Resident Program Manager - Pacific Islands (Short Term)

Job Description

Based in the Pacific Islands, the Resident Program Manager (RPM) works with the Resident Program Director (RPD) who will be based in Mongolia and IRI DC staff in the initial launch, design, and implementation of IRI’s programs in the Pacific Islands. Additional travel to Pacific Island countries where IRI is implementing activities will take up a substantive amount of the employment period.

The RPM will manage the initial launch phase of IRI’s programming in the Pacific Islands, which includes local staff hiring, outreach to and building a network of core stakeholders and partners locally, relationship management, and assisting in developing and monitoring program activities and budgets and may participate in negotiating funding proposals with USG and other funding sources. The RPO will interact with IRI Washington headquarters staff, U.S. and host country government officials, and program grantees. This is a short-term posting (six months).

Position Requirements:

• Undergraduate degree in political science, international relations or related field. Graduate degree strongly preferred
• Seven years in project management or project design and monitoring.
• A minimum of six years of professional experience in democratic governance and politics, preferably working directly with political parties and parliamentarians on inclusive participation and overseeing subawards to local partners.
• At least four years of field-based experience.
• Working knowledge of the politics and economy of the Pacific Islands.
• Extensive experience working with USG funded projects and familiarity with USG regulations and processes, specifically with USAID.
• Demonstrated ability to effectively direct or participate in complex negotiations with bilateral and/or multilateral government agencies, other donors or relevant audiences.
• Ability to work independently and as a member of a team to coordinate and lead the efforts of other professionals to meet effectively program needs.
• Proven management skills in a diverse environment.
• Willingness to travel and live in a challenging political environment abroad.
• Assist in developing program proposals and budgets and have the basic accounting experience necessary to draft and oversee a budget.

Primary Functions & Responsibilities:

• Initiates IRI programming presence in the Pacific Islands through local staff hiring, outreach to key partners and stakeholders, relationship management, and implementation of early IRI activities
• Monitors, analyzes and reports on political and related developments in the Pacific Islands to provide regional and country analysis
• Serves as the official senior IRI representative in country, developing credibility with and maintaining good relationships with all relevant stakeholders, including U.S. and foreign diplomats and donor agencies, host-country government representatives, and program partners
• Participates in the substantive design of new programs and contributes to the development of new program ideas
• Oversees the implementation of all program activities oversees ensuring consistency with grant work plans and objectives.
• Establishes, maintains, and develops productive working relationship with relevant stakeholders, consultants, field and DC staff.
• Oversees all operations related to the IRI field presence, and ensures IRI is in compliance with local laws regarding IRI’s legal status in the country and employment of local staff
• Supervises local field staff, including participating in the hiring, professional development and evaluation process for these staff. Sets specific goals and provides ongoing performance feedback.
• Maintains an understanding of donor and IRI policies and procedures related to grant compliance and oversight
• Understands a grant’s substantive, financial and compliance requirements
• Oversees the implementation of all program activities in the country ensuring consistency with grant work plans and objectives, reporting weekly to DC
• Monitors and approves field office budgets and expenses, in collaboration with DC program staff and the Regional Project Accountant, to ensure that expenditures remain within budget allocations
• Monitors, analyzes and reports to DC staff on political and economic developments, and media responses
• Ensures adherence to monitoring and evaluation plans, including the monitoring of programs and evaluation/analysis of program results
• Provides information and contributes to sections of quarterly, semi-annual, final and other relevant reports for donors
• Anticipates potential problems and trouble shoots project problems and offers solutions and actively takes part to lead resolution of them with creative and immediate solutions
• Leads business development efforts, including identifying and seeking out potential new or additional sources of funding with real-time costs estimates for proposal budgets, and/or the development of new program ideas, coordinating with DC staff
• Actively supports IRI’s communication strategy including IRI’s branding and outreach plans on projects assigned, including drafts and updates program summaries and other outreach materials, drafts web stories, tweets, etc.
• Draft Weekly Report to send to DC by COB every Monday
• Performs other duties as assigned.

About the Organization

IRI is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization committed to advancing freedom and democracy worldwide by helping political parties to become more issue-based and responsive, assisting citizens to participate in government planning, and working to increase the role of marginalized groups in the political process – including women and youth.