Program Officer I/II Education

About the position

The Program Officer (PO) will support the Education Unit, focusing on higher education and study abroad initiatives. This position is based in Washington, D.C., and is integral to the implementation of the 100,000 Strong in the Americas Innovation Fund. This program aims to enhance student mobility between the United States and the Western Hemisphere by providing grant funding to higher education institutions (HEIs) to foster international partnerships and create opportunities for student exchange and training abroad. The PO will be responsible for monitoring and providing direct support and guidance to HEI grantees in executing their projects, while also managing and strengthening the program's relationships with grant recipients. The role involves supporting the day-to-day activities necessary for the promotion, management, and follow-up phases of the program, under the guidance of the Assistant Director, Program Director, and senior management at Partners, as well as collaborating with the U.S. Department of State, private sector partners, and other stakeholders. Key responsibilities include grantee management, where the PO will assist with proposal reviews and the selection of grant recipients, coordinate the administrative setup of selected projects, and conduct onboarding webinars for grantees. The PO will also be tasked with monitoring project budgets to ensure compliance with grant awards and donor expectations, ensuring timely submission of grantee project reports, and maintaining an up-to-date program database. In addition, the PO will support the Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) Officer in tracking program outcomes and achievements, facilitating project changes and extensions, and communicating with the Director regarding donor contract extensions based on HEI requests. The PO will engage with donors and stakeholders by contributing to donor reports, creating situation reports for the Department of State, and managing relationships with key stakeholders, including embassies and educational organizations. The role also involves supporting communications efforts to ensure a strong web presence for HEI projects and drafting promotional materials. Furthermore, the PO will lead the drafting of session proposals for conferences and contribute to the development of education-related proposals, participating in meetings and reviews with other program units.

Responsibilities
? Support the implementation of the 100,000 Strong in the Americas Innovation Fund.
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? Monitor and provide direct support & guidance to HEI grantees in project implementation.
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? Manage and strengthen relationships with grant recipients.
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? Coordinate the administrative setup of selected grant projects, including preparing/updating grant-related documents.
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? Conduct onboarding webinars for grantees to understand award responsibilities.
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? Collect financial documents and invoices for award disbursements and coordinate with F&A to create vendor profiles for grantees.
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? Submit and monitor grant payments, communicating with grantees on the status of their award disbursements.
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? Monitor implementation of projects, providing one-on-one guidance/technical support when needed.
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? Ensure timely submission of grantee project reports and review them for potential issues.
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? Maintain complete documentation of grantees and keep the program database up to date.
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? Support MEL Officer in tracking program outcomes and achievements through evaluation tools.
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? Contribute to donor reports and compile annexes regarding grantee projects.
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? Create situation reports for the Department of State regarding grantee project status.
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? Liaise with U.S. Embassies to support grantees in the visa appointment process.
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? Attend meetings with donors and present detailed updates on grantee projects.
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? Support the Communications Specialist in developing and updating promotional materials about HEI projects.
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? Lead drafting of session proposals for higher education conferences.

Requirements
? Bachelor's degree in International Education, International Relations/Affairs, or related discipline; Master's degree preferred.
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? At least two years of experience working in an office environment.
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? Experience in a fast-paced administrative role, managing multiple tasks and competing priorities.
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? Excellent communication skills and fluency in English.
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? Proficiency in speaking and writing in Spanish; Portuguese language skills a plus.
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? Advanced computer skills, including MS Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
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? Experience in higher education and/or in the Western Hemisphere, especially Latin America and the Caribbean preferred.
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? Strong cross-cultural/interpersonal skills, with the ability to interact with diverse stakeholders.
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? Strong problem-solving skills and ability to take initiative in finding solutions.
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? Comfortable speaking in front of large audiences and conducting webinars/virtual trainings.
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? Knowledge of grants management processes and/or platforms preferred.

Nice-to-haves
? Knowledge and understanding of monitoring and evaluation practices and impact storytelling.

Benefits

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