Senior Program Officer

Job Posting Organization:
FHI 360 is a nonprofit organization dedicated to human development, committed to sustainably improving living conditions by providing integrated and contextually appropriate solutions. Established with a mission to address interdependent development challenges, FHI 360 employs experts across various fields including health, education, nutrition, environment, economic development, youth, research, technology, communication, and social marketing. The organization operates in all U.S. states and territories as well as several countries worldwide, including the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), focusing on health initiatives. In the DRC, FHI 360 implements the STRIDES project (Strengthening Infectious Disease Detection Systems), aimed at enhancing the country's capacity to prevent, detect, monitor, and swiftly combat infectious disease threats as part of global health security" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">security efforts funded by the U.S. Department of State (DOS). The STRIDES project specifically includes strengthening detection, diagnosis, and surveillance capabilities for the Ebola virus, along with operational aspects of epidemic response.

Job Overview:
The Senior Program Officer assigned to the Ebola epidemic response is responsible for the direct implementation and achievement of project goals. This role ensures that the project is executed within the established budget, scope, and timeline. The officer will develop and review work plans, prepare presentations, and contribute to achieving other project-related objectives and deliverables. The position requires coordination with project resources, planning deliverables, and facilitating meetings while ensuring compliance with donor requirements and organizational policies and procedures. The officer will conduct initial reviews of program reports and work plans, providing feedback as necessary, and will oversee the reporting process to ensure adherence to client requirements. Additionally, the officer will represent the project in meetings with clients and donors and participate in external events, serving as the primary contact for subcontractors and partners, and fostering communication between assigned projects and other internal and external stakeholders.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The duties and responsibilities of the Senior Program Officer include:

• Program Management: Support the leadership team by coordinating project resources (staff), planning deliverables, and facilitating meetings. Ensure compliance with donor requirements and organizational policies. Conduct initial reviews of program reports and work plans, providing constructive feedback. Oversee the reporting process to ensure compliance with client requirements and may consolidate reports for project tracking. Represent the project in meetings with clients/donors and participate in external events. Serve as the primary contact for subcontractors/partners and facilitate communication between projects and stakeholders. Monitor deliverables from sub-grantees/partners and intervene as necessary. Track project risks and inform senior management of any issues encountered.
• Program Administration: Support project knowledge management initiatives by documenting approaches and achievements. Provide context and framework for project reporting. Ensure appropriate use of the document management site by the project team. Provide operational support, such as drafting job descriptions, participating in recruitment committees, and acting as the recruitment lead when necessary. Facilitate the onboarding of new employees by training them on departmental procedures and administrative processes. Liaise with headquarters on issues related to data integrity associated with HR systems, financial systems, and other administrative matters delegated by project leads.
• Proposal Development Support: Contribute to identifying funding opportunities and participate in business development and diversification efforts. Lead aspects of project development and design efforts, such as proposal writing and developing/revising proposal descriptions and budgets. Participate in identifying and selecting partners, drafting team agreements, and leading aspects of proposal design. Support the management and tracking of subcontracts.
• Financial Support: Provide support to projects during launch, work planning, budget development, project reporting, and general problem resolution. Ensure ongoing programmatic and financial tracking of assigned projects, including monitoring expenditure rates, subcontracts, deliverables, and reports. Contribute to the project budgeting process, read and interpret budgets for tracking purposes, and verify or approve expense reports and invoices.

Required Qualifications:
The required qualifications for the Senior Program Officer position include:

• In-depth knowledge of project management concepts and practices.
• Specialized knowledge in a functional area may be required or acquired.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Proven project management skills.
• Ability to influence and collaborate with others.
• Ability to analyze and interpret data, identify errors, and write reports.

Educational Background:
The educational background required for this position includes a Bachelor’s degree or equivalent international qualification in civil society, communication and social marketing, economic development, education, environment, gender equality, health, nutrition, research, technology, youth, or a related field. A certification in project management (PM) is considered an asset.

Experience:
Candidates should have at least 7 to 9 years of relevant experience in project management principles and practices. Previous work experience within a non-governmental organization (NGO), public administration, or private sector is preferred.

Languages:
The mandatory language for this position is French, given the location in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Proficiency in English is also desirable, as it may facilitate communication with international stakeholders and partners.

Additional Notes:
This position may require travel of 10% to 25% of the time. The expected hiring salary range for this role is USD 38,000 - 55,000 annually for gross salary (basic and allowances) for national local hires. When determining an offer amount, FHI 360 considers multiple factors, including relevant years of experience and education, internal equity, market pay, and budget constraints. For internal candidates, salary placement will follow FHI 360’s current promotional increase guidelines. This job posting summarizes the main duties of the job and does not prescribe or restrict the exact tasks that may be assigned. FHI 360 is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to safeguarding against abuse, exploitation, and harassment in its work environments and programs. All offers of employment will be subject to appropriate screening checks, including reference, criminal record, and terrorism finance checks.