Competency Manager Jobs in Virginia (NOW HIRING)

With 75 years of experience, our focus is on helping the most vulnerable children overcome poverty and experience fullness of life. We help children of all backgrounds, even in the most dangerous places, inspired by our Christian faith.
Come join our 33,000+ staff working in nearly 100 countries and share the joy of transforming vulnerable children's life stories!
Employee Contract Type:
International Assignment (WVI - Paid via GCLA) Fixed Term (Fixed Term)
Job Description:
Note: Joining our Talent Pipeline position means you can be part of our candidate pipeline, ready to contribute when new opportunities arise. By applying, you express your interest in being considered for future roles linked to donor-funded initiatives. Please note that joining the pool does not represent an immediate employment opportunity; instead, it ensures we can reach out to you when suitable positions become available.
Here's where you come in:
Job Purpose
The Grant Acquisition Manager leads the end-to-end pursuit of institutional funding opportunities, from donor landscape analysis and opportunity identification through proposal development, submission, and award negotiation. The role serves as the primary driver of World Vision's competitive positioning by building donor intelligence, coordinating cross-functional bid teams, and ensuring proposals are compelling, compliant, and aligned with organisational strategy. Grounded in the GAM Competency Framework, this position requires autonomous-level proficiency across mastering the GAM cycle, donor relationship management, and creating compelling proposals.
Major Responsibilities
1) Conducts continuous donor landscape analysis to identify, track, and assess funding opportunities across bilateral, multilateral, and private-sector donors. Leads Go/No-Go analysis for each opportunity, applying data-driven decision-making frameworks. Maintains a pipeline tracker of upcoming and active opportunities, ensuring strategic alignment with national office and regional priorities. Applies World Vision's Christian identity as a lens for opportunity filtering. (GAM Competency 1: Mastering the GAM Cycle) 30%
End Results
A robust, data-driven pipeline of strategically aligned funding opportunities with clear Go/No-Go rationale for each pursuit.
2) Leads proposal development from concept through submission, coordinating technical writers, sector specialists, finance teams, and partner organisations. Develops evidence-based theories of change, logical frameworks, and programme narratives that address donor evaluation criteria. Creates budgets that reflect programmatic priorities while ensuring good stewardship. Implements quality review processes at key milestones. (GAM Competency 3: Creating Compelling Proposals) 25%
End Results
High-quality, donor-compliant proposals that are competitive, evidence-based, and reflect World Vision's value proposition.
3) Builds and maintains strategic relationships with institutional donors, government agencies, UN bodies, and peer organisations. Conducts stakeholder mapping to identify decision-makers and influencers within donor structures. Organises pre-positioning engagements such as technical learning exchanges, concept note presentations, and donor briefings. Transforms transactional donor relationships into collaborative partnerships. (GAM Competency 2: Building Relationships with Donors and Partners) 20%
End Results
Strong, trust-based donor relationships that position World Vision favourably for competitive and sole-source opportunities.
4) Establishes and manages structured proposal development workflows using agile methodologies adapted for grant development. Coordinates cross-functional bid teams, facilitates kick-off meetings, manages timelines, and conducts retrospective reviews. Implements standardised document management and version control for all proposal assets. (GAM Competency 4: Managing Grant Processes) 10%
End Results
Efficient, well-coordinated proposal development processes that reduce cycle times and improve proposal quality.
5) Supports award negotiation and transition to implementation teams. Contributes to start-up planning and ensures that proposal commitments are accurately reflected in implementation plans. Maintains lessons-learned documentation from each pursuit to strengthen future submissions. (GAM Competency 5: Post-Award Support) 10%
End Results
Smooth transitions from acquisition to implementation, with institutional knowledge captured and applied to future pursuits.
6) Utilises grant acquisition databases, CRM platforms, proposal templates, and competitive intelligence tools to streamline pursuit processes. Maintains knowledge management repositories for institutional memory. Champions adoption of AI-assisted tools and emerging technologies. (GAM Competency 6: Utilising Tools and Systems) 5%
End Results
Improved efficiency, consistency, and institutional memory across all grant acquisition activities.
KNOWLEDGE/QUALIFICATIONS FOR THE ROLE
Required Professional Experience

• Minimum 7 years of progressive experience in grant acquisition, proposal development, or business development within the international development or humanitarian sector.
• Demonstrated track record of winning competitive grants from major institutional donors (USG, FCDO, EU, Global Fund, BMZ, SIDA, GAC, or similar).
• Experience leading cross-functional proposal teams and managing complex, multi-partner bids with budgets exceeding USD 5 million.
• Strong analytical skills for donor landscape mapping, competitive intelligence, and Go/No-Go decision-making.
• Proven ability to develop evidence-based theories of change, logical frameworks, and programme narratives.

Required Education
University degree in international development, public administration, business, social sciences, or related field. Master's degree preferred.
Preferred Knowledge and Qualifications

• Fluency in oral and written English. Proficiency in French, Spanish, or Portuguese is a strong advantage.
• Experience with Shipley or similar structured bid management methodologies.
• Familiarity with World Vision's programme models, theory of change approaches, and partnership frameworks.
• Experience building capacity of national office teams in grant acquisition processes and competencies.

Travel and Work Environment
Willingness to travel up to 30% for donor meetings, proposal support to field offices, and capture planning.
Applicant Types Accepted:
Local and International Applicants (IA's) Accepted