Program Officer II

Democracy International (DI) is seeking to hire a full-time Program Management Officer II to be a key member of its Global and Rapid Response Programs (GRRP) team. This position will work primarily on Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) Task Orders (TOs). The objective of these activities is to provide skilled services to assist USAID Missions, Bureaus, and Operating Units (OUs) to respond rapidly and effectively to conflict, violence, migration, democracy and governance, and related issues and to perform analyses, assessments, and/or evaluations, and conduct program or strategic planning. Expertise is needed particularly in the areas of conflict sensitivity, conflict mitigation, violence and atrocity prevention, peacebuilding, stabilization, and related fields to support USAID throughout the program cycle, with emphasis on assessment; analysis; program, monitoring, evaluation, and learning; strategic design and development; and program implementation. This will be a full-time position and will be contingent on award and funding. As an essential member of the team, the candidate will be based in DI's home office in Bethesda, Maryland and will be primarily responsible for providing programmatic oversight and support to DI activities around the world. Experience supporting USAID-funded programs is critical. We will only consider applicants who are based in the Washington, DC area and able to work in the Home Office three days per week.

Essential Job Duties:

• Support overall operations under Task Orders, which may include, but are not limited to: communications, administration, logistics, procurement, staffing/recruitment, budgeting, finances, reporting, and property;
• Ensure that Task Order activities are managed and implemented in accordance with the approved budget, USAID regulations and procedures, and the specifications determined in the SOW;
• Coordinate with the host country government and USAID offices in Mission locations, including Washington, DC, in the areas of oversight, reporting, and compliance;
• Liaise regularly with key stakeholders such as USAID, local staff and partners, civil society representatives, short term technical assistants (STTAs), and DI’s home office to ensure that deadlines are met and high-quality deliverables are completed and submitted in a timely manner;
• Assist in project startup, management, and closeout, including facilitating DI staff and consultant onboarding and offboarding processes in coordination with corporate HR and Staffing Team;
• Manage procurement processes in the home office and act as the primary liaison with the field to support procurement planning and execution. This includes: 1) writing and reviewing scopes of work (SOWs); 2) managing vendor selection; 3) reviewing deliverables to ensure quality and fit with program goals; 4) providing ongoing support to junior staff and field teams on procurement systems and rules to ensure quality and compliance DI and client policies;
• Provide oversight of program budget tracking and spending projections, manage program budgets, and provide input on spending;
• Support the development and critical review of technical deliverables and reports, including political economy analyses, conflict analyses, program evaluations, annual work plans, and recurring reports;
• Support oversight of project subcontracts and grants under contract (GUCs), including ensuring activities are meeting the program’s goals and in compliance with USAID regulations;
• Conduct research related to conflict, peacebuilding, politics, governance, elections, conflict, and related subject matters internationally;
• Champion the integration of the Collaborating, Learning, and Adapting (CLA) Framework into the program cycle;
• Occasional international travel may be required.

Secondary Job Duties: 

• Provide mentorship and direction for more junior staff and interns;
• Support proposal development and strategy in collaboration with Program Manager and Technical Advisors;
• Provide surge support for the GRRP team on other projects as needed.

Qualifications: 

• Master’s degree in international development, political science, public administration, social science, or other relevant field and 4-5 years of relevant work experience OR a Bachelor’s degree and six years of relevant work experience;
• Minimum of 4 years of project support with increasing levels of oversight;
• Experience supporting USAID-funded activities, particularly institutional support contracts (ISCs), strongly preferred;
• Experience with CVP (formerly Conflict Management and Mitigation/CMM) and/or knowledge of conflict sensitivity, conflict mitigation, violence and atrocity prevention, peacebuilding, stabilization, and related fields;
• Experience developing and managing budgets, and knowledge of basic budget and accounting procedures;
• Experience contributing to work plans, program reports, and project proposals;
• Knowledge of USG rules and regulations, specifically related to contracts and grants and the procurement of services;
• Familiarity with the Collaborating, Learning, and Adapting (CLA) framework in international development projects;
• Highly organized and able to prioritize multiple tasks and meet dynamic client deadlines while maintaining strong attention to detail;
• Demonstrated ability to work in a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity;
• Experience living and working outside the U.S.;
• English fluency and excellent verbal and written communication skills required. Professional proficiency in one or more additional languages in highly desired, particularly French or Spanish;
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite and relevant computer software skills.

Reporting: 

• This position reports to the Program Manager, Global and Rapid Response Programs 

Environmental Conditions:

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Moderate noise (i.e. business office with computers, phone, printers, and moderate traffic).
• Ability to work in a confined office space/area.
• Ability to sit and/or stand at a computer desk for an extended period of time.
• Ability to travel on long plane flights across several time zones and at irregular hours.

Physical Requirements Required to Perform Essential Responsibilities: 

When performing the duties of this job the employee is regularly required to; 

• Stand, sit; talk, hear, use of hands and fingers, and perform repetitive motions to operate a computer and telephone keyboard.
• Reach, stoop, or kneel, to adjust computer and/or telephone equipment.
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision requirements due to computer work.
• Hearing abilities required due to telephone.
• Light to moderate lifting is possible.
• Travel will require moderate lifting, sitting for extended periods of time, overnight flights across multiple time zones;
• Regular, predictable attendance is required; as business demands dictate.

Democracy International is committed to providing access, equal opportunity and reasonable accommodation in its employment process for individuals with disabilities to meet any and all physical requirements of our jobs.

Application Process: 

Interested applicants must submit a cover letter and CV. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and the position will be filled as soon as a qualified candidate is identified. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed. The starting salary range for this position is $75,000 to $85,000, commensurate with experience. DI will only contact candidates of interest.  

All interested applicants must be authorized to work in the U.S. at the time of application. DI will not sponsor applicants for work Visa.

Democracy International maintains the highest ethical standards. We are committed to the prevention of sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment as well as other ethical breaches. All our positions are therefore subject to stringent vetting and reference checks.

About the Organization:

DI provides technical assistance, analytical services and project implementation for democracy, human rights, governance and conflict mitigation programs worldwide for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the U.S. State Department and other development partners. Since its founding in 2003, Democracy International has worked with civil society organizations, political parties, election-management bodies, government agencies, legislatures, justice-sector institutions, and others in 80+ countries.

DI welcomes and supports a diverse and inclusive work environment. We are committed to equal employment opportunities (EEO) for all applicants seeking employment and for DI employees. DI makes employment decisions based on organizational needs, job requirements and individual qualifications without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, personal appearance, military status, gender identity or expression, genetic information, political affiliation, educational status, unemployment status, place of residence or business, source of income, or reproductive health decision making. Additionally, harassment or discrimination based on these characteristics will not be tolerated at DI. To perform the essential functions of this position, reasonable accommodations are available to qualified individuals with disabilities.