Program Officer I/II – Education

Position description

The Program Officer (PO) will support the Education Unit, with a focus on higher education and study abroad. The position will be based in Washington, D.C. The PO will support the implementation of the 100,000 Strong in the Americas Innovation Fund, a program that aims to increase student mobility between the United States and the rest of the Western Hemisphere by providing grant funding to higher education institutions (HEIs), so that they can develop international partnerships and create more opportunities for student exchange and training abroad.  

 The PO will be primarily responsible for monitoring and providing direct support & guidance to HEI grantees in the implementation of their projects, and managing and strengthening the program’s relationship with grant recipients, while supporting the day-to-day activities to execute the promotion, management, and follow-up phases of the program. 

 The PO will be responsible for implementing the above activities, under the guidance and support of the Assistant Director, Program Director, and Partners’ senior management, along with the U.S. Department of State, private sector partners, and other stakeholders.

Essential / Primary Functions 

Grantee Management 

• Support with proposal review and selection of grant recipients.
• Coordinate the administrative setup of selected grant projects, including preparing/updating grant-related documents, such as orientation packets, program manuals, process guides, etc.
• Support with gathering information and preparing documents for award agreement package.
• Conduct onboarding webinars for grantees to understand award responsibilities.
• Collect financial documents and invoices for award disbursements and coordinate with F&A to create vendor profiles for grantees and disburse award funds.
• Submit and monitor grant payments, communicating with grantees on status of their award disbursements and liaise between F&A and grantees to resolve any payment-related issues.
• Monitor implementation of projects, providing one-on-one guidance/technical support when needed.
• Monitor project budgets to ensure compliance to grant award and donor expectations.
• Ensure timely submission of grantee project reports.
• Review grantee reports and note potential issues that may affect project implementation. Contact grantees directly, when necessary, to discuss/resolve issues.
• Ensure complete documentation of grantees and maintain up-to-date program database.
• Work with MEL Officer to update/expand data collection tools to capture additional beneficiary information, as requested by donors.
• Support MEL Officer in tracking program outcomes and achievements through administration of evaluation tools and compiling and analyzing data, results, and feedback received from grant projects.
• Facilitate and support approval of project changes & extensions. Communicate with Director regarding need to extend donor contracts based on HEI extension requests.

 Donor/Stakeholder Engagement 

• Contribute to donor reports and compiling annexes, which includes providing updates on progress and results of grantee projects and challenges & lessons learned from program implementation.
• Create “situation reports” for Department of State, upon request, regarding status of grantee projects, impact data, and common issues (i.e., project delays, visa issues, etc.)
• Track faculty/student travel, informing and coordinating visits with Embassies and/or donors, as needed.
• Liaise with U.S. Embassies to support grantees in the visa appointment process.
• Prioritize donor requests for information on HEI project data/stats, travel timelines, photos/videos, etc.
• Attend meetings with donors, as needed, and present detailed updates on grantee projects.
• Anticipate donor needs based on common requests and proactively compile the information.
• Assist the team in managing regular and professional relationships with key stakeholders, including embassies, EducationUSA offices, Fulbright Commissions, government agencies, private foundations, organizations, corporations, colleges and universities, and individuals from across the hemisphere.

 Communications  

• Support the Communications Specialist to ensure a strong website and web presence of HEI projects and impact.
• Work closely with the Communications Specialist to develop and update promo and fundraising materials about HEI projects.
• Draft summaries of HEI projects – for press release and 100K website.
• Provide content for messages to the 100,000 Strong in the Americas Innovation Network that highlight HEI projects and impact.
• Represent 100K program and Partners in meetings, conferences, and events, and present on the program.

 Business Development 

• Lead drafting of session proposals for higher education and other relevant conferences to present on 100K program and impact.
• Contribute to the development of Education-related proposals by supporting drafting of technical narrative, preparing annexes, and providing input to budget.
• Participate in meetings and color team reviews of other program units.
• Support pre-solicitation efforts by monitoring competitors to track/observe common trends in Education-related themes.

Distribution of Time

• 95% to 100,000 Strong in the Americas
• 5% Business Development

Job Specifications 

Qualifications/Education, Experience & Training 

To perform this job successfully, the individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or abilities required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. 

• Bachelor’s degree in International Education, International Relations/Affairs, or other related discipline. Master’s degree preferred.
• At least two (2) years of experience working in an office environment.
• Experience working in fast-paced administrative role, able to undertake multiple tasks, and manage competing priorities.
• Excellent communication skills and fluency in English.
• Excellent writing and editing skills, including technical reports, blog posts, newsletters, etc.
• Proficiency in speaking and writing in Spanish. Portuguese language skills a plus.
• Advanced computer skills, including MS Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Experience in higher education and/or in the Western Hemisphere, especially Latin America and the Caribbean preferred.
• Strong cross-cultural/interpersonal skills, including ability to interact with diverse stakeholders with cultural sensitivity, fostering a supporting environment virtually, in-person, and in all forms of correspondence.
• Strong problem-solving skills and ability to take initiative in finding solutions, including how to better support/serve program beneficiaries.
• Comfortable in speaking in front of large audiences and conducting webinars/ virtual trainings.
• Knowledge and understanding of grants management process and/or platforms preferred.
• Knowledge and understanding of monitoring and evaluation practices and impact storytelling a plus.

Supervisory Responsibilities

• Interns
• Volunteers

Position is located in Washington, DC and the salary range for this position is $50k to $60k annually. This position is a hybrid position and will be required to report to the DC office once a week at a minimum.  Specific salary details will be discussed during the interview process.
    

Application instructions

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