Job Description
World Learning seeks a Program Officer to support the implementation of the International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP), a program funded by the U.S. Department of State. This position provides an opportunity to engage with U.S. and international leaders in a range of fields, learn about key U.S. foreign policy issues, and help forge international partnerships.
The ideal candidate will be an experienced professional with a proven ability to manage multiple projects, work both independently and collaboratively, and communicate clearly and effectively with diverse partners and stakeholders. Excellent judgment, leadership ability, and dedication to international exchange are essential. This position is part of World Learning’s Global Exchange Unit, which implements a diverse professional exchange portfolio. Program Officers will primarily support the International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP), the flagship professional exchange program of the U.S. Department of State.
The position is conditional upon the availability of funding and is expected to be extended pending satisfactory performance and the continued availability of funding. Only candidates receiving interviews will be contacted. Cover letter required.
Vaccination is required for all employees in our US offices except for those receiving medical or religious exemptions. If boosters are subsequently recommended by the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) then employees and faculty will be required to receive the booster within thirty (30) days of their eligibility to access the boosters.
Responsibilities
The IVLP Program Officer’s responsibilities include the following:
- Lead a team in developing, implementing, monitoring and evaluating short-term exchanges, whether in-person, virtual, or hybrid formats, for projects ranging in size from one to twenty-five visitors from every region of the world on a wide range of domestic and foreign policy topics;
- Liaise and collaborate with sponsoring agency/client and other stakeholders;
- Research and design customized observational study tours, virtual exchanges, and hybrid programs that meet the objectives of all stakeholders;
- Write project proposals outlining potential itineraries, meeting formats and platforms, and recommended resources;
- Plan and arrange Washington, DC program segments;
- Oversee development of program segments in U.S. cities in conjunction with local partner organizations;
- Authorize, monitor, and reconcile the accurate disbursement of project funds in compliance with World Learning and DOS financial management guidelines;
- Supervise the implementation of all project logistics (including air and ground travel, hotels, meeting venues, and virtual meetings, including interpretation and/or webinars);
- Conduct project briefings with participants; provide guidance on cultural matters; moderate program sessions; or host, facilitate, or produce virtual meetings for participants, as required;
- Draft and edit program materials and correspondence, including program books, agendas or itineraries, reports, or other materials;
- Participate in project-related social media activity, including posting articles and photos, composing content for various social media platforms, and using social media to communicate with outside partners and participants;
- Conduct final group evaluations either virtually or in person, traveling 2-4 times per year for 2-3 days to various U.S. locations;
- Write final evaluation reports or other project reports and oversee project follow-up and closeout;
- Supervise Program Associate and interns, promote Program Associate’s professional training and development, and conduct performance reviews; and
- Contribute to the achievement of team, organizational, and network-wide goals and the overall management of the Global Exchange unit.
As members of World Learning’s staff, program officers also will have access to various professional development opportunities, including skill-building workshops, shadowing sessions, and brownbag lunches on various topics relevant to international education and exchange.
Requirements
We seek candidates with excellent attention to detail, who thrive in collaborative settings, and who are committed to international exchange. You should have:
- Eligibility to work in the U.S.;
- Master’s degree with 4+ years of experience, or bachelor’s degree and 7+ years of relevant experience;
- Two years’ supervisory and/or workflow direction experience;
- Broad knowledge of and interest in domestic and foreign policy issues and well-developed research skills;
- Understanding of program design and ability to apply thematic research to the design of exchange programs;
- Strong cross-cultural and communications skills, including strong written and oral communication skills in English;
- Demonstrated skills in leadership and collaboration, sound judgment, and an ability to work effectively with a wide range of people;
- Professional experience with social media tools and platforms (preferred);
- Experience with program design (preferred);
- Intercultural experience or interest (preferred), as reflected in personal background or international work or study experience, or foreign language skills (desirable);
- Proficiency with Microsoft Outlook and Office, and cloud-based document management and online project management tools;
- Experience with various web conferencing platforms, including Zoom, Webex, and Microsoft Teams (preferred);
- Experience creating and maintaining LMS platforms, including Canvas (preferred);
- Ability to be flexible and adaptable; including willingness to work in remote teams, across time zones, and occasionally outside of normal working hours, as required;
- Ability to foster diverse, equitable and inclusive practices and challenges practices which may be exclusionary.
- Ability to effectively cope with change; able to shift comfortably, decide and act without having the total picture; comfortably handle risk and uncertainty. Demonstrated ability to function in unstructured work environments and/or uncertain conditions;
- Contribute to an organizational culture of continuous learning through rigorous program monitoring, data tracking, donor and MERL reporting, research and reflection to ensure strong outcomes;
- Contribute to organization’s business development targets through ongoing program implementation, funder relationship building, and through other means as directed;
- A curiosity about World Learning as a whole, with the aim of being able to effectively represent the organization to external audiences commensurate with the position; and
- Commitment to fostering diverse, equitable and inclusive practices in program implementation and monitoring practices and challenging practices which may be exclusionary.
About the Organization
The World Learning Inc. Family
World Learning | worldlearning.org
World Learning works globally to enhance the capacity and commitment of individuals, institutions, and communities to create a more peaceful and just world through education, sustainable development, and exchange. Our programs advance leadership in more than 150 countries.
The Experiment in International Living | experiment.org
The Experiment in International Living is the most experienced provider of summer abroad programs for high school students. For more than 85 years, our immersive programs have allowed participants to explore the world in an authentic and impactful way, while developing enduring friendships through hands on cultural experiences and homestays. Students come away from The Experiment with invaluable cultural, interpersonal, leadership, language, and college-prep skills that help them thrive in diverse environments and careers.
SIT | sit.edu
School for International Training (SIT), founded more than 50 years ago as a training center for early Peace Corps volunteers, provides accredited undergraduate study abroad programs on all seven continents and global and low-residency master’s degrees focused on the world’s most pressing issues. Undergraduates on SIT Study Abroad programs engage deeply with a critical global issue—climate and the environment; development and inequality; global health; media, the arts, and social change; peace and human rights; or migration and identity—within specific cultural and geographical contexts. SIT Graduate Institute students get hands-on professional training in the fields of climate change and global sustainability, conflict transformation and peace and justice leadership, international education, sustainable development, and TESOL. All SIT programs are based on the experiential learning model and a commitment to social justice.
World Learning is an equal employment opportunity/affirmative action/veterans/ADA employer, committed to increasing the diversity of its workforce.