Program Officer: Eurasia

Organization: National Democratic Institute

Website: NDI

Title: Program Officer: Eurasia

Location: Washington, DC

Salary: Not listed

Description:
The National Democratic Institute (NDI) seeks a Program Officer to contribute to the planning, design and evaluation of democratic development projects in collaboration with regional and field staff by performing the duties listed below.

• Drafts board memos, briefing memos, reports and other materials with some editing, direction and substance guidance; drafts entire or significant portions of quarterly reports, sections of work plans and larger proposals; edits work of Program Assistant and Senior Program Assistant;
• Develops program concepts for proposals in collaboration with functional team; develops program objectives that reflect broader institutional strategies and approaches in tandem with Senior Program Officer or Director;
• Leads work plan discussions; manages process for work plan drafting and submission;
• Manages overall strategy, vision and many aspects of fairly complex programs; anticipates programmatic administrative needs and with some guidance, takes appropriate actions; maintains interaction with field offices and monitors and measures program performance, timing and results; prepares for assessments;
• Serves as POC for field; meets with funding agency reps to describe program progress and to articulate new funding proposals and concepts; maintains frequent contact with NDI partners overseas and briefs specific country political, civic and business leaders, donor organizations and members of the international community about NDI activities; represents NDI at appropriate events;
• Acts as liaison with members of NGO, funding and Washington policymaking communities; formulates funding ideas and pursues funding sources;
• Monitors budgets, grants and expenditures for larger or complex programs with multiple field offices and/or reconciliations; creates proposal budgets with supporting notes for large programs; applies allowable costs according to restrictions, structures and mechanisms; ensures that they stay within budget limits; anticipates and successfully addresses costs and overages, and implements solutions to budget variances; implements and manages all aspects of sub grants;
• Travels to region to organize and conduct political assessments, assess new opportunities, develop assistance programs, and implement training activities; substantively contributes to assessments;
• Provides support for local and regional program conferences, workshops and meetings; organizes major cross-functional workshops; organizes delegations abroad;
• Recruits and briefs international trainers, volunteers and field representatives; develops a network and suggests utilization;
• Oversees creation and implementation of field office policies and handbooks; manages Program and Senior Program Assistants on basic and more advanced NDI procedures and programmatic tasks; mentors new staff; conducts basic, structured internal trainings;
• Maintains collaborative relationships with international democratic development organizations, civic organizations and NDI's network of volunteer trainers and experts; acts as back-up to team members not present.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree, preferably in International Relations or related subject; graduate degree preferred;
• A minimum of four (4) years relevant work experience in international development, community organizing, political campaigns, organizational development or legislative affairs;
• Additional years of relevant work experience may be substituted for educational requirement on a one-for-one basis;
• Living or working experience outside the U.S. preferred;
• Demonstrated knowledge and/or competency in one or more areas of NDI's functional programs and/or the assigned region's political environment;
• High level of interpersonal skills and cultural sensitivity to effectively interact with all levels of staff, U.S. and foreign government personnel, members of donor organizations, funders and policy makers;
• Excellent oral communications skills to effectively present information, respond to questions;
• Exceptional writing skills to effectively create clear and concise proposals and reports;
• Foreign language ability applicable to the region, preferred;
• Basic managerial skills; good negotiating skills; able to introduce new concepts;
• Capacity to work both independently and as a member of a team;
• Ability to take initiative, inspire and motivate staff;
• Ability to analyze political work, define problems, collect data, establish facts and draw valid conclusions, and the ability to think innovatively;
• Working knowledge of PC-based word processing and spreadsheet applications;
• Working knowledge of basic budget and accounting procedures;
• Ability and willingness to travel to regional locations, which are often remote and difficult to reach.

To Apply: Click Here  Tracking Code 216952-851