Senior Program Officer

Job Description

The Senior Program Officer is an intermediate professional position at IFES providing tactical support to the program division. Specific duties will include development, technical, administrative and financial management support and oversight.

Job Responsibilities:

PRIMARY FUNCTION/PURPOSE:

The Senior Program Officer is an advanced professional position at IFES providing tactical support to the program division. Specific duties will include development, technical, administrative and financial management support and oversight.

MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Serve as primary interface with Country Director(s) and local staff to implement projects. Achieve project requirements within budget, established timeframe, standards of quality, and donor satisfaction.
• Prepare budgets, review and approve field expense reports, wire requests, field wire transfer requests, vendor and consultant payments, etc. Responsible for oversight, critical review, and reporting of project financials in partnership with Finance team.
• Establish, maintain, and develop productive working relationship with field staff, subordinates, consultants at large, and other departments within IFES HQ.
• Represent program management at offsite venues for the purpose of business development and information dissemination as directed.
• Contribute to and inform program design, knowledge of tools towards implementation of projects, knowledge management and thought leadership, and collection of resources.
• Work with Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) team to design and determine indicators, ensure that the field has the tools to monitor progress made towards indicators, periodically check in with field team on data collection and progress toward meeting objectives, and share experience with regional teams.
• Monitor and evaluate project progress and performance, including reviewing deliverables, and make recommendations where project activities may need to be adjusted based on M&E results.
• Troubleshoot project problems. Identify and implement creative solutions.
• Monitor pending IFES grant/contract actions and modifications and coordinate timely action and response.
• Travel to field office to monitor project activities.
• Actively participate in business development/proposal development/new initiative processes.
• Provide professional developmental opportunities for junior program staff. Evaluate performance of supervisee(s), and provide constructive feedback and proactive management. Offer input into performance of Country Directors.
• Work with Human Resources to source and recruit critical talent.
• Work with Contracts and Grants to ensure timely acquisition and delivery of services.
• Support design, review/selection, and implementation subawards, including review of quarterly narrative and financial reports, as well as processing invoices.
• Ensure the quality of monthly/quarterly reports.
• Provide input into annual workplans, performance monitoring plans, and other programmatic reports.
• Develop a sound understanding of IFES technical areas and on the relevant region/country.
• Other duties as assigned.

POSITION SCOPE: Provide varied support functions and perform moderately complex job duties requiring knowledge of business/proposal development, program management, financial management, donor interface, and research and development initiatives. Contribute to program planning, development, and management. Manage work activities with internal and external partners to ensure achievement of assigned objectives project(s). Performance and outcomes are subject to management oversight.

DECISION MAKING/PROBLEM SOLVING: Multi-factor decision-making requiring research and analysis, subject to supervisory guidance. Analyze and interpret issues, propose and implement solutions relying on knowledge of professional standards, principles and sound judgement. Initiate contact with staff in other departments to exchange substantive information and coordinates activities necessary to achieve work goals. Authority to make decisions on issues of program design, delegations to junior staff, and financial oversight for assigned projects.

FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY: Lead project budget planning. Critical review and reporting of project financials in partnership with Finance. Work with field team on quarterly and annual projections for donors and internal budgeting. Authority to research, negotiate, and recommend purchases of materials, equipment and logistical arrangements.

RELATIONSHIPS: Develop and maintain collaborative relationships, which require highly-developed interpersonal skills, involving active listening and problem solving, to assure desired outcomes. Seek opportunities to improve working relationships and work outcomes with internal and external partners.

Qualifications:

Education: Bachelor’s degree required. Master’s Degree in international relations, political science, international development preferred.

Experience: Minimum of 6 years of overall work experience in the international development sector. Significant experience with budget management and oversight of large single project or multiple small projects, including projections, pipelines, and modifications. Experience managing and providing guidance and supervision to employees. Experience supporting business development efforts. Proposal writing experience preferred.

Related Skills or Knowledge: Experience with program management, project design, and business development. Demonstrated knowledge and experience with USAID grant and contract proposals, regulations, and procedures. Familiarity with USAID and other international donors and key program personnel. Strong financial management skills. Proficiency with Microsoft Office and Excel required. Strong written and verbal communication skills are required. Knowledge of political contexts in multiple African countries preferred. Field experience desirable.

LANGUAGE SKILLS: English required.

TRAVEL: Travel up to 10% of time

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.