Senior Program Officer, Information & Media Practice (NEW)

Who We Are

IREX is a global development and education organization. We strive for a more just, prosperous, and inclusive world—where individuals reach their full potential, governments serve their people, and communities thrive. With a projected annual portfolio of more than $100 million and more than 600 staff worldwide, we work with partners in more than 100 countries in four areas essential to progress: cultivating leaders, empowering youth, strengthening institutions, and increasing access to quality education and information.

The Senior Program Officer (SPO) provides strategic and managerial leadership of select information and media program operations under the Information and Media practice including IREX’s segment of the Civil Society and Media – Strengthened Together and Advancing in New Directions (CSM-STAND). They manage aspects of programs, interventions and technical products, program oversight and management, ensuring quality and achievement of intended impact, compliance with donor and IREX policies, financial management and staff management. In addition, the SPO contributes to technical knowledge and application of theories, methods and design to develop IREX leadership in media development and information integrity and support new business and strategic partnership development. The SPO will supervise the day-to-day work and mentor junior staff and may also carry out additional duties and tasks to meet the needs of the organization, team, or as assigned by supervisor. The SPO may be required to travel.

We are doers. Our decades of on-the-ground experience help us create greater impact, practical recommendations, and lasting partnerships.

Are you the next member of our team?

Your Background & Skills

• Bachelor’s Degree related to international development, international relations, project management, or international development.
• 5+ years of progressive job experience including a strong background in international development with a significant portion working with USAID/USG-funded projects.
• Demonstrated program management experience and ability to lead staff in setting goals, prioritizing tasks, and developing efficient administrative practices.
• Demonstrated understanding of and experience with issuing and monitoring subgrants, financial management, project budgeting and forecasting.
• Demonstrated experience supervising the work of others.
• Experience hosting and planning professional and program-related trainings.
• Experience with performance monitoring and evaluation plans and development of and monitoring of results framework.
• Experience with program start-up, preferred.
• Knowledge of and experience working in supporting independent media and civil society; ability to draw upon sound knowledge of the field, best practices, and funder and IREX approaches to enhance program implementation.
• Experience with project design, grant management, and proposal development.
• Excellent organizational and analytical skills.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Skills may vary based on program, project, or practice needs.
• Ability to establish successful collaborative, cross-cultural working relationships with a range of stakeholders.
• Strong computer skills, including experience with data management platforms and understanding in how to use technology to enhance program implementation.
• Ability to lead trainings and/or public events.
• Speaking, reading and writing proficiency in English required. Spanish, Ukrainian, French or Russian language skills strongly preferred.
• Ability to travel.
• You must have unrestricted authorization to work in the United States.

Your Daily Tasks

• Provides management and compliance oversight of program components; manages, monitors and adjusts program to ensure high quality program deliverables and results are being met.
• Sets and monitors implementation of activities in program workplans.
• Makes decisions and provides solutions to implementation obstacles.
• Contributes to deliverables that are technically sound and submitted in a timely manner.
• Contributes to program monitoring, evaluation, learning, and impact reporting.
• Supports the onboarding of selected new program staff in HQ and the field.
• Conducts and/or sources training and technical assistance for programs and for the practice.
• Contributes technically to the creation of program infrastructure elements such as workplans, implementation plans and monitoring & evaluation (M&E) plans, as needed.
• Contributes to the creation and monitoring the implementation of risk assessment trackers and develops mitigation processes and standard operation procedures.
• Drafts complex documents, including program reports and evaluations.
• Leads internal reporting on CSM-STAND activities.
• Together with the Project Director or Chief of Party, leads certain programmatic aspects of start-up/close-out processes as needed and coordinates with other Units on the operational needs.
• Drafts, reviews and approves subgrant agreements and contracts according to levels of authority.
• Leads effective relations and coordination with country office staff and partners.
• Drafts complex documents, including program reports and evaluations for internal and external audiences including donors.
• Contributes to program publicity and outreach; represents IREX and the program in public or internal outreach meetings.
• Provides support to project leads to sustain relationships with program donors, partners and technical experts.
• Contributes to new business development efforts, including assessments, budgets, technical design and proposal writing.
• Develops and monitors program budgets to ensure appropriate spending levels and approvals; ensures all fiscal and performance activities are in compliance with IREX policies and funder regulations.
• Negotiates, manages and monitors sub awards, contracts, or consulting agreements.
• Supervises the drafting of subgrants, contracts or consulting agreements.
• Approves payments and agreements as per level of authority.
• Makes decisions and provide solutions to implementation obstacles both in the country offices and in HQ.
• Provides supervision, mentoring and guidance to assigned staff in multiple countries.
• Provides supervision and guidance to staff assigned.
• Promotes behaviors and practices that increase practice diversity, equity and inclusion.
• Contributes to a positive, collaborative, and inclusive team environment both in HQ and among local teams.
• Supports hiring and onboarding processes for consultants or employees. Provides mentorship to team members.
• Other duties as assigned.

IREX will make reasonable accommodations in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments of 2008.

We conduct background checks on all successful candidates.

This position is eligible for Telework. The eligible employee is a regular, full-time DC-based staff who works from a worksite outside the DC office for one or more days a week.

This position is not eligible for Immigration Sponsorship.

NO PHONE CALLS PLEASE

EOE – Equal Opportunity Employer

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability/vets.