Program Officer, Leadership Practice

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.

IREX seeks a Program Officer to support management for the Student Leadership exchange portfolio (Global UGRAD-Pakistan and the Thomas Jefferson Scholarship Program), supporting entire program cycles and supervising staff.

The Program Officer provides mid-level leadership and support across the Student Leadership portfolio. The Program Officer ensures program components are operationalized in compliance with USG and IREX regulations, providing guidance and support to the team of Program Coordinators and Associates in implementing the student experience, including participant recruitment and selection; host recruitment, selection, and placement; review of participant documents; managing cohorts of students and providing mentoring and tailored support to ensure their safety and wellbeing and that they fulfill program objectives while in the United States; planning and implementing program events (both virtual and in-person); conducting program MEL activities and drafting program communications such as program reports; and assisting with program budgeting such as monthly reviews and reconciliations.

Are you the next member of our team?

Your Background & Skills

• Bachelor’s Degree.
• 3+ years of relevant experience.
• Experience with U.S. Department of State or other USG grant-funded international exchange programming, preferred.
• Experience managing others toward shared goals, including experience with direct supervision/coaching.
• Experience proactively offering creative solutions and plan strategically to meet specified objectives with strong ability to anticipate challenges and generate solutions.
• Experience in mentoring, coaching, advising, or other relevant leadership development work with international undergraduate students, preferred.
• Ability to communicate professionally, clearly, succinctly, and independently contribute outstanding verbal and written communication.
• Experience with procurement procedures including negotiating with vendors for large-scale purchases.
• Experience with financial tracking, budget management, and vendor oversight
• Experience planning and managing events, including developing timelines and agendas, speaker outreach and preparation, media engagement, volunteer recruitment, and on-site staffing, preferred.
• Demonstrated in-person facilitation and training experience, effectively engaging with international undergraduate students or youth.
• Outstanding cross-cultural skills and understanding of DEI concepts and how they are applied in both the workplace and in programming.
• Excellent interpersonal and cross-cultural communication skills including problem solving, conflict resolution, and a demonstrated ability to hold self and assigned staff accountable for quality outputs and results.
• Experience leading webinars and other virtual learning and exchange activities, and familiarity with learning management platforms.
• High-level proficiency in Microsoft office products, including and especially Excel.
• Experience working in and/or interest in developing capacity for project systems including SharePoint, MailChimp, Alchemer, Canvas LMS, Submittable, etc.
• Data management skills, including utilization of Salesforce (or comparable CRM/database) experience, preferred.
• Ability to work independently and as a part of a team.
• Ability to travel for occasional site visits (domestic).
• Availability to support program activities in the evenings and on weekends, when needed based on the program cycle (e.g., during preparation for and throughout program events).
• Strong problem-solving skills with demonstrated ability to plan strategically and creatively to meet specified objectives with strong ability to anticipate challenges and generate solutions.
• Strong interpersonal and cross-cultural communication skills.
• Demonstrated writing and document proofing skills; able to produce near final draft quality communications and documents.
• Excellent presentation and oral communication skills.
• Proven organizational skills and ability to manage multiple tasks with a high degree of accuracy and attention to detail, including the ability to prioritize and adhere to strict deadlines.
• Able to work independently and as a team member with consistent ability to take initiative, meet deadlines, and be flexible.
• Understanding of recent developments in Pakistan and/or Tunisia and cultural awareness of Pakistan and/or Tunisia, preferred.
• You must have unrestricted authorization to work in the United States.

Your Daily Tasks

• Support Senior Program Officer in all aspects of program implementation to ensure timely and accurate completion of deliverables.
• Manage and support collection of a wide range of participant information and data, maintaining accuracy and completeness.
• Contribute to and manage the production of program deliverables including participant materials, handbooks, templates and guides for program partners, and/or program reports.
• Design, manage, and facilitate program trainings.
• Oversee development and management of e-learning platforms.
• Contribute to program alumni communications.
• Manage and develop relationships and outreach with partner institutions, including academic, corporate/non-profit, and vendors.
• Represent IREX, Leadership Practice, and Student Leadership Team interests both within and outside of IREX.
• Liaise with funders upon request and assist with new business development efforts as assigned.
• Manage third party vendor procurements as assigned.
• Develop and oversee compliance with budgets for select program components.
• Provide input support to revising program budgets (pipelines).
• Facilitate team review of monthly transactions and credit card/payment reconciliations.
• Support team leadership in all aspects of program implementation to ensure timely and accurate completion of deliverables.
• Assist assigned program staff, including delegating work, and providing feedback on assigned tasks.
• Other support duties as needed.

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.