Business Development Associate

Business Development Associate

Village Capital's ability to back the next generation of entrepreneurs depends on its ability to build and sustain a strong funding pipeline. This role plays a central part in making that possible. The Business Development Associate is a critical execution role within the Development & Innovation team, responsible for independently driving prospect research, lead generation, proposal development, and pipeline administration. Reporting to the Business Development Director, this role serves as an operational backbone for the business development function, ensuring that qualified opportunities are identified, pursued, tracked, and moved forward with rigor and consistency.

Candidate Profile

You are someone who:

• Writes proposals that win, and takes pride in getting the details right every time
• Treats prospecting as a craft—going beyond the obvious to identify the right funders
• Takes ownership of your work and moves things forward without waiting to be directed
• Is as comfortable working in a CRM or spreadsheet as in a narrative, funder-facing document
• Thrives in complexity—managing different funders, formats, and shifting priorities without losing rigor
• Operates with precision, organization, and a strong sense of accountability across multiple concurrent workstreams
• Collaborates effectively across teams, contributing without needing formal authority
• Is motivated by Village Capital's mission and finds meaning in being the person who executes on strategy

Responsibilities

Lead Generation, Prospecting, and Outreach

Own prospecting as a primary, dedicated function—independently researching and identifying funding prospects across corporations, foundations, bilateral and multilateral organizations, high-net-worth individuals, and family offices. Build, maintain, and continuously grow a structured pipeline aligned with Village Capital's priorities.

• Develop targeted prospect lists and briefs for conferences, campaigns, events, and priority funding windows
• Execute sequenced outreach (cold emails, follow-ups, meeting requests, and preparation) to advance pipeline opportunities
• Identify non-obvious, high-fit funders and escalate qualified leads for relationship advancement

Proposal and Concept Note Development

Own the full drafting cycle for standard proposals and concept notes—from initial RFP/CfP screening through final submission—with minimal oversight. Manage submission logistics end-to-end, including procurement registrations and deadline tracking.

• Support complex proposals by owning sections and coordinating cross-functional inputs
• Drive proposal processes to ensure high-quality, on-time submissions
• Maintain and improve reusable proposal content and templates to increase speed and quality

Collateral Development and Communications Support

Develop and maintain funder-facing materials (one-pagers, decks, briefing materials, and reusable templates) to ensure high-quality, ready-to-use content.

• Prepare briefing materials and background research ahead of funder calls
• Produce pipeline summaries and funding digests to provide leadership visibility into BD activity

HubSpot CRM Management and Pipeline Administration

Own HubSpot data integrity, ensuring all prospect records, interaction logs, and pipeline stages are accurate and current.

• Generate pipeline reports and activity summaries for leadership
• Flag stale records, data gaps, and pipeline anomalies to maintain visibility and data reliability

Business Development Reporting and Team Support

Function as the operational backbone of the Business Development function, enabling focus on strategic prospecting, funder relationships, and complex proposals.

• Liaise with cross-functional teams to coordinate proposal inputs, support funding renewals and keep submissions on track
• Contribute execution-level insight and pipeline visibility in team meetings and internal discussions

Qualifications

• 4+ years of experience in proposal development, grant writing, lead generation, or business development, ideally within consulting, international development, or complex nonprofit environments
• Demonstrated ability to independently draft, edit, and submit high-quality proposals, concept notes, or similar submissions in response to RFPs and Calls for Proposals
• Strong secondary research skills, with the ability to identify non-obvious funding prospects through database navigation and desk research
• Experience building and managing prospect pipelines, outreach lists, and structured databases
• Proficiency in HubSpot (or ability to quickly learn), with strong discipline in CRM hygiene, real-time data entry, and record accuracy
• Ability to generate clear pipeline reports and activity summaries for leadership
• Strong document management, version control, and deadline management across multiple concurrent workstreams
• Familiarity with funding landscapes across foundations, corporates, bilaterals, and multilaterals relevant to international development or innovation ecosystems
• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience in international development, communications, business, public policy, or a related field
• Must be based in the United States, with a strong preference for candidates in the Eastern Time zone

Compensation & Benefits

This role offers a base salary of $68,000–$74,000, commensurate with skills and experience, and a comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, vision, and life insurance, and a 401(k) with 3% match. We offer a fully remote work environment, flexible PTO, and stipends to support your growth and well-being — including annual professional development and wellness allowances, a remote work stipend, and monthly reimbursement for cell phone and internet.

Resume & Cover Letter

Please include your resume along with a brief cover letter outlining your experience with proposal development and lead generation, and how your recent experience would add value to Village Capital.

Equal Opportunity Statement

Village Capital is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive and equitable environment for all employees. We encourage applications from candidates of all backgrounds, identities, and experiences.