Business Development Lead – Remote (SE Asia & Pacific)

About the role

Catalpa International is seeking an experienced Business Development Lead to help shape its growth across the Southeast Asia and Pacific region. This part‑time, four‑day‑a‑week position is remote, on a 24‑month fixed‑term contract, reporting to the Catalpa Director.

Key responsibilities

• Monitor donor, government and procurement pipelines to spot early opportunities.
• Research clients, partners, markets and competitors and turn insights into actionable intelligence.
• Collaborate with technical and program teams to understand problems and craft tailored responses.
• Make go/no‑go decisions on where to invest time and resources.
• Build and maintain relationships with clients, partners, governments and consultants across the region.
• Lead priority proposals from early positioning through to submission.
• Write, edit and shape complex technical content into clear, persuasive proposals.
• Ensure submissions are compliant, polished, on‑brand and submitted on time.
• Develop capability statements, case studies, pitch decks and other storytelling assets.
• Identify and apply AI and digital tools to make business development more efficient.

Required profile

• Strong business development judgement – can assess opportunities and decide how to pursue them.
• Excellent writing ability – can translate technical concepts into clear, persuasive language.
• Relationship‑builder – enjoys connecting people and ideas around opportunities.
• Detail‑oriented yet big‑picture focused – balances strategic positioning with tender requirements.
• Curious and analytical – digs deep to understand client problems and sector dynamics.
• Organised without over‑bureaucratising – keeps complex proposals moving efficiently.
• Comfortable with ambiguous situations – can work from both formal tenders and informal conversations.
• Committed to impact – balances commercial growth with social outcomes and demonstrates cultural competency in diverse contexts.