Senior Program Officer- Middle East & North Africa

About the Opportunity

Under the supervision of the MENA Regional Director, the MENA Senior Program Officer provides strategic support and oversight on a variety of department objectives, including project management, donor reporting, donor relations, proposal development and communications. The Senior Program Officer is responsible for high-level support for a variety of projects within the MENA program unit and will work closely with the Regional Director for MENA as needed. Regular trips to MENA will be required. In addition, the Senior Program Officer supports other programs within the Program Unit.

Our Commitment to Fostering a Culture of Belonging

We are an organization of dynamic, mission-driven individuals who are passionate about our core values and about supporting positive change in the world. We pride ourselves on our commitment to innovation and flexibility. We believe that diverse teams are strong teams and work to support an ethic of belonging, dignity, and justice for all people. Our current team includes a mix of genders, parents, and non-parents, and people of multiple races, nationalities, ages, sexual orientations and socio-economic backgrounds. We are EEO employer and encourage candidates of all races, genders, ages, orientations, ethnicities, and national origins to apply, and welcome those with alternative backgrounds and experiences.

Logistics

This position reports to the Regional Director- Middle East & North Africa programs, who is based in Berlin, Germany. It is designed to be remote-first, although candidates seeking an office-based position should feel free to express that desire. This is a full time, Monday-Friday position. Although there is some flexibility regarding work schedule, applicants should assume the need to be online and available within the range of 7am- 6pm GMT.

Your Day-to-Day Responsibilities Under this Position may Include:

• Supports the development and implementation of annual workplans in close cooperation with the Country and Project Directors and Regional Director for MENA;
• Coordinates with other departments within Internews to ensure effective support for MENA programs;
• Directly manages at least one of Internews’ projects in Program Management Unit, providing mentoring and backstopping to field offices and new project directors;
• Works with the Regional Director on project oversight and progress towards program deliverables;
• Closely collaborates with MENA Business Officer to ensure sound financial practices and budget compliance;
• Liaises with Internews administration and control staff in the US on all contracts, subgrants, procurement and payments;
• Review grants/contracts packages for compliance and accuracy prior to submission and ensure deliverables are in-line with program plans and are cost-effective;
• Provides reporting on all aspects of grants management to donors as required;
• Writes reports and proposals for donors to be reviewed by Regional Director;
• Review monthly program updates and internal briefs on MENA programming;
• Maintain project activity tracking schedules for project development, field reports, and follow-up communications with funders;
• Conduct research as assigned and in support of ongoing projects and new initiatives;
• Support local partners in the MENA Programs with proposal development, fundraising, and organizational development in coordination with Internews International;
• Main point of contact for all local partner’s programmatic inquiries;
• Represents Internews at conferences and events as needed, with funders and with policy experts;
• Manage program activities as needed, in collaboration with the Project Managers;
• Training and mentoring of new Project Directors, IUS MENA staff and local staff;
• Supporting the Regional Director with recruitment for the MENA team;
• Directly supervise DC-based MENA temps and staff;
• Lead field offices opening; registration, leases, contracts, and hiring;
• Understanding of and demonstrated commitment to upholding Internews’ Core Values;
• Represent Internews at conferences and events, with funders and with policy experts;
• Understanding of and demonstrated commitment to upholding Internews’ Core Values.
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications We’re Looking For

• Minimum 5 to 7 years programmatic experience in relevant non-profit
• Relevant university degree required
• Extensive grant proposal writing experience, and proven text-editing proficiency
• Arabic Language proficiency a significant asset; other regional language skills helpful
• Experience in developing or supporting programs
• Experience with legal/regulatory issues and/or policy advocacy a significant asset
• Experience with the MENA Region
• Previous work experience with USAID and other USG programs and projects
• Demonstrated interpersonal skills including diplomacy, tact, and the ability to negotiate
• Excellent communication skills: speaking, writing, and listening
• Proven ability to set priorities and manage time effectively
• Proven analytical and problem-solving ability
• Proven ability to work both independently and as an effective team member
• Proven ability to prioritize and handle multiple on-going assignments
• Proficient in MS Office