Global Communities Calls For Job Applications

Global Communities Calls For Job Applications

POSITION: Senior Program Officer 

Global Communities works at the nexus of humanitarian aid, sustainable development, and financial inclusion to save lives, improve equity, and ensure a bright future. In over 35 countries, we help communities at the vanguard of their own development by collaborating with local leaders, governments, civil society, and the corporate sector to realize a common vision of a more fair, prosperous, and equitable world.

The Senior Program Officer’s primary role is to coordinate, manage, and support a portfolio of assigned programs in the Africa region. The Senior Program Officer offers direct support throughout the project life cycle, from start-up and implementation to close-out, and is the principal point of contact for project information, status, performance, donor needs, and communication. Also, The Senior Program Officer’s portfolio often comprises initiatives of large scale and complexity, as well as those with greater strategic or risk profiles in the region.

The Senior Program Officer provides the Senior Regional Manager with country operations assistance, data analysis, and internal reporting to management. The Senior Program Officer also mentors and coaches Program Officers and Program Associates to help them grow in their roles. Moreover, The Senior Program Officer’s country and project portfolio will be decided by regional needs and priorities, and it may change from time to time due to the dynamic character of the regional program portfolio.

Responsibilities

Award Management

• Ensure that assigned projects receive effective award management and first-line donor compliance support throughout the award life cycle. Maintain contractual compliance, donor rules, and internal policies and procedures.
• Serve as the official point of contact for external communication with donors on donor agreements, prior approvals, budgets, amendments, and donor deliverables. Serve as the internal point of contact for budget, contractual, and donor-related communications.
• Coordinate the review, negotiation, and approval of new donor agreements, sub-agreements, and revisions. Coordinate the process of modifying agreements and realigning project budgets, including obtaining donor permissions.
• Coordinate project start-up and close-out procedures in coordination with Project
• Support Teams, field leadership, and other HQ departments.
• Request and obtain donor approval as needed (e.g., prior approvals, deadline extensions, deliverable approvals).
• Monitor donor deadlines, progress, and completion of donor deliverables. Coordinate the planning, evaluation, approval, and submission of donor deliverables.
• Maintain and disseminate current information on donor guidelines, rules, and regulations. Increase the capacity of national and project teams for award administration and donor compliance.
• Ensure that sub-award management follows internal policies and procedures. Track sub-grantee agreements and amendments, budgets, deliverables, approvals, and adjustments in collaboration with field personnel.
• Ensure that accurate project records are established, updated, and maintained in Salesforce, the internal award management system for donor awards and sub-awards.

Financial Management

• Help to create correct fiscal year and project lifecycle budgets. Coordinate and support the preparation, review, internal approval, and submission of yearly budgets and monthly projections.
• Analyze project budgets and offer solutions that assure full indirect cost recovery while adhering to donor restrictions and organizational policies and procedures.
• Ensure that project budgets are submitted, updated, and maintained using Oracle NetSuite, the internal budget management system. Coordinate the process for assigning cost centers to projects.
• Coordinate and support the review and approval of monthly cash requests in collaboration with country leadership and finance.
• Monitor program spending in relation to authorized workplans, donor budgets and commitments, predictions, and cost-sharing requirements. Analyze burn rates and other financial patterns; identify mitigation measures as needed; and communicate issues to the Senior Manager for further action. Create and create reports for the Senior Manager and Senior Director as required.
• Monitor cost sharing performance against contractual commitments and provide advice on cost share requirements and paperwork as appropriate.
• Facilitate approval requests for organizational resources to meet country operating needs, reduce risk, and/or assure business continuity in the assigned nations. Compare budget and actuals to approved allocations of non-project resources in designated countries.

Program Management and Support

• Organize, facilitate, coordinate, and assure the best possible implementation of Project assistance Teams, the principal vehicle for cross-functional project assistance, for assigned projects. In project-related matters, serve as the “hub” and primary point of contact for COPs/Project Directors and Country Directors.
• Collaborate with the Senior Director of Project Management and Operations to develop and train project management standards, operating procedures, and tools for headquarters and field teams.
• Organize, coordinate, and facilitate periodic meetings throughout the project life cycle, with an emphasis on project planning, progress, performance, quality, compliance, and outcomes.
• Provide updates on technical assistance plans to team members, as well as country and project leadership.
• Identify, track, and coordinate efforts to resolve project difficulties, challenges, or bottlenecks; escalate project issues to the Senior Regional Manager and Senior Director for additional consideration and decision-making.
• Identify potential methods, trends, and learning opportunities, and generate insights into program efficacy. Support initiatives to capture best practices, program accomplishments, and evidence/learning about program effectiveness and impact.
• Maintain correct and current project information; monitor and report project status, health, and concerns. Provide project updates and analysis to HQ top management.
• Coordinate internal processes to update or adjust project design, workplans, budgets, indicators, and/or targets as necessary. Obtain donor approval for program or budget revisions as needed.
• Stay updated on donor guidelines, convey it to key internal stakeholders, and manage project revisions as necessary.
• As needed and appropriate, encourage the use of virtual tools such as Microsoft Teams to improve field-HQ and intra-HQ communication and coordination, as well as to help organize project-related documentation, meeting minutes, and collaborative work.

Country Operation Support

• Under the leadership of the Senior Regional Manager, assist regional country offices in ensuring effective and compliance national operations, resource management, and risk reduction.
• Manage and coordinate the opening and closing of country offices in accordance with organizational policies and processes; and, under the supervision of the Senior Director and Senior Manager, assist with country registration and compliance with local statutory requirements.
• Help country offices follow organizational policies and processes in Finance, Global Operations, People & Culture, Grants and Contracts, Legal, and Safety and Security.
• Support the Senior Manager in implementing an operational risk management system across the region’s countries. Help the Manager and Country Directors identify and elevate emerging risks, challenges, and red flags in order to rapidly expedite resolution and/or decision making.
• Collaborate with country leadership, the Senior Manager, and other HQ functions to identify, monitor, and manage financial, legal, staffing, procurement, and operational risks in the region. Identify and elevate emerging risks, challenges, and red flags to help with resolution and/or decision-making.

Business Development

• Coordinate the process of assigning cost centers to proposal team budgets.
• Lead or organize the preparation of project continuation applications and/or cost changes in collaboration with country and project leaders, Strategic Growth & Partnership, Technical Leadership, and MERL-KM.
• Collaborate with the pricing team as needed to establish proposal budgets and cost applications, including reviewing and providing input on proposal budgets for cost accuracy and appropriateness, operational feasibility, and local operational requirements.
• Participate in resource mobilization efforts as needed and appropriate, such as opportunity assessments, field assessments, and project design meetings.
• Contribute to proposal development as needed and appropriate, such as conducting background/situational assessments, competitor analyses, developing management and staffing plans, organizational capability statements, and/or other components.
• Assist the Regional Program Management Team in staying up to date on significant events and developing trends in regional international development, as well as business intelligence on potential prospects.

Learning & Knowledge Management

• In collaboration with the Senior Director of Project Management and Operations, assist in the establishment of program management systems, policies, and procedures, as well as training and capacity building for field and headquarters counterparts. Continuously enhance program management procedures using feedback, best practices, and lessons gained.
• Ensure that project files and document libraries are created, updated, and maintained using the internal content/knowledge management system (SharePoint).
• Collaborate with field teams, Technical Directors, Strategic Information, Innovation and Learning, and Communications to create knowledge products that enhance thought leadership and branding objectives.
• As needed, assist with internal and external communications in respect to given initiatives.
• Represents Global Communities at meetings, conferences, and workshops as needed.

Other

• Train, mentor, and improve the capabilities of Program Officers and Associates. Lead the training and onboarding process.
• Cover the Regional Program Management Team (Officers, Associates, and Manager) and field leadership tasks as needed during periods of vacancy or leave.
• Promote a culture of excellence, inclusiveness, learning, support, diversity, and innovation; and embody Global Communities’ culture and values of dignity, integrity, humility, connection, and creativity throughout nations and at headquarters.
• As directed by the Senior Director or Senior Regional Manager, assist with additional projects or organizational initiatives as needed.
• As needed, offer administrative, logistical, data and knowledge management, procurement, communications, and other emergency assistance to the regional program management team or program and award management, financial management, and business development.
• As needed, assist with administrative processes for country office assistance, such as country registration, which includes organizing the production and submission of legal paperwork and communicating with various embassies, consulates, and notaries public.
• Other duties as assigned.

POSITION-SPECIAL RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Travel internationally and domestically for up to 25% of the time.
• Create a culture that values excellence, inclusivity, learning, support, diversity, and innovation.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Increasing understanding of the international development area, encompassing governmental and commercial sector actors, and donor trends at both global and regional levels.
• High level of expertise in USG rules and regulations and their application, particularly in the administration of cooperative agreements. Experience with USG contracts is very desirable.
• Financial management skills have been demonstrated, including budgeting, financial analysis, cost sharing management, and indirect cost recovery.
• Strong working understanding of finance, administration, procurement, logistics, human resources, legal, and security responsibilities.
• Proven ability to create financial, programmatic, and contractual trend evaluations.
• Excellent analytic skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication abilities. Proven ability to create and revise effective work plans, donor reports, and other program management materials.
• Demonstrated ability to interact successfully with others.
• Fluency in English (both written and spoken) is necessary, with skill in French highly preferable.
• Advanced computer skills in a Windows-based environment, including Microsoft Suite.
• Experienced with vast volumes of data and Excel spreadsheets. Demonstrated ability to use technology solutions to assist efficient program management and operations.
• Capable of working in a varied, multicultural team environment across geographies, with matrix linkages with other functions and departments.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication abilities.
• Strong sense of team, upbeat attitude, and dedication to operational excellence.
• Excellent problem-solving skills.
• Excellent facilitation and coordination skills.
• Passion for the mission and values of Global Communities.

Qualifications

• Undergraduate degree and four or eight years of related professional experience.
• Demonstrated increasing levels of responsibility in a program management, grants management, or operations function for an international NGO.
• Professional experience from an international assignment is greatly preferred, with a focus on the region.
• Passion for the mission and values of Global Communities.

Application Instructions:

To be considered for this position, please apply (with your CV and cover letter) before March 31, 2024. Applications received after this date may be considered on a rolling basis until the position is filled.

How to Apply for this Global Communities Job

Click Here to Apply Online

Closing Date: March 31, 2024

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