Director of Business Growth (Hybrid)

Zinc Network; London; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player seeks a dynamic Director of Business Growth to drive expansion and secure new opportunities. In this full-time role, you will lead proposal development, engage with clients, and oversee business strategies that align with funding sources. Your expertise in strategic communications and project management will be crucial as you mentor a high-performance team and ensure the successful delivery of impactful projects. Join a diverse team dedicated to promoting open societies and making a measurable difference in international development.

Qualifications

• 12+ years of experience in business growth and proposal development.
• Deep knowledge of UK government procurement processes.

Responsibilities

• Identify and secure new business opportunities.
• Lead proposal development and cultivate client relationships.
• Monitor funding pipelines and develop engagement strategies.

Skills

Business Development

Proposal Development

Client Engagement

Strategic Communications

Project Management

Research Skills

Team Leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree in Communications

Bachelor's degree in Business

Bachelor's degree in International Development

Job description

4 weeks ago Be among the first 25 applicants

Introducing Zinc Network

Zinc Network promotes open societies and protects them from threats such as hostile state influence and extremism. Our programmes draw on strategic communications, behavioural science, and technology to deliver meaningful, measurable change for our clients. We work in partnership with networks of civil society organisations (CSOs), activists, media, businesses, and influencers to ensure our work is sustainable.

We are headquartered in London, with 50+ team members from diverse professional and cultural backgrounds. We work with a broad range of governmental, NGO, and private sector clients, including the UK Home Office (HO); the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO); the U.S. Department of State (DOS); and foundations.

Outline of the job

We are seeking a dynamic and experienced Director of Business Growth to drive Zinc Network’s expansion and strengthen our position in key markets. This role involves identifying and securing new business opportunities, leading proposal development, and cultivating strong relationships with clients and partners. This is a 12-month full-time position.

Key Responsibilities Include

• Tracking business development opportunities from the UK government and other pipelines.
• Liaising and pitching to potential clients to position Zinc for upcoming opportunities.
• Upselling Zinc’s work on existing programmes to secure co-funding opportunities.
• Developing a rhythm of concept notes to shape new projects.
• Leading and managing Zinc’s team in developing winning proposals in response to tenders.
• Writing and contributing to proposals, including technical approaches, corporate capabilities, past performance, stakeholder management, duty of care, social value, handover and exit strategies, and quality assurance.
• Working closely with Zinc’s commercial team to align budgets and narratives with proposal evaluation criteria.

What You’ll Be Doing…

As Director of Business Growth, you will play a critical role in driving Zinc’s revenue and impact. Your responsibilities include:

Business Development & Opportunity Tracking

• Monitoring funding pipelines to identify opportunities.
• Mapping Zinc’s capabilities against upcoming opportunities and ensuring early positioning.
• Conducting research to inform strategy and sector trends.

Client Engagement & Pitching

• Developing client engagement strategies to establish and maintain relationships.
• Representing Zinc at industry events and client meetings.
• Preparing and delivering pitches to secure new work.

Concept Development & Strategic Positioning

• Generating innovative project ideas and developing concept notes.
• Refining concepts into fundable proposals aligned with donor priorities.

Proposal Leadership & Writing

• Leading proposal development including bid strategy and technical writing.
• Reviewing proposal sections and managing timelines and teams.

Financial & Commercial Oversight

• Developing budgets with Zinc’s commercial team.
• Ensuring proposals are financially competitive while maintaining program integrity.

Team Leadership & Internal Coordination

• Mentoring team members and fostering high performance.
• Coordinating with research, strategy, and implementation teams.

Requirements

What we need from you…

We seek a Business Development Leader with a proven track record in securing funding and leading proposals in international development and strategic communications. The ideal candidate will have:

• A bachelor’s degree in communications, business, international development, or a related field.
• At least 12 years of experience in proposal development and business growth.
• Deep knowledge of UK government procurement processes, especially with FCDO, Home Office, Crown Commercial Services, and other donors.
• Exceptional proposal writing and verbal communication skills.
• Excellent organizational and project management skills.
• A successful record of securing funding from various clients.
• Experience leading cross-functional teams in fast-paced environments.
• Willingness to work outside regular hours occasionally.
• Knowledge of communications, campaigning, media development, or information integrity is preferred.

Conditions of Employment

Candidates offered the role will need to:

• Disclose any previous disciplinary actions related to safeguarding or workplace investigations.
• Undergo background checks including employment verification, identity, and anti-terrorism vetting.

Area of Selection

We are committed to diversity and encourage applications from various professional and cultural backgrounds.