Senior Program Development Officer 150 views

Senior Program Development Officer

Background

Palladium is a
global leader in the design, development, and delivery of Positive Impact – the
intentional creation of enduring social and economic value. We work with
foundations, investors, governments, corporations, communities and civil
society to formulate strategies and implement solutions that generate lasting
social, environmental, and financial benefits.

Palladium is a
child-safe organization, and screens applicants for suitability to work with
children. We also provide equal employment to all participants and employees
without regard to race, color, religion, gender, age, disability, sexual
orientation, veteran, or marital status.

Project Description 

The United States Agency for International
Development plans to establish and manage a three-year flexible, quick-response
mechanism to support activities that will strengthen democracy and national
stability in Bolivia. In close coordination with the U.S. Embassy and USAID
colleagues in Bolivia, international donors, and others engaged in the reform
process, it is anticipated that  the
program will support the Government of Bolivia’s ability to articulate and
implement its transition priorities, facilitate community engagement, and
governance programming to restore order in Bolivia following contested November
2019 elections, resignation of former President Evo Morales, and new elections
between 03 May and November 2020 under the interim  Administration. A more nuanced program
objective may be articulated once the program is established and operational.

Position Summary

The Senior Program
Development Officer (SPDO) plays a key role in supporting the implementation
and oversight of small grant and activity programming, as well as aspects of
financial, procurement, and budgeting management; subcontractor management; and
Task Order start-up and close-out. The SPDO will coordinate with project staff
responsible for all aspects of activity implementation while staying apprised
of the evolution of the local political, legal, and economic situation and on
how to continuously adapt the program.

Duties and Responsibilities

The SPDO will be responsible for:

• Programmatic aspects of the program. S/he or his or her designee will supervise the activity development staff and other MEL, procurement, finance, and senior management staff involved in activity development, implementation, monitoring, evaluation, and reporting.
• Ensuring appropriate implementation of program strategy.
• In cooperation with the Chief of Party (COP), Operations Manager, and other relevant staff, ensuring that procedures are established and complied with for activity development, activity worthiness testing, activity implementation, management, monitoring, evaluation, and closing.
• The SPDO will ensure that program implementation is in accordance with USAID and Palladium regulations and procedures and the specifications determined in the Task Order Statement of Work. This will include monitoring grantee worthiness, ensuring that all procurement processes are perceived as transparent by beneficiary communities, ensuring fair and transparent processes, review of financial management, and monitoring activity implementation.
• Understanding and analyzing national, regional, and local politics, and guiding program staff in creatively designing grants that relate to the current political environment.
• Working with the COP, Operations Manager, the Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Specialist, and regional offices to improve implementation processes throughout the program.
• Serving as the COP and USAID’s primary point of contact for current information about the status of activity implementation.
• In collaboration with other relevant staff, identifying program opportunities and potential local partners.
• Ensuring that relevant staff use, maintain, and upload weekly to USAID’s database and that data is consistent and complete.
• Working with the COP, Operations Manager, and other relevant parties to support security of persons, information, and goods directly related to implementation of individual activities.
• Under the guidance of USAID and the COP, contribute to the design and implementation of the monitoring, evaluation, and learning system at the activity level and for ensuring that all activities are monitored and evaluated.

Required Skills and Qualifications

• A minimum of six (6) years of relevant work experience and a bachelor’s degree or ten (10) years of relevant work experience without a bachelor’s degree. Relevant experience entails working in complex, high-speed, and/or challenging field operations in developing countries.
• A minimum of one (1) year of supervisory experience.
• Experience with activity design, as well as development and management of projects, involving activities at either the community level or national level.
• Experience with grants management.
• Financial management experience, including budgeting, financial management (tracking, reporting and accounting, and procurement).
• Fluency in written and oral English.
  

Highly Desired Qualifications

• Experience with a donor, contractor, or international NGO managing an office or program.
• Experience supervising culturally and geographically diverse staff.
• Experience with in-kind and/or small grants.
• Experience working in complex political transition and/or conflict environments.
• Demonstrated experience and knowledge in establishing systems and overseeing program start-up under limited time constraints.
• Experience with remote management in security-challenged environments.