Senior Associate, Projects

Job Description

Responsibilities:

As a Senior Associate, Projects you will work as part of a collaborative team implementing projects for a range of clients – from large bilateral and multilateral donors to foundations and private sector companies – to advance the social and economic wellbeing of youth and adults around the world. In this role, you will directly support the implementation of Making Cents’ projects. Using your strong project management skills, you will field and manage local consultants supporting research activities focused on democracy, human rights, and governance. You will leverage your familiarity and comfort with budgeting and systems to support the management of project-based learning grants. Your excellent communications skills and concise writing will contribute directly to our business strategy to achieve purpose driven business growth, client focused excellence, and innovative products and services. Success in this role requires a proactive individual who enjoys working on multiple projects and continually applying learning to improve Making Cents’ overall project management.

Your Principal Duties will include:

• Serving as a project officer, guiding work and activities for select projects through the project cycle from launch to close-out.
• Leading activities related to budget development and monitoring, level-of-effort utilization, invoicing, subcontractor management, consultant recruitment and management, vendor management, deliverable development and tracking, project documentation, etc., confirming that activities are compliant with funder regulations and company policies.
• Coordinating logistics for project personnel including organizing travel arrangements and processing timesheets, expense reports, and invoices.
• Recruit, screen, hire, and onboard field personnel for technical service delivery, and secure in-country operational support.
• Support, cradle to grave, grantmaking activities for assigned projects.
• Drafting, issuing, and participating in RFP/Qs for specific services (e.g., security, research, etc.) related to in-country or specific project activities.
• Support the development, implementation, evaluation, and close-out of project-based grants.
• Expanding professional knowledge by attending educational workshops, reviewing professional publications, establishing personal networks, and participating in professional societies.
• Contributing to corporate strategy implementation through active participation in projects team initiatives.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree
• Fluency in Spanish
• Minimum three years’ relevant work experience
• Demonstrated experience providing administrative, logistics, or related support
• Strong knowledge of MS Office applications
• Ability to work in the US without sponsorship

Our ideal candidates are:

• Excellent writers and verbal communicators
• Results-oriented, entrepreneurial, and driven to innovate in a flexible environment
• Meticulously focused on details, organization, and meeting deadlines
• Resourceful problem-solvers with the ability to take initiative to learn new skills
• Able to manage up, articulate opinions, and present resourceful alternatives

Working Conditions

Full-time telework until the company’s Washington, DC office reopens for regular business; thereafter regular office environment. Ability and willingness to travel and work abroad in less developed countries. Travel up to 10% may be required.

About the Organization

Company Background:

Making Cents International is a dynamic social enterprise that has been increasing economic opportunities in developing countries for fifteen years. We are known as a source of high quality technical services, and a thought leader in the economic growth arena. Our technical services and collaborative learning activities consistently improve the ability of target populations - especially youth, women, smallholder farmers, and vulnerable populations - to launch and grow businesses, participate in profitable value chains, access finance, and obtain meaningful work. Our services are based on an appreciation of client assets and market needs, local capacity building, and a desire to achieve greater sustainable results. Our success is grounded on core competencies that focus on innovation, quality, teamwork, communication, leadership, and knowledge management.

Making Cents Corporate site: www.makingcents.com.