Job Summary:

Every employee of IRI is responsible for carrying out the Mission of IRI, and demonstrating the core values in their day to day operations.

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) will assist in the design and implementation of a strategy for IRI’s programs in her/his country of assignment. The PO closely monitors and analyzes political and economic developments in a country of responsibility, develops program ideas, and drafts proposals on a range of democracy and assistance programs. The PO also supports the identification and oversight of program partners and ensures effective communications with funders.

This is a hybrid position based in Washington, DC.

Position Requirements:

• Undergraduate degree in political science, international relations, or related field. Graduate degree preferred.
• Three to five years’ professional experience in democracy promotion, politics, international affairs, public administration or other relevant fields.
• Working knowledge of politics, economics, history and culture of countries in the MENA region
• Strong written and oral communication and presentation skills.
• Demonstrated experience working with United States Government funded projects and familiarity with United States Government regulations and processes.
• Program management experience, including basic accounting necessary to draft and oversee a budget.
• Ability to work independently and as a manager of a team to coordinate and lead the efforts of other professionals to effectively meet program goals.
• Demonstrated ability to develop new program concepts, including country specific contextual analysis, operational approaches and evaluative methods to measure implementation progress.
• Demonstrated ownership and initiative over work.
• Flexibility and adaptability; knowledge/experience working in closed/closing contexts.
• Ability and willingness to travel.
• Arabic language (speaking and writing) strongly preferred.

Primary Functions & Responsibilities:

• Oversees the implementation of specific grant(s) and associated grant activities.
• Assesses the feasibility of new funding opportunities and contributes to the substantive design of new programs.
• Anticipates, troubleshoots, offers solutions and actively resolves project challenges.
• Maintains an understanding of funder and IRI policies and procedures related to grant compliance and oversight.
• Develops and supports efforts to ensure that grants are completed on time.
• Monitors and ensures proper tracking of program expenditures to ensure projects remain within budget allocations and are implemented timely against a project work-plan.
• Oversees and participates in monitoring and evaluation efforts.
• Monitors, analyzes and reports on political and related developments in MENA countries to provide regional and country analysis and information.
• Writes and reviews high quality quarterly, semi-annual, final and other relevant reports for funders.
• Establishes, maintains, and develops strong working relationships with relevant stakeholders in Washington D.C. and abroad.
• Represents IRI at external events and actively supports IRI’s communication strategy, including branding and outreach plans.
• Supervises personnel, is involved in hiring and evaluation processes, including goal setting and ongoing performance feedback.
• Travels as needed for program oversight and implementation.

Qualifications

Education

Required

Bachelors or better in Political Science or related field.

Experience

Required

3-5 years:

• Must have authorization to work in the U.S. Undergraduate degree in political science, international relations, or related field. Three to five years’ professional experience in democracy promotion, politics, international affairs, public administration or other relevant fields. Working knowledge of politics, economics, history and culture of MENA region. Strong written and oral communication and presentation skills.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities

The contractor will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor’s legal duty to furnish information. 41 CFR 60-1.35(c)