Country: United States of America
Closing date: 30 Nov 2018
Program Officer – Western Hemisphere & European Youth Programs
World Learning seeks a Program Officer to play vital role on the Western Hemisphere & European Youth Programs Team in the acquisition, management, design, and implementation of programs for high school students and adult mentors. These two to four week exchanges are based in the United States, or select countries in the Caribbean and South America, and focus on civic education, community service, and youth leadership development with students from across the Americas and Europe. The position entails involvement in grant oversight and management, programming, and on-the-ground participant interaction.
The Program Officer is a professional, full-time position that requires excellent interpersonal and cross-cultural skills, as well as project management skills to facilitate in-person and virtual international exchanges. The Western Hemisphere & European Youth Teams’ current portfolio includes the Youth Ambassadors Program, Jóvenes en Acción, and the Youth Exchange on Social Cohesion. The position reports to the Youth Programs Manager and can be based in Washington D.C. or Brattleboro, Vermont.
Responsibilities
Grants Management
- Day-to-day program management and support in overseeing aspects of the Youth Ambassadors, Jóvenes en Acción and Youth Exchange on Social Cohesion grants, with the possibility of applying skills to other youth programs that need additional support;
- Ensure that Department of State guidelines are followed and deliverables are met;
- Support the design and development of grant proposals, in response to new funding opportunities.
People Management and Supervision
- Supervise a Program Associate, and support the Program Associate in the management of a program intern;
- Assist in managing field staff/in-country consultants;
- Manage World Learning’s partner organizations that implement the host community segments of the exchanges;
- Work collaboratively on a team including Manager, Program Associate, Operations Coordinator, Interns, and Program Facilitators;
- Provide supervision of participants during segments of their U.S. exchange;
- Maintain communication with participants, partners, and staff and act as liaison for questions and problems;
- Manage approximately 5-6 seasonal Program Facilitators during the two to four week exchange implementation;
- Provide student management and ultimate decisions in programs, including responding to health, discipline, and behavioral issues.
Budgeting and Financial
- Support Manager in budget oversight for Western Hemisphere & European Youth exchanges;
- Create and manage SubAward agreements with World Learning partner organizations;
- Support the development of grant proposal budgets;
- Support the financial reconciliation for Western Hemisphere & European Youth exchanges, including overseeing the timely disbursement of award funding and reimbursements.
Program Design and Management
- Manage the design, delivery, and evaluation of leadership curriculum, dialogue curriculum, and cross-cultural communication trainings in Brattleboro, Vermont, Washington, DC, and potential other locations;
- Oversee all aspects of program workshops, including logistical, financial, and programmatic arrangements;
- Prepare and disseminate materials to Department of State, program partners, field staff/in-country consultants; and participants as needed;
- Assist US Embassies and partners, in coordinating the application, interview, and selection process for all youth and adult participants;
- Oversee monitoring and evaluation data collection using surveys and analytics;
- Deliver trainings related to program content to Program Facilitators and facilitate workshops with students, as needed.
Administrative and Logistical Support
- Support in the creation of quarterly and ad hoc reports for funders and program partners;
- Oversee all logistics for the program, including travel and lodging arrangements for participants and program staff;
- Use social networking and online project management tools to monitor projects and to increase overall program visibility to funder and external audiences;
- Maintain comprehensive participants and alumni databases; and
- Support the On-Call Support system during program implementation.
Requirements
- Master’s Degree plus two years of related work experience, or a Bachelor’s Degree with five years of related work experience;
- Understanding of experiential education and youth empowerment pedagogies, with demonstrated examples of incorporating these pedagogies in professional work;
- Experience with international programs, event management, or youth programming;
- Experience with virtual programming and digital communication, and monitoring and evaluation of projects;
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills in the English language, with understanding of social media as a professional tool to enhance visibility;
- Computer proficient, i.e. comfortable with Microsoft Office suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint et al), cloud-based document management and online project management tools;
- Knowledge of USG procurement policies and grant management;
- Knowledge of and experience with proposal development, project design, grant management, and budgeting;
- Team-oriented and collaborative work style, while skilled in managing independent tasks and deadlines;
- Creative problem-solver and adaptable, with strong attention to detail;
- International residence or international travel experience, with demonstrated cross-cultural competencies;
- Second language abilities (preferably Spanish or French);
- Demonstrated ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously, coordinate activities in multiple locations (U.S. and overseas), and to prioritize competing tasks;
- Regional experience in Latin America and the Caribbean; France or the United Kingdom;
- Knowledge of and experience working with Salesforce;
- Willingness to work outside of regular business hours as needed during high travel season.
Why World Learning
Eighty years ago, a group of young Americans sailed to Germany on a cultural exchange program. They returned home with lifelong friendships, a broader understanding of the world, and the ability to empathize with people from other cultures. This was the beginning of The Experiment in International Living. It was also the beginning of World Learning.
The Experiment in International Living is still a vibrant part of World Learning today. But as global needs have grown, World Learning has grown too. Today World Learning operates the SIT graduate school, study abroad programs, and leads international development and civic activism programs throughout the world.
In 60 countries with an annual budget of over $100 million, World Learning empowers people and strengthens institutions that help people learn, grow, and thrive.
Today, more than ever, the world needs fully engaged global citizens who recognize what it means to build bridges of tolerance, respect, and understanding and have the knowledge, skills, and international experience to assume leadership positions in the world. At this moment of unprecedented, acute, international need and opportunity, World Learning is responding by re-investing in its programs, deepening their impact, and implementing a global vision for the future.
World Learning is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer, committed to increasing the diversity of its workforce.
How to apply:
Interested applicants should apply through World Learning's website, on this link.