, and/or marketing activities, preferably in fragile or conflict-affected contexts (experience in Ethiopia or similar settings is an advantage).
• Preference will be given to candidates with demonstrated experience in marketing and proposal development in the international development or consulting sector.

Skills and Personal Attributes

• Strategic Business Development: Proven ability to identify new opportunities, conduct market analysis, and create strategic plans to drive growth in key markets.
• Client & Stakeholder Management: Expertise in building trust-based relationships with clients and partners, from initial outreach and negotiation to long-term partnership management.
• Strategic Planning & Execution: Ability to develop and implement practical short- and long-term plans for both service-line growth and overall business expansion.
• Proposal & Pitch Development: Strong skills in researching opportunities, writing compelling proposals, and creating pitch decks that win new business.
• Project & Service Delivery Management: Excellent organizational skills to coordinate projects, oversee service delivery, manage timelines, and ensure client satisfaction.
• Adaptability & Proactive Initiative: A self-motivated professional who thrives in a dynamic environment, adapts quickly to change, and takes initiative to achieve results.
• Leadership & Cross-Functional Coordination: Ability to lead activities, inspire collaboration across different teams, and ensure aligned efforts toward common goals.

Skills Required:

• Economics / Statistics
• Sales / Marketing / Business / Management