Program Manager

Job Description

The Program Manager will provide management support to the Country Director. Specific duties will include technical, administrative, and financial management support of the IFES-Haiti program, supervise entry-level employees and act as Officer in charge in the absence of the Country Director.

MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Under the guidance and supervision of the Country Director, the Program Manager will:

• Manage execution and tactical delivery of project activities in support of stated project goals.
• Provide guidance in design, implementation, evaluation and overall management of the project, including adherence to approved annual work plans and effectiveness, quality and timeliness of project activities.

• Serve as technical elections expert specifically related to election administration, voter registration, electoral justice, and electoral reform.
• Provide substantive contribution to knowledge management and thought leadership.
• Alert field management of programmatic concerns, challenges and difficulties. Identify problems and suggest creative solutions.
• Draft technical reports and documents for submission to home office, USAID and other stakeholders.
• Direct staff in the timely drafting of reports and other materials and conduct review of submitted reports.

• Carry out recruiting, interviewing and hiring of field staff and local consultants as needed, under the supervision of the Country Director.
• Establish, maintains, and develops productive working relationship with the Haitian electoral authorities and other local stakeholders.
• Liaise and coordinate implementation of program activities with other international and local partners.
• Serve as a back-up of senior management in the absence of the Country Director. This may include representing the Country Director and the project at offsite meetings, if necessary.
• Supervise, coach, and mentor junior program staff. Evaluate performance and provide feedback.

• Familiarize and ensure programmatic and administrative compliance with IFES policies.
• Carry out other project-related duties, as assigned by the Country Director.

SKILLS AND SPECIFICATIONS:

• The ability to remain highly organized while handling multiple tasks under tight deadlines.
• Ability to complete tasks with limited supervision.
• Business awareness and numerical ability.
• Must possess solid communication and presentation skills.
• Willingness to adhere to all principles of confidentiality.

• Must value operating in a collaborative and cooperative environment.
• Ability to show initiative, good judgment, and resourcefulness.
• Conduct himself/herself with integrity and function ethically.
• Ability to manage staff and work with senior management.

EDUCATION AND QUALIFICATIONS

Required:

• Master’s Degree in Political Science, Law, or in a related field with 6 years of working in international NGOs; or
• Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science, Law, or in a related field with 8 years of working experience in international NGOs is required;

• Demonstrated professional experience and knowledge in democracy, human rights, governance and elections;
• Demonstrated professional experience and knowledge in managing components of international development funded programming;

• Proficiency in Word, Power point, Outlook and Excel.

LANGUAGE SKILLS: Fluency in written and spoken French, Creole, and English language required.

TRAVEL: Domestic travel may be required.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS/WORK ENVIRONMENT: Standard office work environment. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the job.

About the Organization

The International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) is the world’s premiere election assistance organization, providing countries with technical advice and tools to run democratic elections. IFES is an international, nonpartisan democracy development organization that works to give people a voice in the way they are governed. Every IFES project is staffed by local personnel and partnered with local organizations. With this homegrown approach, IFES ensures the expertise it offers fits the needs of the country or client and the benefit of assistance outlasts the life of the project. Since its founding in 1987, IFES has worked in more than 100 countries - from developing democracies such as Liberia, to mature democracies such as the United States. IFES currently operates in new and developing democracies in over 20 countries. Our staff is truly global, with 150 professionals from 25 countries leading technical assistance projects for international and bilateral donor organizations such as USAID, the UN, DFID, the OSCE and others. IFES international professionals ensure that democracy solutions are home grown. Every IFES project team partners with local organizations, and every project is staffed by local personnel. Whether establishing a civic education project in Bishkek or a new independent election authority in Iraq, IFES professionals work closely with local networks to deliver expertise that fits the needs of the country or client, thus ensuring that the benefit of assistance lasts far beyond the life of the project. From Haiti to Liberia to Afghanistan, IFES professionals provide technical assistance across many areas of democracy development. We have developed service lines and regional representation around the world that allow our professionals to deliver democracy solutions rapidly?with the innovation, experience and results that only an organization with almost 20 years of dedicated democracy work can do.