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Country Program Officer - Rosslyn, VA


Location: Rosslyn, VA
Posting Date: 04/15/2013
Deadline Date: 04/30/2013
Starting Date: 05/20/2013
Description:
The USAID | DELIVER PROJECT is a worldwide program managed by John Snow, Inc. and funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The project strengthens the supply chains of health and family planning programs in developing countries to ensure the availability of critical health products to customers. The Program Officer (PO) backstops country operational and technical development activities managed from the Washington DC office.
The Program Officer provides day-to-day operations, ongoing communication, and routine monitoring of a portfolio of countries and DC-based initiatives that respond to technical issues implemented in the field. They are an integral member of a three-person team (regional manager and finance and administration manager (FAM)) that provides support to and management of field offices that implement the donor's program. He/she works under the supervision of a regional program manager.

Proficiency in French is required for one position. Arabic and Spanish language skills are desirable for the second.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Country team operational management:
  • Manages routine communications between the home office and the field office including coordination of routine home office country team meetings 
  • Facilitates communications between country teams, field offices and other project teams (supply operations, task orders, technical).
  • In collaboration with the RM, coordinates and provides input to workplan development and monitoring.
  • Facilitates and participates in the development of, and/or the timely completion/review of, country program and technical reports
  • Assists RM with dissemination of information on country innovations, program results and lessons learned, and provides information for the project website and other management information systems. 
  • Attends country-related and task team technical meetings, seminars, and debriefings, acting as team's representative when appropriate, and reporting key information to team members
  • Supports country team in facilitating collaborative relationships with partner organizations, donors and clients. 
  • Assist FAM with financial and administrative management for country and team activities; provides technical input to developing sound and up-to-date financial projections that reflect workplan activities
  • Assists with administration and logistical arrangements for training and conferences
  • Represents the regional manager in his/her absence.
  • Participates in short term technical assistance missions as needed
  • Maintains project technical files 
  • Arranges shipping of supplies and equipment and routine mailings.

Supports short-term technical assistance (STTA) through:
  • Serving as primary contact for STTA activities for field offices.
  • Coordinating development, technical review, and approval of scopes of work for STTA activities. 
  • Submission of STTA requests to STTA manager for discussion at Resource Allocation meetings. Represents country team at the Resource Allocation meetings as needed.
  • Facilitating processes for international consultants; including development of the consultant contract, communicates SOW, travel arrangements, deliverable sign-off, and submission of a completed expense report.
  • Manages subcontractor work order process for country program initiatives.

Support country field offices:
  • Collaborates with the field office finance manager and the FAM, the administrative details for establishing or closing a field office.
  • Facilitates international travel arrangements for project counterparts including: visa processing, travel advances and travel insurance for DELIVER-sponsored travel, if necessary.
  • Serves as the interface with project Contracts unit and the field office on technical procurements when assigned; assist with development of field-based subcontracts; monitoring completion of subcontract deliverables; facilitating actions for other USAID approvals (e.g. waivers).
  • Serves as point of contact for time-sensitive issues.

QUALIFICATIONS

Masters degree or equivalent work experience in the field of international family planning, health, or development desired.
Developing country experience desirable.
Interest in health, population, and/or development issues.
Excellent written and verbal English language skills.
Proficiency in French, Arabic and other foreign language verbal and written skills is desirable.
Ability to work comfortably in the MS Office package.
Ability to work independently and manage various projects in a team setting, with minimal supervision.
Strong organizational and communication skills.
Experience with USAID a plus.
Authorization to work in the US required.

Salary commensurate with experience.

Interested candidates should submit their resumes and cover letters online by 04/30/2013.

http://www.jsi.com/JSIInternet/Work/jobdescription.cfm?id=59685&intern=0