Job Description
Cooper/Smith is currently seeking a Program Manager to support a recently awarded 2-year project in West Africa. The Program Manager will oversee the daily activities of Cooper/Smith’s program, reporting directly to the Managing Director. Based in Washington, D.C. this unique opportunity will also provide qualified candidates with the ability to inform the organizational development of an exciting start-up, with expanding presence in the international development community.
Duration: This is a full-time, long-term position
Location: Washington, D.C. (remote locations will be considered); travel up to 40%
Who You Are
- A highly curious thinker who is self-motivated and results-oriented, can deliver on tight deadlines, and motivated by the opportunity to help grow a young organization
- A person who enjoys a challenge, can describe nuance and complexity, and is ultimately driven to produce creative solutions rather than focus on obstacles
- Someone who seeks to frame their work in the big picture [the ‘why?’], but equally attends to the details in getting there [the ‘how?’]
- Someone passionate about the use of measurement and data to improve management, performance, and program effectiveness
- Someone who thrives in a flexible work environment; can manage competing demands and adapt to shifting priorities; uses good judgments working in stressful situations; and enjoys working with a diverse, global team
Responsibilities
Project Management (60%)
- Oversee the delivery of core program activities including but not limited to; national digital health strategic planning efforts; digital health technology strategic planning; digital health capacity building efforts; data user studies, assessments, and systems mapping exercises
- Ensure effective communications between Cooper/Smith’s Management Team and program staff to detail key activities, challenges, and programmatic needs
- Work closely with Cooper/Smith’s Technical and Managing Director’s to ensure that high-quality, cutting-edge deliverables are submitted to clients in a timely manner and on budget, consistent with Cooper/Smith’s commitment to technical excellence
- Provide technical recommendations and guidance to program staff, ensuring adherence to key programmatic and donor objectives
- Maintain effective relations and coordination with local implementing organizations, program partners, and donors
- Serve as Cooper/Smith’s representative, attending donor meetings, country steering committee meetings, planning sessions, and stakeholder workshops
- Serve as a strategic advisor, providing recommendations for programmatic pivots, adjustments, and adaptations, in response to donor and government requests
- Oversee the management of field studies and data collection activities, including providing design inputs to surveys and data collection tools
- Organize regular program check-ins and apply effective problem-solving skills when faced with challenges related to implementation and/or contextual factors
- Coordinate with Cooper/Smith’s technical experts to identify and engage consultants and integrate technical inputs or support to key program deliverables
- Oversee the development and delivery of outputs prepared by project staff or consultants
- Provide coordination support to Cooper/Smith’s Management Team or key donor representatives traveling to Burkina Faso
Financial Oversight (10%)
- Support Cooper/Smith’s Administrative Director in preparing invoices, monthly financial reports, wire requests, travel authorizations, and expense reports
- Identify and support any required contract or grant modifications (ex. revised deliverables, timelines, cost and no cost extensions)
- Collaborate with Cooper/Smith’s Management Team to develop work plans and deliverable schedules and review the financial progress against results, on a quarterly basis
Organizational Systems & Capacity Development (20%)
- Provide inputs to key programmatic and resource planning activities
- Recommend enhancements to key project management tools, systems, and solutions, to improve the delivery and decrease administrative management requirements
- Develop templates and tools that can be used to support program delivery and cost controls
- Recruit and onboard technical consultants to support project delivery needs
- Fulfill other duties as requested, and provide support to business development activities, as necessary
Required Skills
- Professional fluency in French, English
- 5+ years of experience working with development programs in West Africa
- Experience working on programs funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Global Fund, USAID, and/or the World Bank
- Experience supporting health programs, specifically related to HIV/AIDS; Family Planning; and Maternal and Child Health
- Excellent understanding of budgets, financial processes, reporting requirements, and compliance regulations within USG and other donor funded grants and contracts
- Ability to identify systems improvements and provide recommendations to strengthen programmatic delivery and communications
- Ability to distil and analyze technical content, highly preferred
- Ability to work independently while being a strong, positive team player
- Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships and to interact with different stakeholders; desire to work with people from diverse backgrounds
- Ability to use tact and diplomacy in the performance of duties, specifically with donor representatives and high-ranking government officials
- Excellent presentation development and delivery skills
- Excellent communication and writing skills, specifically preparing donor reports, project brief’s, and technical thought pieces
- Mastery of Microsoft Suite applications, Adobe Reader, and Google Drive
- Ability to observe and maintain confidentiality in the performance of duties
- Bachelor’s Degree in International Development, Public Health, or related field, required; Master’s Degree in a related field, preferred
Practical Requirements
- Ability to work from D.C and travel frequently to Burkina Faso, Malawi, Cameroon, and Senegal; Working remotely from another location may be considered
- Willingness to travel both domestically and internationally 30-40% [approximately 4-6 trips a year, often for 2 weeks at a time]
- Eligibility to obtain a travel visa for the Burkina Faso, Malawi, Cameroon, and Senegal
Eligible and interested candidates should submit their CV and expression of interest. Please include the position description in the subject line. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.
About the Organization
Cooper/Smith is a technical assistance organization that focuses on improving the efficiency and effectiveness of development programs. We work with host country governments and development organizations to assemble and analyze complex information, translating data into meaningful solutions that create lasting effect. We are a growing start-up that operates at the intersection of health and data by bringing expertise in economics, decision analysis, results management, program evaluation, research design, health policy, and software development. Our funders include the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Global Fund, World Bank, USAID, the Digital Impact Alliance, and Georgetown University. Founded in 2014, our solutions have supported more than 20 projects in a dozen countries throughout Africa and Asia.
Who We Are
- A dynamic team with extensive experience in strategic planning, results management, efficiency analysis, modelling, operational research, and digital health
- Innovators, solutions specialists, champions of collaboration, and global citizens with professional experience in over 35 countries
- Lovers of hard work, good laughs, and passionate about delivering solutions and results with broader social value
What we offer
- Flexible work hours and locations
- Dedicated desk space and 24-hr membership to WeWork Downtown DC [shared office space and start-up incubator]
- A benefits package exceeding industry standards
- The opportunity to help build a new organization from the ground up
- Salary commensurate with skills and experience
- Opportunity to contribute to a quickly growing organization
- Opportunity to work with a talented, energetic team of development professionals, passionate about sustainable results
