Program Officer/Senior Program Officer

The Program Officer/Senior Program Officer will lead implementation of a new initiative to support African civil society organizations to more frequently and effectively use the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) as a tool to advance rights norms. This includes overseeing day-to-day program implementation and administration; leading and supporting the development of relevant tools, resources, and project deliverables; facilitating efficient and compliant financial management; supporting consultants, and partners on administrative issues; and contributing to monitoring, evaluation, and learning. This position is based in Washington, D.C. and reports to the Africa Senior Program Manager. This position is contingent upon funding. PRINCIPAL DUTIES, RESPONSIBILITIES, AND EXPECTATIONS: Award implementation: Oversee all aspects of program implementation, including work plan development; identifying and managing consultants and sub-grantees; organizing workshops, meetings, and events; drafting and finalizing program reports; and participating in communications with donor counterparts. Manage monitoring, evaluation, and learning processes, connecting field data collection and analysis with HQ systems and learning objectives. Oversee program finances, including budget tracking and forecasting to ensure compliant and efficient spending. Maintain regular communications and strong working relationships with civil society partners and Freedom House offices based in Africa. Networking and relationship management: Develop effective professional relationships with a range of external actors, including peer organizations, donors, partners, and grantees. Represent Freedom House to external audiences at meetings and events. Tracking regional developments: Monitor key developments related to democratic governance, human rights, and trade, including political developments, elections, status of relevant legislation, and adherence to human rights norms. From time to time, contribute to Freedom House research, analysis, and advocacy efforts, including drafting blogs or other analytical pieces. Personnel management: Oversee day-to-day work of a Program Associate/Senior Program Associate in order to effectively share and execute administrative, backstopping, and financial management responsibilities. Proposal development: Support proposal development processes, including contributing to theory of change and logic model development, drafting elements of proposals, and creating budgets. JOB QUALIFICATIONS: Education

Bachelor’s degree in political science, international relations, international development, or related field; Master's degree preferred

Experience:

Three to five years of related work experience (four to six years for Senior Program Officer); at least one year of cumulative experience overseas is preferred
Knowledge of and commitment to the cause of advancing human rights and democracy
Understanding of political, social, and rights dynamics across Africa preferred
Understanding of economic trends and US-Africa trade dynamics preferred
Deep understanding of USG funding processes, budget forms, rules, and regulations; at least two years’ experience working on USG-funded programs, including creating and managing USG budgets and implementing monitoring and evaluation plans strongly preferred
Experience developing and drafting USG funding proposals preferred
Experience delivering trainings on issues related to human rights preferred
Experience supervising junior staff preferred

Skills and Competencies:

Ability to work independently to execute a project from beginning to end and deliver results on time and on budget
Knowledge of international human rights principles and mechanisms, and understanding of international democracy promotion
Proven ability to multitask and manage time effectively to meet competing deadlines and manage priorities
Strong ability to develop, analyze, and manage USG program budgets
Astute political judgment and strategic thinking; excellent judgment in problem solving and decision making
Ability to conduct research and apply strong analytical skills
Mastery of MS Office Suite
Excellent interpersonal skills, ability to persuade and facilitate cooperation between individuals with divergent views and to collaborate with others and successfully work as an effective team member
Ability to maintain the highest degree of confidentiality regarding all aspects of work
Ability to represent Freedom House professionally in conduct and personal appearance
Excellent attention to detail and ability to consistently produce timely and error-free work under tight deadlines
Excellent timekeeping and time management, and ability to work flexible schedule and be available outside of normal business hours for emergency work purposes
Ability to adhere to and work within strict guidelines and procedures
Ability to effectively work remotely and maintain productively with minimal oversight