Posted: 16 June
The role
The Opportunity The Business Development Lead will play a key role in growing Abt Australia's international development portfolio. Reporting to the Head of Business Growth, this role leads complex DFAT and other donor-funded pursuits, builds a forward pipeline, shapes winning capture strategies, strengthens strategic partnerships and drives high-quality proposal development. Success in this role will depend on a strong personal track record of winning complex bids, paired with the judgement to distinguish between opportunities worth pursuing and those best left aside. You will help deliver Abt Australia's growth strategy by leading complex pursuits with a high degree of independence and influencing outcomes through sound judgement, structured thinking and a strong personal win record. You will be expected to demonstrate a clear track record of leading and winning bids, including the contract value, your role in the pursuit, and the specific contributions you made to securing the win. Core Responsibilities _Business Growth & Pipeline Development_ Build and manage a qualified pipeline 12 months ahead of market, with a strong focus on origination across priority markets and sectors, including DFAT and other donor-funded programs Identify, qualify and prioritise new opportunities based on strategic fit, competitiveness and probability of win Lead capture strategies, including competitor analysis, client and partner engagement, positioning and win themes Review draft scopes and opportunity signals to identify the issues most likely to determine whether Abt wins or loses _Proposal development and bid leadership_ Lead end-to-end proposal development, from capture through to submission and contract award Manage bid teams, timelines and deliverables to ensure proposals are high quality, persuasive and fully compliant Shape technical, operational and resourcing approaches that strengthen competitiveness and align with client priorities Use AI tools in practical, high-value ways, including capture analysis, win-theme development, draft generation and compliance checking _Partnerships and market engagement_ Develop and maintain strong relationships with clients, partners and key stakeholders relevant to priority pursuits Represent Abt in external engagements and strategic discussions that strengthen positioning and partnership quality Build and sustain partner networks aligned with capture priorities and long-term growth goals What We Value Bachelor's degree in a relevant field At least 10 years' relevant experience in capture, proposal leadership, business development or strategic growth roles, including leading complex DFAT or comparable donor-funded pursuits A strong personal win record in competitive bids, ideally including DFAT or international donor programs is strongly preferred Demonstrated experience in pipeline origination, capture planning and proposal leadership is strongly preferred Exceptional writing skills, with the ability to produce clear, persuasive and technically strong content for senior review and client submission Strong judgement and the ability to quickly identify the issues most likely to shape bid success Demonstrated fluency using AI tools in business development and proposal environments Experience working in international development, particularly in the Indo-Pacific Familiarity with Australian Government procurement processes Working right in Australia \LI-AUSBRIT LI-NS1 Abt Global-Australia is a mission-driven, global leader with a proven track record in complex program implementation in the international development sector. We offer bold solutions and technical excellence in Health, Economic Growth, Governance, Research & Evaluation, Environment & Energy, Gender Equality & Social Inclusion. Working with our many partners, we have driven measurable social impact for more than 55 years, to achieve our mission of improving the quality of life and economic well-being of people worldwide. We operate in remote and challenging environments and employ more than 3000 staff in over 50 countries. Equity Abt Global values individuality and celebrates difference with a strong commitment to all forms of diversity and equality including racial equity, gender, sexual diversity and disability inclusion. We strongly encourage people from culturally and linguistically diverse communities and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to apply for this position. We offer flexible work arrangements and a culturally safe environment for staff members from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds. Safeguarding We are deeply committed to safeguarding, to protect and prevent harm and abuse to individuals we work for and who work for us. Our recruitment and selection procedures reflect our commitment to protecting children and vulnerable adults from abuse and exploitation. We will not tolerate discrimination, harassment, child abuse, sexual abuse or exploitation in any form, and expect everyone to be treated with respect and dignity.
