The Costing and Pricing Lead will play a key role in ensuring VSO is financially sustainable. S/he will ensure all bid budgets submitted and agreed with donors are fully costed, in line with VSO’s guidance and financial model, that bids articulate VSO value and demonstrate Value for Money. S/he will develop organisational processes and guidelines in order to achieve this and play a key part in negotiating bids with donors.

To ensure all donor-funded projects are fully costed in line with VSO guidance and financial model, articulate VSO value and demonstrate Value for money. Play a key part in negotiations of bid budgets with donors.

Responsibilities

Bid and proposal costing and pricing standards,

• In close collaboration with Senior managers across the organisation, develop clear processes, guidance and tools in order to price and costs bids to achieve full cost recovery on all bids and contracts developed, ensure they are communicated and understood across the organisation.
• Set, maintain and actively communicate to all relevant stakeholders a database of standard costs and charge-out rates to be used in bids development process.
• International Overhead rate calculation, communication and audit as necessary, this includes FCDO Non-Project Attributable Costs (NPAC) and USAID Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (NICRA),

Bid and proposal budget review for full cost recovery

• Lead a small team of bid costing managers
• Feed into Go/No go decisions in the funding processes, advising on strategies of engagement with donors with regard to budgeting.
• In close collaboration with the opportunity leads and Practice Area leads, ensure clear financial strategies for budget development are set for each bid, financial negotiations parameters and red lines are in place later in the process.
• Review all bids submitted to donors to ensure Full Cost recovery principals are followed and VSO does not subsidise any grants/contracts unknowingly.
• Ensure all bids submitted to cover all costs that will be incurred, articulate VSO value and demonstrate value for money to the donor before they are submitted.
• Lead on particularly complex or large bid budget development and negotiation.
• Work closely with the Implementation team on budget re-negotiation

Key donor-specific guidance development

• Develop specific guidance and tools (knowledge hub) for VSO key donors
• Ensure bid budgets and negotiations briefs are tailored to donors and that cost recovery is maximised.

Reporting and performance management 

• Set and report on Key Performance that demonstrates full costs recovery is achieve
• Maintain a global view on risk and liabilities arising from funding submissions.

People management

• Effectively build relationships with and influence senior managers across the organisation, especially those involved in bid development and project implementation.
• Effectively lead and develop a high performing team within the performance management.
• Ensure team ways of working and behaviours are in line with VSO People First values and policies and comply with legal and organisation requirements.
• Ensure team responds positively to change, delivers a consistent high-level customer-focused approach, and achieves objectives. 

Commercial contracts and bid negotiations

• Excellent commercial acumen, extensive experience in costing and pricing large bids and/or contracts in the international development sector
• Significant experience of leading the budget development of complex bids budget in a large and complex organisation
• Experience in articulating Value for money to donors and negotiating large grants/contracts
• Experience in developing and effectively communicating tools and processes to achieve strategic outcomes
• A strong internal donor/ stakeholder focused approach intent on understanding the VSO projects and ways of working in order to support the achievement of aims and objectives effectively. 
  

Strategic leadership

• Experience of successfully leading a team
• Strong leadership skills to undertake a complex senior management role in a global organisation.  
• Ability to lead, motivate and influence across teams, functions and locations to achieve outcomes
• Able to demonstrate sound judgement under pressure based on knowledge and understanding, adopting a solution-focused approach.
• Ability to think and act strategically whilst maintaining a significant operational workload

Communications and relations Building

• Ability to communicate effectively to a wide range of audiences, particularly internal and non-technical audiences.
• Experience in successfully leading changes in response to changing internal and external environments.

Other

• Advanced IT skills, including accounting and reporting packages.
• Ability to present a large volume of complex data in a simple way.
• Knowledge of development issues and practices in developing regions.
• Commitment to VSO’s work and values.
• Able to undertake occasional international travel.
• Ability to be open-minded and respectful.
• Ability to be resilient and adaptive to new situations.
• Ability to facilitate positive change and build sustainable working relationships.

Ability to seek and share knowledge

Equal Opportunities  

VSO promotes equal opportunities and values a diverse workforce.  

VSO reserves the right to close this job early if we receive a sufficient number of applications. 

If you’re interested in applying for this role, please click on the link to submit your application before 18th October 2021 https://bit.ly/costingandpricingaccountantvso