Entrepreneurship & Economic Development Program Officer

Organization:

Vital Voices Global Partnershi

Location:

United States (Washington, DC)

Website:

www.vitalvoices.org

Phone:

202.861.2625

Description:

Vital Voices Global Partnership, a leading international non-governmental organization committed to advancing women's leadership in the economic, political and human rights sectors, seeks a talented professional for the position of Entrepreneurship & Economic Development Program Officer.

The full-time, paid position is based in Washington, DC and may require up to 50% international travel. Applications are being accepted now and start date is as soon as possible.

Position description:

The Program Officer will support a portfolio of economic empowerment programs in four regions: Africa, Latin America & the Caribbean (LAC), Middle East & North Africa (MENA), and Asia. Vital Voices provides training and leadership development opportunities to high-potential leaders in these regions, in an effort to strengthen the success of women entrepreneurs & professionals. Vital Voices also manages networks of businesswomen's organizations regionally, contributing to a self-sustaining, locally-led infrastructure committed to delivering impactful programs and services for women.

Reporting to directly to the Senior Director of Entrepreneurship & Economic Development, the Program Officer will initially focus on one of Vital Voices' signature programs, the FORTUNE/U.S. State Department Global Women's Mentoring Partnership. In that capacity, s/he will supervise one Program Assistant in the execution of program planning & implementation, including coordination of logistics, arranging participant travel, organizing speakers, and more. The Program Officer will also perform more senior functions, including shaping the program content, giving public remarks, liaising with high-level government officials & corporate executives, and providing close direction & supervision of the program.

More broadly, the Program Officer's scope of work will include overall support and management of the economic development portfolio, including strategic integration & planning, managing teams and budgets, measurement & evaluation coordination, funder/relationship coordination, and the development of marketing & communications materials. In the longer term, the Program Officer will also be part of a small team that creates and implements high-impact enterprise development programs globally, including program design, implementation, evaluation, and improvement. Because this position will also represent Vital Voices at key conferences and meetings on women's economic empowerment, the economic, business, and/or entrepreneurship expertise of the Program Officer will be critical to the success of the position.

Candidates with an economics or business background, particularly in the area of small- and medium-size enterprise development, supply chain integration, supplier diversity, and/or trade, will have an advantage.

Additional job responsibilities may include:

• Managing & executing selected cross-region operational functions of the Businesswomen's Networks, such as communications or stakeholder management.
• Leading selected fundraising efforts for the department, including proposal planning & writing.
• Monitoring global trends & initiatives on women and economic development.
• Managing team finances, including managing budget-to-actuals or forecasting spend.
• Drafting and editing program materials, including website content, funding proposals, program summaries/brochures, and newsletters.
• Managing data collection, performing metrics analysis, and writing key reports.
• Coordinating with other technical units and the management team to ensure that sufficient resources are allocated for effective project management and implementation.
• Monitor team workloads regularly and recommend rebalancing adjustments, as needed.
• Managing and developing junior staff through coaching, supervision, and individual professional development.
• Serve as an expert resource for selected economic issues, such as economic development, supply chain integration, supplier diversity, and/or trade.

Qualification:

• At least 4-5 years of working experience preferred. Minimum 2 years of practical experience working on entrepreneurship and women's economic empowerment.
• Commitment to advancing women's leadership and participation in business and economic life.
• Proven track record of managing multiple staff and multiple projects/programs with minimal supervision, on time and on budget.
• Demonstrated understanding of project management best practices, including planning, budgeting, issue management, stakeholder management, and more.
• Ability to prioritize work, execute exceptionally well, and deliver high-quality results within very tight timelines.
• Self-starter, highly motivated, and proactive.
• Exceptional oral and written communication skills
• Demonstrated maturity to work successfully in high-pressure situations with good humor, grace, and a positive attitude
• Ability to work both independently and within a team
• Overseas professional experience working on issues involving women's economic empowerment, preferably in the Middle East, Africa, Asia and/or Latin America strongly preferred.
• Bachelors Degree from an accredited university, with significant coursework in economics, business management, or a related field.
• Basic computer literacy. Strong Excel or PowerPoint skills a plus.
• Foreign language skills a plus, particularly Portuguese, Hindi, Mandarin, or Spanish.

To apply: Send letter of interest, resume/CV, one writing sample, preferred start date and three references with contact information to Maria Peña, Senior Director of Entrepreneurship & Economic Development at mariapena@vitalvoices.org. Position is open until filled. Use "Economic Development Program Officer" as the subject of your e-mail. Only complete applications will be reviewed. No phone calls please.