Job Description: Costing and Pricing Lead Responsible to: Executive Director Finance and Corporate Services

Responsible for: Costing and Pricing Team Location : Any offices where VSO has a presence
Job purpose: 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 Skills, Knowledge and Experience required

Essential:
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 Fully qualified accountant with extensive post qualification experience
contracts developed, ensure they are communicated and understood across the organisation.
 Set, maintain and actively communicate to all relevant stakeholders a database of standard Commercial contracts and bid negotiations
costs and charge out rates to be used in bids development process.  Excellent commercial acumen, extensive experience of costing and pricing large bids and/or
 International Overhead rate calculation, communication and audit as necessary, this includes contracts in the international development sector
FCDO Non Project Attributable Costs (NPAC) and USAID Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate  Significant experience of leading the budget development of complex bids budget in a large
Agreement (NICRA), and complex organisation
 Experience of articulating Value for money to donors and negotiating large grants/contracts
Bid and proposal budget review for full cost recovery  Experience of developing and effectively communicating tools and processes to achieve
 Lead a small team of bid costing managers strategic outcomes
 Feed into Go/No go decisions in the funding processes, advising on strategies of engagement  A strong internal donor/ stakeholder focused approach intent on understanding the VSO
with donors with regard to budgeting. projects and ways of working in order to support the achievement of aims and objectives
 In close collaboration with the opportunity leads and Practice Area leads, ensure clear financial effectively
strategies for budget development are set for each bids, financial negotiations parameters and
red lines are in place later in the process. Strategic leadership
 Review all bid submitted to donors to ensure Full Cost recovery principals are followed and VSO  Experience of successfully leading a team
does not subsidise any grants/contracts unknowingly.  Strong leadership skills to undertake a complex senior management role in a global
 Ensure all bids submitted cover all costs that will be incurred, articulate VSO value and organisation.  
demonstrate value for money to the donor before they are submitted.  Ability to lead, motivate and influence across teams, functions and locations to achieve
 Lead on particularly complex or large bid budget development and negotiation. outcomes
 Work closely with the Implementation team on budget re-negotiation  Able to demonstrate sound judgement under pressure based on knowledge and
understanding, adopting a solution-focused approach.
Key donor specific guidance development  Ability to think and act strategically whilst maintaining a significant operational workload.
 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 are Communications and relations Building
maximised  Ability to communicate effectively to a wide range of audiences, particularly internal and
non-technical audiences.
Reporting and performance management  Experience of successfully leading changes in response to changing internal and external
environments.
 Set and report on Key Performance that demonstrate full costs recovery is achieve
 Maintain a global view on risk and liabilities arising from funding submissions. Other
 Advanced IT skills, including accounting and reporting packages.
 Ability to present a large volume of complex data in a simple way.
People management  Knowledge of development issues and practices in developing regions.
 Effectively build relationship with and influence senior managers across the organisation,  Commitment to VSO’s work and values.
especially those involved in bid development and project implementation.  Able to undertake occasional international travel.
 Effectively lead and develop a high performing team within the performance management
framework.
 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. 

This is a non-exhaustive list of responsibilities.