Program Officer (SME III)

All Applicants Must Possess a Secret Clearance for Consideration

Program Officer

The Subject Matter Expert  will be responsible for ensuring effective execution of program requirements: establishing systematic methods of program execution, evaluation, and advocacy; determining whether funding is warranted and available and assessing activities to determine funding requirements; analyzing program and budget proposals and presenting them to the State Department and interagency panels; preparing justification or recommendation memoranda for review and approval by appropriate officials; and providing follow-up problem-solving assistance, guideline interpretations, and technical consultations as required to applicants. She/he will provide DRL leadership technical assistance throughout the federal assistance life-cycle that include pre-award, award, and post-award phases in grants and cooperative agreements.    The Subject Matter Expert assists with Departmental briefings to congressional staffers on these programs.

The Subject Matter Expert represents and communicates DRL’s program objectives to other State Department and U.S. Government offices involved in programming Democracy Fund and Human Rights and Democracy Funds (HRDF) and other transfer funding to include, but not be limited to, regional bureaus, Office of Acquisitions Management, Office of the Legal Advisor, Congressional Liaison office, Office of Management and Budget and USAID offices. They liaise and consult on program administration, financial planning and acquisition of programming funds. They will respond to Congressional requests for information regarding programs and DRL program objectives. They will also provide information to the NGO community and other implementing organizations regarding the USG and DRL grants processes.

The Subject Matter Expert maintains, updates and develops as necessary systems for the efficient and accessible retrieval of documents regarding the allocation, notification, transfer and implementation of Democracy Fund, HRDF, transfer funding, and special Congressionally-mandated funds; and tracks the award of grants.

The Program Officer will apply internal control measures to protect organizational integrity and prevent unauthorized use or misappropriation of sensitive and classified material; report instances of security violations/problems to the appropriate supervisory/management official; assume full responsibility for safeguarding all classified and sensitive (but unclassified) material and equipment in assignment area(s).

Preference will be given to applicants who have experience with programs that advance human rights and fundamental freedoms in Europe and Eurasia, and particularly in closed and closing spaces in the region. Candidates with experience setting strategy, providing guidance to team members, and coordinating within and across teams will be considered highly competitive.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• In coordination with the team lead, develop strategies, and work with the Applied Learning and Evaluation team to develop portfolio specific evaluation indicators as needed.
• Work closely with Subject Matter Expert I and II to ensure that program deadlines are being met in a timely and efficient matter.
• Coordinate with the Grants Officer Representative (GOR) in the administration and coordination of programs.
• Work directly with Team Lead and Deputy Directors to oversee program funding for assigned portfolio.
• Develop goals, objectives and programs for utilization of the foreign assistance funding.
• Collect grant documentation for review by decision-making panels who will select grant recipients within available funding levels.
• Liaise with offices involved in administration, financial planning and acquisition of program funding.
• Skillfully communicate verbally and in writing to provide briefings, status reviews, and advice upon request to the other DRL program staff and senior personnel on grant issues.
• Work on designated portfolio in ensure pre-award, award, and ongoing management and monitoring of programs globally.
• Monitoring grantee budget execution and drawdowns to ensure program objectives are met and are in accordance with 2 CFR 200.
• Negotiate program solicitation language with regional bureaus, Post leadership, and within DRL.
• Advise senior Bureau officials on development of goals, objectives and programs for utilization of foreign assistance funding.
• Remain informed on the changing political environment in the designated portfolio as well as global issues impacting the region by regularly meeting with grantees, human rights defenders, researchers, and other funders.
• Communicate DRL's program objectives to other State Department and U.S. Government offices involved in programming Democracy Fund and Human Rights and Democracy Funds (HRDF) and other transfer funding to include, but not be limited to, regional bureaus, Office of Acquisitions Management, Office of the Legal Advisor, Congressional Liaison office, Office of Management and Budget and USAID offices.
• Coordinate with policy colleagues to prepare paper and brief DRL Bureau leadership for meetings on issues related to a specific region or thematic area.
• Prepare budget and programmatic reports that track grant obligation data and program successes for active grants.
• Review and provide analysis of program proposals to decision-making panels who will select grant recipients within available funding levels.
• Prepare responses to auditor inquiries on programs.
• Assist with responding to Congressional requests for information regarding programs and DRL program objectives.
• Attend stakeholder workshops and conferences on topics related to their duties and responsibilities, provide program monitoring and technical assistance to grantees, while supporting the FTE.
• Assist in the coordination of foreign assistance funding throughout the federal assistance life-cycle that include pre-award, award and post-award phases in grants and cooperative agreements.
• Coordinate and assist the DRL/GP Leadership in the administration and coordination of international human rights and democracy foreign assistance programs.

Requirements:

• The candidate must have knowledge of and experience in managing international programming in addition to relevant education and training, ideally with a strong understanding of domestic and foreign NGO administration.
• Understand the legal requirements of different types of foreign assistance funds.
• Strong knowledge of 2 CFR 200.
• Must be able to obtain security clearance.
• Experience working in professional, fast-paced and demanding environments.
• The ability to manage competing priorities with minimal supervision.
• Experience leading teams and ability to handle diverse work styles.

• Preference will be given to those with demonstrated experience in one or more of the following thematics:
  • Internet Freedom
  • International Religious Freedom
  • Labor
  • Gender
  • Marginalized Populations
  • Security and Human Rights
  • Anti-Corruption
  • Monitoring and Evaluations

• Preference will be given to those with demonstrated experience in one or more of the following regions:
  • Africa (AF)
  • South Central Asia (SCA)
  • East Asia Pacific (EAP)
  • Western Hemisphere Affairs (WHA)
  • Near East Asia (NEA)
  • Europe (EUR)

Education:

• Bachelors’ degree with 10-12 years of experience or a master’s degree with 8-10 years of or PhD with 5-7 years of work experience will be reviewed for position.