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Strategic Pursuit Director (EU Institutions) - Public Policy

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ICF

Jan 15

Applications are closed

  • Job
    Full-time
    Expert Level
  • Government & Politics
    Business, Operations & Strategy
  • Madrid

Requirements

  • • At least 10+ years of experience in public policy business development-related activities. Demonstrated success leading the capture of large business development programmes (as a prime contractor on net new or takeaway programmes), Managing proposals and leading them efficiently in a dynamic, multi-task, fast-paced environment.
  • • Demonstrable ability to understand EU institutions’ unique mission, technologies needed, and pain points. Significant experience with all aspects of EC business development activities: opportunity identification, solution development, proposal preparation, and submission. Thorough understanding of how EC bids are evaluated, and a proven track record of leading the development of successful, winning proposals for EU institutions (e.g., significant, sustained contract win rates of 90%+ success on re-competes; 40+% on new bids or takeaways)
  • • Excellent communications skills demonstrated through written and oral presentations, and development of technical papers, volumes, or similar products. Demonstrated expertise in creating compelling content in proposals that speak to a range of audiences. Strong proficiency in the Microsoft Office Suite
  • • Excellent negotiation skills, highly developed persuasiveness skills, and a positive, collaborative attitude, even when under pressure: ability to appropriately challenge the status quo and “hold one’s own” in internal BD discussions to ensure the best solution is developed in response to client requirements and the agreed bid strategy.
  • • Bachelor’s degree or equivalent
  • • Fluency in written and spoken English; fluency in French would be a bonus, but not essential.

Responsibilities

  • Strategic Guidance and BD/Capture Implementation
  • Demonstrated success leading the capture of large business development programmes – as a prime contractor on net new or takeaway programmes. Market focus on one or more key solutions: Energy, Climate, Environmental Security, Employment, Education, Research and Innovation, Health, Justice and Home Affairs, and Gender Equality. Client focus: European Commission (EU) and EU Agencies
  • Prioritise service contracts and single award and cascade Frameworks. On average, be responsible for 3-5 opportunities at any point in time.
  • Partner with market researchers, external stakeholders as well as client-facing teams to identify/assess which opportunities should progress/be pursued.
  • Present opportunities to the leadership team and determine if they align optimally with the E&A growth strategy. Qualify tenders with senior staff to determine an informed bid/no bid decision.
  • Provide strategic direction and guidance to ICF teams through all phases of the capture and bid lifecycle including refining win strategy, business case, and value proposition; identifying critical path items to advance ICF’s win rate; elevating risks and implementing mitigation strategies; devising creative scenarios to identify/implement winning technical, management, staffing and pricing solutions.
  • Serve as the Technical Lead for key pursuits
  • Provide hands-on leadership for specific pursuits as needed, including all aspects of capture strategy and implementation.
  • Develop the content plan with senior contributors from different parts of the business. Draft or provide key contributions to sections of the technical proposal and/or lead the pricing.
  • Work with all levels of internal staff, including executive-level leadership, technical experts, client-facing staff, corporate resource teams, external stakeholders and partner organizations.
  • Ensure the proposal is internally coherent, reflects our winning strategy and adheres to ICF’s quality standards.
  • Capture/Bid Process Management and Continuous Improvement
  • Follow and enhance E&A’s BD and Capture processes and train others to ensure a rigorous repeatable process. Conduct training on BD and EC bid processes, best practices, and lessons learned as necessary and/or requested by leadership.
  • Prepare high-quality materials and talking points for executive audiences that convey key updates, decisions required, or resources needed.
  • Collaboration and Resource Management
  • Meet weekly/monthly with the VP, BD Operations and the other Strategic Pursuit Leaders to discuss active/ upcoming efforts; Strategize as needed to advance activities. Report on progress and identify resource needs on active efforts; Work with business leaders and internal partner functions to meet resource needs.
  • Leverage strategic partner input and synthesize input and direction into winning tactics and actions. Partner with marketing to develop marketing materials to support ICF’s positioning and visibility in key areas.
  • Develop and enhance EC Client awareness of ICF’s capabilities and profile in conjunction with SMEs and Executive Leadership through meetings, conferences, publications etc.

FAQs

What is the primary focus of the Strategic Pursuit Director role at ICF?

The primary focus of the Strategic Pursuit Director role is to advance ICF’s market position within public policy areas such as Energy, Climate, Environmental Security, Employment, Education, Research and Innovation, Health, Justice and Home Affairs, and Gender Equality, specifically targeting key clients such as the European Commission and its Agencies.

Is this position available for candidates outside Belgium, Spain, or the UK?

Yes, candidates from other European countries may be considered if they have the necessary right to work and are able to relocate to either Belgium or Spain.

What is the minimum experience required for this position?

Candidates are required to have at least 10+ years of experience in public policy business development-related activities.

What is the expected win rate for successful proposals developed for EU institutions?

The expected win rate is a significant sustained contract win rate of 90%+ on re-competes and 40+% on new bids or takeaways.

What languages are required for this role?

Fluency in written and spoken English is required, and fluency in French would be a bonus, but it is not essential.

What educational background is required for this position?

A Bachelor’s degree or equivalent is required for the position.

What are the key responsibilities associated with this role?

Key responsibilities include leading the capture of large business development programmes, serving as the Technical Lead for key pursuits, managing the bid process, and collaborating with internal and external stakeholders.

What qualities are expected in the ideal candidate for this position?

The ideal candidate should possess high business acumen, hands-on capture experience, resourcefulness, excellent communication and negotiation skills, and a collaborative attitude, especially under pressure.

How does ICF describe its company culture?

ICF emphasizes collaboration, mutual respect, open communication, and opportunities for growth within its company culture.

Is there a policy regarding the use of AI tools during the interview process?

Yes, ICF has a policy that prohibits the use of AI tools to generate or assist with responses during interviews to maintain the integrity and authenticity of the process.

We are not a typical consulting firm and our people are not typical consultants.

Consulting
Industry
5001-10,000
Employees
1969
Founded Year

Mission & Purpose

ICF (NASDAQ:ICFI) is a global consulting and technology services provider with approximately 8,000 professionals focused on making big things possible for our clients. We are business analysts, policy specialists, technologists, researchers, digital strategists, social scientists and creatives.

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