Senior Program Officer, Leadership Practice

Who We Are

IREX is a global development and education organization. We strive for a more just, prosperous, and inclusive world—where individuals reach their full potential, governments serve their people, and communities thrive. With a projected annual portfolio of more than $100 million and more than 600 staff worldwide, we work with partners in more than 100 countries in four areas essential to progress: cultivating leaders, empowering youth, strengthening institutions, and increasing access to quality education and information.

IREX seeks a Senior Program Officer to manage programming for the Student Leadership exchange portfolio (Global UGRAD-Pakistan and the Thomas Jefferson Scholarship Program), managing entire program cycles. The Senior Program Officer will support the management of assigned program components; the development of project work products, to include but not limited to, program timelines, budgets, reports, program events, and other products/documents as identified; is responsible for compliance requirements relevant to assigned work products. 

The Senior Program Officer is an integral part of the Student Leadership team and provides strategic and administrative support in the management of programs. The Senior Program Officer oversees planning and day-to-day operations of a portfolio of program components, provides financial oversights, supervises staff, supports technical aspects of programming, supports the professional development of staff and contributes to new business development. Some travel may be required. 

Under the supervision of the Program Manager and with input and guidance from the Senior Project Director, the Senior Program Officer oversees and supports daily implementation of project components, including, but not limited to, host institution recruitment and placement, participant recruitment and selection, budgets and pipelines (including field office expenses), participant medical and background clearances, participant monitoring and support, event development (including logistical operations and content/curriculum) and administration, partner relationship management and resolving partner/participant issues, program compliance and reporting, Monitoring and Evaluation, Communications, new business efforts such as competes and renewals, and supervision of junior staff.

Are you the next member of our team?

Your Background & Skills

• Bachelor's Degree.
• 5+ years of progressive job experience.
• Experience contributing to large teams, helping to ensure work fulfills articulated vision and goals.
• Strong communication skills, including excellent writing and document proofing experience, able to produce final draft quality communications and documents.
• Experience with Department of State or other USG grants and contracts, strongly preferred.
• Experience with procurement procedures and sub-award management, strongly preferred.
• Availability to travel domestically as well as support scheduled program activities in the evenings and on weekends.
• Experience creating, managing and monitoring program budgets. 
• Experience with online learning platforms and/or using technology for program management and implementation.
• Experience with designing and facilitating program events.
• Experience designing and implementing program curriculum including use of learning management software (Canvas, Blackboard, etc).
• Experience developing and implementing alumni engagement activities to broaden and sustain active alumni networks preferred.
• Demonstrate ability to plan strategically and creatively to meet specified objectives with strong ability to anticipate challenges and generate solutions.
• Strong interpersonal and cross-cultural communication skills.  
• Professionalism in written correspondence and report writing, excellent presentation and oral communication skills.
• Proven organizational skills and ability to manage multiple tasks with a high degree of accuracy and attention to detail, including the ability to prioritize.
• Able to work independently and as a team member with consistent ability to take initiative, meet deadlines, and be flexible. 
• You must have unrestricted authorization to work in the United States.

Your Daily Tasks

• Ensure tasks for above-mentioned components, among others, are outlined in detail with corresponding deadlines in task management software (Asana).
• Meet with junior staff to establish big-picture objectives, illustrate how the many tasks/assignments achieve the program’s big picture objectives, ensure team members are clear on deadlines, and conduct regular check-ins to guarantee program deliverables are produced on time, at the high quality expected, and within budget and compliance obligations.
• Draft correspondence for and liaises directly, where appropriate and under the guidance of the Program Manager and/or Senior Project Director, with program stakeholders including the funder, the United States Department of State and regional partners, and U.S.-based partners such as academic host institutions, internship families host advisors, community service supervisors, host “friendship families,” and vendors such hotels and event spaces, supplies providers, and travel partners and bus companies, etc.
• Provide support to program compete and renewal efforts, including management (“czaring”), design work providing vision for overall program goals and activities, writing support to include attachments and the narrative, and support development and review of budgets. 
• Engage in developing and implementing strategic plans with stakeholders designed to grow new business efforts.
• Support program fiscal management with responsibility for pipelines, ensuring the team is accurately paying and reconciling expenses on time, on budget and in compliance with an array of governing policies and regulations (ensuring all policies/regulations established by the USG, the program’s award, and IREX are fully met).
• Responsible to accurately utilize financial management software and tools to track and project program budget.
• Manage task management software (Asana) and regularly meets with staff to ensure timeliness and accuracy regarding all tasks.
• Ensures all team members understand their responsibilities, know the associated deadlines for a task, how the assignment fits within the program’s bigger picture, and knows what the review/approval process for that task will be and who is conducting it.
• Work to foster a positive, productive work environment abiding by team values.
• Other support duties as needed.

IREX will make reasonable accommodations in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments of 2008.

We conduct background checks on all successful candidates.

This position is eligible for Telework. The eligible employee is a regular, full-time DC-based staff who works from a worksite outside the DC office for one or more days a week. 

This position is not eligible for Immigration Sponsorship.

NO PHONE CALLS PLEASE

EOE – Equal Opportunity Employer

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability/vets.