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IMPORTANT: All applicants must be legally eligible to work in the country where the position is located. Room to Read is not able to provide sponsorship.

Senior Proposal Development Consultant 

Open to applicants in the US, UK, India and Australia

Position Overview 

The Senior Proposal Development Consultant will serve as the strategic lead for high-value, complex funding opportunities. This consultancy provides expert support in securing competitive grants, cooperative agreements, and contracts from bilateral and multilateral donors, along with major international foundations. 

As the proposal development lead, the consultant will drive cross-functional collaboration across operations, finance, programs, RM&E, and development teams. The role requires subject-matter insight and strong project management to guide the full proposal lifecycle—from opportunity assessment and concept development through final submission. 

Key responsibilities: 
• Leading kickoff meetings and establishing internal workplans 
• Designing program strategies aligned with donor priorities and organizational capabilities 
• Advising on budget development with finance partners 
• Leading technical writing and narrative development 
• Ensuring compliance with donor requirements 
• Managing review and approval processes with internal leaders 
• Integrating inputs from multiple teams into a cohesive, competitive proposal package 

This is a project-based consulting arrangement. The consultant will report to the Director of Grants Management and partner closely with the assigned Relationship Manager to jointly lead each proposal effort. 

Deliverables & Timeline 

The start date for this consultancy is January 1, 2026 and the end date is December 31, 2026.  Deliverables will be defined per opportunity and typically include: 

Pre-Proposal 

• Opportunity assessment and go/no-go recommendation 

• Proposal workplan with roles, responsibilities, and internal deadlines 

• Kickoff meeting facilitation 

Proposal Development 

• Technical approach and program design framework (e.g., theory of change, intervention logic) 

• Budget narrative and justification (with finance team) 

• Full draft technical proposal, aligned with donor requirements 

• Revised proposal incorporating stakeholder feedback 

• Final proposal for executive approval 

• Polished submission package with all required annexes and supporting documents 

Post-Submission (as needed) 

• Responses to donor questions or requests for clarification 

• Support for presentations or interviews required by the donor