Program Officer/Senior Program Officer-Afghanistan Desk (217218-851)

NDI established an office in Afghanistan in March 2002 and has since conducted extensive programs to support political participation and the development of democratic governance institutions. The Institute has helped to prepare candidates, political parties, polling agents, women and domestic monitors to participate in the country’s 2004, 2005, 2009 and 2010 elections. NDI has also implemented programs to strengthen political processes in the National Assembly.

Since 2006, NDI has been conducting programs to assist the country’s provincial councils, strengthening the capacity of local government to address citizen needs and function effectively in the country’s development processes. Through this work, the Institute has and continues to provide comprehensive training on monitoring and evaluation, facilitate site visits to development projects, and help councilors to engage government executives and international institutions on local development processes. This work is implemented through the Institute’s seven regional offices in Afghanistan – in Balkh, Herat, Kandahar, Khost, Kunduz and Nangarhar as well as its primary office in Kabul.

In addition, following the 2010 parliamentary elections, NDI is implementing programs to promote electoral reform, strengthen the role of political parties in parliament, and support women’s participation in the country’s political processes. NDI’s programs are funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the British Foreign Commonwealth Office.

Responsibilities:

• Drafts board memos, briefing memos, reports and other materials with some editing, direction and substance guidance; drafts entire or significant portions of quarterly reports, sections of work plans and larger proposals.
• Develops program concepts for proposals in collaboration with functional teams; develops program objectives that reflect broader institutional strategies and approaches in tandem with more senior staff.
• Manages work plan discussions and processes for work plan drafting and submission.
• Maintains interaction with field offices and monitors and measures program performance, timing and results; addresses strategy, vision and many aspects of fairly complex programs; anticipates programmatic administrative needs and with some guidance, takes appropriate actions.
• Serves as point of contact for field team; maintains contact with NDI partners overseas and briefs specific country political, civic and business leaders, donor organizations and members of the international community about NDI activities; represents NDI at appropriate events.
• Acts as liaison with members of NGO, funding and Washington policymaking communities; formulates funding ideas and pursues funding sources.
• Monitors budgets, grants and expenditures for complex programs with multiple field offices and/or reconciliations; creates proposal budgets with supporting notes for large programs; applies allowable costs according to restrictions, structures and mechanisms; ensures that they stay within budget limits; implements and manages all aspects of subgrants.
• Provides support for local and regional program conferences, workshops and meetings; organizes delegations abroad.
• Recruits and briefs international trainers, volunteers and field representatives.
• Maintains collaborative relationships with international democratic development organizations, civic organizations and NDI's network of volunteer trainers and experts; acts as back-up to team members not present.
• Travels to the region to assist in conducting programs, when required.

Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree, preferably in International Relations or related subject; graduate degree preferred
• A minimum of four (4) years relevant work experience in international development, community organizing, political campaigns, organizational development or legislative affairs for Program Officer, a minimum of six (6) years relevant work experience if Senior Program Officer
• Additional years of relevant work experience may be substituted for educational requirement on a one-for-one basis
• Demonstrated knowledge and/or competency in one or more areas of NDI's functional programs and the assigned region's political environment
• High level of interpersonal skills and cultural sensitivity to effectively interact with all levels of staff, U.S. and foreign government personnel, members of donor organizations, funders and policy makers
• Excellent oral communications communication skills
• Exceptional writing skills to effectively create clear and concise proposals and reports
• Living or working experience within Asia preferred
• Basic managerial skills; good negotiating skills; able to introduce new concepts
• Capacity to work both independently and as a member of a team
• Ability to analyze political work, define problems, collect data, establish facts and draw valid conclusions, and the ability to think innovatively
• Working knowledge of PC-based word processing and spreadsheet applications
• Working knowledge of basic budget and accounting procedures
• Ability and willingness to travel to regional locations

Please apply directly at:

http://hostedjobs.openhire.com/epostings/submit.cfm?fuseaction=app.dspjo...