Job Details
A CAREER TO END POVERTY: ABOUT FINCA
FINCA believes that we can end poverty by investing in the potential of people.
We started in 1984 with a single subsidiary and a powerful idea: if low-income entrepreneurs could form a village bank to share a loan and guarantee repayment, they could access the funds to invest in their farming operations, grow their businesses and improve their standard of living. It was the dawn of what we know today as microfinance.
Remaining true to this original idea but evolving our business model to better meet the wants and needs of our customers, FINCA is now a global leader of responsible financial services and social enterprise serving more than 2.6 million customers with an array of financially sustainable interventions designed to improve the financial health and wellbeing of those who need it most.
We are a double bottom line company that puts the voice of our customers at the center of everything we do, in every country we work in. We engage them in a dialogue around what they need most to get out of poverty, and we test and scale sustainable solutions that meet that need.
We welcome candidates with diverse backgrounds and consider people at all career stages who want to help us end poverty. We seek individuals with whom we can build strong and lasting relationships people who care about, and have respect for, customers. We look for colleagues who approach their work with joy, innovation, energy, and a sense of service beyond self.
Thank you for applying.
Summary
The Proposal Writer (PW) will be a key member of the Business Development Team and will work across multiple units globally to successfully execute FINCA s growth strategy in grants. The PW will serve as the lead writer for the Business Development Team, with responsibilities, including: . crafting compelling and well-structured pitch decks, concept notes, and proposals including narratives, budgets, financial projections, log frames and workplans, as well as writing capability statements and other stock language describing FINCA s technical expertise. The PW will be able to communicate complex information clearly and persuasively, tailored to various donor audiences such as government, multilaterals, and various corporate and foundation technical donors. The PW will lead on the development of donor reports and other collateral with support from the business development team and from internal stakeholders and subject matter experts.
The PW will have strong knowledge in poverty alleviation strategies, financial inclusion, impact investing, and research as well as the donors supporting this work. The PW will work with the Business Development team, Communications, FINCA Subsidiaries, Investees and Program Leads to increase FINCA s visibility among donors and partners through a range of thought-provoking, data and impact-focused and well-written products.
Responsibilities:
Proposal Writing & Design (60%):
- Lead in creating compliant and competitive outlines, concepts, and proposals for 9-12 bids a year.
- Serve on the core proposal team as the lead writer.
- Conduct research and gather relevant information, including country level analysis, government strategies, competitor analysis, research reports, financial models, donor policy requirements, and industry best practices.
- Participate in technical strategy and design meetings with relevant FINCA subject matter experts on the proposal team, including whiteboarding and design sessions.
- Harmonize proposal content written by others and finalize a one-voice draft, ensuring accuracy, clarity, and consistency.
- Revise drafts in response to feedback and comments in collaboration with the Business Development Director, the proposal team and other key FINCA subject matter experts globally.
Donor Reporting (25%):
- Lead the preparation of narrative and financial reports to institutional donors. showcasing milestones, outputs, outcomes, successes, learnings, and challenges.
- Collaborate with implementing teams to gather qualitative and quantitative data for reports and to ensure reports meet quality standards and deadlines.
- Present complex financial and programmatic information in an understandable and engaging manner.
- Incorporate visual elements, charts, and graphs to enhance report readability.
- Incorporate testimonials, success stories, and visual elements to illustrate impact.
Maintain Subject Matter Expertise (10%)
- Engage with staff technical experts to become familiar with the subject matter.
- Conduct desk research and interviews/work with technical experts including country team, headquarters, and project staff to gather up-to-date information on the context/operating environment, clients, and innovative approaches to development.
- Develop capacity statements, and other collateral for donor engagement when not writing proposals.
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Process & Systems Strengthening (5%)
- Translate technical information and jargon into clear, easy-to-read text.
- Conduct training and mentor other writers and proposal budget and financial modeling analysts.
- Contribute to the Business Development team s continuous improvement in processes and systems.
- Assist in securing additional proposal writers for surge capacity.
Qualifications:
- Bachelor's degree in related field such as international development, business administration, economics, finance, journalism, or communications
- Five years of experience in proposal and report writing, preferably in an international development environment
- Exceptional writing, editing, and proofreading skills with a keen eye for detail
- Strong research and analytical skills to gather and synthesize information effectively
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and other relevant software for document creation and data analysis
- Ability to work under tight deadlines and manage multiple projects simultaneously
- Excellent written and oral communication and interpersonal skills
- Passion for the vision, mission and values of FINCA
- Detail-oriented, committed to accuracy and thoroughness
- Fluency in English is required. Fluency in other language a plus
- Experience working in a global organization and ability to demonstrate international cultural agility
- Experience working with PowerPoint