Program Officer – Bangladesh

Every employee of IRI is responsible for carrying out the Mission of IRI and demonstrating the Core Values in their day-to-day operations. The Core Values, which are IRI’s foundational building blocks include:

Excellence– We believe in quality results delivered by investing in people. Freedom– We believe in exploration and experimentation to be agile and responsive. Respect- We believe in trust, empathy and empowering people. Teamwork- We believe in diversity, inclusion and the power of global collaboration. Transparency– We believe in open communication and clear decision-making. Accountability- We believe in personal responsibility as the foundation of success.

The Program Officer (PO) works with the Resident Program Director (RPD), Resident Program Manager (RPM) and Senior Program Manager (SPM) in the design and implementation of programs in Bangladesh. S/he closely monitors and analyzes political and economic developments in Bangladesh, develops program ideas, identifies program partners, and develops and maintains close relationships with them and with funders. This position will be based with the program team in Dhaka.

Position Requirements:

• Graduate degree in political science, international relations or related field. Graduate degree preferred.
• Three to five years’ professional experience in democratic governance and politics, preferably working directly with political parties, civil society organizations/NGOs or legislative bodies, or equivalent combination.
• Experience with Microsoft Excel, Word and PowerPoint required.
• Strong written and oral communication and presentation skills.
• Experience with program implementation and basic accounting necessary.
• Excellent writing, research and communication skills.
• International experience preferred.
• Fluency in English and Bengali.
• Home Country Nationals strongly encouraged to apply. Must be eligible to work in Bangladesh without sponsorship.

Primary Functions & Responsibilities:

• Contributes to monitoring political developments in the Bangladesh and informs the management team on key items and emerging issues.
• Understands assigned grant’s substantive, financial and compliance requirements.
• Maintains an understanding of funder and IRI policies and procedures related to grant compliance and oversight.
• Contributes to funder reports to ensure high quality quarterly, semi-annual and final reports.
• Supports activity implementation including coordinating with consultants, arranging events and maintaining professional relationships with key stakeholders.
• Tracks program activities to ensure objectives are met and activities comply with IRI and donor regulations.
• Assists in the maintenance of proper documentation of program activities.
• Supports monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL), including data collection and analysis.
• Assists in creating and managing consultant contracts.
• Provides logistical support for the organization of IRI’s capacity building and research activities, including local governance workshops, survey briefings, stakeholder mapping, focus group discussions and dialogue forums.
• Facilitates meetings with partner organizations, government officials, ministries and other key stakeholders to help ensure program implementation.
• Actively supports IRI’s communication strategy, branding and outreach plans. This includes drafting program summaries, key event reports, web stories, tweets, etc.
• Anticipates potential problems and offers resolutions, proactively taking part in achieving creative and time sensitive solutions.
• Represents IRI at external events in Bangladesh.
• Domestic travel as needed for program oversight and implementation.
• Performs other duties as assigned.