Program Officer for Afghanistan

ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY

The Program Officer for Afghanistan will assist the Internews Afghanistan Country Team with project activities and ensure effective program implementation, with a focus on monitoring, evaluation, research and learning (MERL). They will coordinate with diverse international donors to support Afghan media and journalists to safely provide public service information. In coordination with the Asia regional-based support staff, the Program Officer provides managerial support as required and assists the development of innovative programs.

LOGISTICS

This is a remote-based position. Our ideal candidate is based in Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, or Sri Lanka; candidates based elsewhere will also be considered. You must have work authorization in your location that does not require sponsorship from Internews. Additionally, there are locations in which Internews is not able to support fully remote work.

Wherever possible, we work to try to find solutions for international hiring that work for both the company and the candidate. This means that some of the particulars around the offer for a role will be dependent on several factors, and that the benefits and salary structure that apply to a position will be based upon a candidate’s location and where the role is hired.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, so interested candidates are encouraged to apply soon.

OUR COMMITMENT TO FOSTERING A CULTURE OF BELONGING

We are an organization of dynamic, mission-driven individuals who are passionate about our core values and about supporting positive change in the world. We pride ourselves on our commitment to innovation and flexibility. We believe that diverse teams are strong teams and work to support an ethic of belonging, dignity, and justice for all people. Our current team includes a mix of genders, parents and non-parents, and people of multiple races, nationalities, ages, sexual orientations, and socioeconomic backgrounds. We are an EEO employer and encourage candidates of all races, genders, ages, orientations, ethnicities, and national origins to apply, and welcome those with alternative backgrounds and experiences.

DAY-TO-DAY TASKS will include:

• Provide ongoing program management support to the Afghanistan Country Director as required including overall program design, strategic planning, fundraising, identifying and selecting consultants, preparing Scopes of Work, and conducting regular monitoring and evaluation.
• Cultivate relationships and understanding of challenges and needs of Afghan journalists in exile and identify opportunities to work effectively with diaspora communities.
• Build and strengthen relationships with local partner organizations and ensure that implementation is responsive to the needs of partners and beneficiaries.
• Perform grants and contracts support including reviewing RFA/Ps and tracking, monitoring, and analysis of all grants and contracts in line with operational program plans.
• Review grants/contracts packages for compliance and accuracy prior to submission and ensure deliverables are in-line with program plans and are cost-effective.
• Support the development and implementation of annual workplans in close collaboration with Internews Afghanistan team.
• Author reports and proposals for donors and ensure timely submission of such reports and proposals.
• Liaise with Internews administration and control staff in the Asia regional office in Bangkok and HQ in the US on all contracts, subgrants, procurements and payments.
• File and archive critical business documents in auditable files.
• Work closely with monitoring, evaluation, research and learning (MERL) Impact Team to develop logical frameworks for proposal and review progress against those frameworks for reports to donors.
• Coordinate with partners and grantees to ensure their timely submission of MERL data and examples of project impact that meet Internews’ standards for quality, detail and clarity.
• Carry out research in support of ongoing projects and new initiatives as requested.
• Represent Internews at conferences and events when needed.
• Manage administrative tasks in accordance with project timelines.
• Other duties as assigned.
• Demonstrated understanding of and commitment to upholding Internews’ Core Values.

QUALIFICATIONS WE’RE LOOKING FOR

• Minimum 5 years programmatic experience in relevant non-profit organizations — experience in a on-profit media development operation a significant plus.
• Experience working with international donors and donor-funded programs
• Experience working within Afghanistan or with related projects, and understanding of the cultural and social context
• Minimum 2 years of experience in Monitoring, Evaluation, Research, and Learning (MERL).
• Grant proposal writing experience, and proven text-editing proficiency
• Experience in developing or supporting programs
• Relevant university degree required
• Demonstrated interpersonal skills including diplomacy, tact, and the ability to negotiate
• Excellent communication skills: speaking, writing, and listening
• Proven ability to set priorities and manage time effectively
• Proven analytical and problem-solving ability
• Proven ability to work both independently and as an effective team member
• Proven ability to prioritize and handle multiple ongoing assignments
• Proficient in MS Office