Country: Colombia
Closing date: 15 Jul 2018
Program Development Officer, Colombia Transforma, USAID/OTI,
Puerto Asis, Putumayo, Colombia
Company Profile: MSI, a Tetra Tech Company, is a Washington, DC metro area international development firm with a 35-year history of delivering development results across the world. Our core expertise is in the fields of monitoring and evaluation (M&E), institutional development, public sector management, governance and anti-corruption. MSI has implemented projects in 90 countries around the world such as Jordan, Kenya, Indonesia, Syria, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Ukraine, Colombia and Mexico. As one of the leading companies in our field, MSI has partnered with organizations across all sectors of international development to support clients ranging from large bilateral and multilateral donors such as USAID, the World Bank and the UNDP to national and local governments, NGOs, think tanks, foundations and universities. For more information on MSI, please visit our website at www.msiworldwide.com.
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Project Summary: **Colombia Transforma is a program financed by USAID/OTI. Transforma provides support strategically aimed at achieving sustainable peace in Colombia. The initial goal will be to strengthen the institutional capacity of the Colombian government to implement rapid response during the first 36 months after the signing of the peace accords.
**Please note: Only Colombian citizens are eligible for this position.
Position Summary: This position is primarily responsible for activity identification and development and for field-level activities. The program development officer (PDO) will travel and/or live within their assigned geographic areas of intervention to make and maintain relationships with key partners, local officials, and community leaders. S/he designs activities and grants, coordinates with program leadership, and works closely with grantees/partners. The PDO is also responsible for coordinating political and security situation updates from their assigned region and conveying that information to SMT. S/he provides M&E support on an ongoing basis for activities during activity implementation. This position will be based in Puerto Asis, Putumayo.
Responsibilities:
Guiding Program Strategy
- Work with the COP, DCOP, senior technical advisor and OTI country representative and deputy country representative to formulate program strategy and identify geographical areas and population groups most vulnerable to adverse political pressures for program development.
- Undertake travel to remote and often high-risk areas to reach the most strategically targeted communities for information gathering and assessments when needed.
Develop Activity Ideas
- Lead in the identification of communities and community groups within the area of responsibility where program objectives can be met, and draft activity ideas.
- After activities have undergone initial review and are considered viable, write up grants in the activity database.
- In collaboration with the monitoring & evaluation officer, set indicators and a monitoring plan for each project.
- Prepare grant packages for review by the COP and DCOP.
Liaise with Grantees and Counterparts
- Collaborate in preparing for and conducting regular project development and implementation meetings with United States Agency for International Development (USAID) The Office of Transition Initiatives (OTI).
- Maintain working relationships and liaise with project counterparts as well as international organizations, UN Agencies and local and national authorities as appropriate.
Track Activity Progress
- Collaborate in the response to ad hoc requests for information as well as frequent reporting to USAID.
- Support grants specialist with the review of final deliverables prior to submitting to COP for activity close out.
- Support M&E officer with data collection, as needed, and with contributions to the final evaluation reports.
- Assist the communications and reporting specialist in preparing success stories/anecdotes on individual projects and other public information material, including photographs for both internal and external purposes.
- Supervise the field officer working to support grants.
- Use the project's activity database for activity management, including entering activity notes from site visits and other updates on activity implementation.
- Provide capacity building and/or training to supervisees as necessary.
- Perform other duties as assigned by the COP and/or operations manager.
Qualifications:
The successful candidate will be able to drive quick results and gradually work without direct supervision. He/she will exhibit organizational skills, attention to detail, personal commitment, creativity, efficiency, flexibility and problem-solving skills. Further desired qualifications are as follows:
- University degree in social sciences and/or community development or, alternatively, combination of related education and professional experience.
- A minimum of three (3) years of experience working in project development and implementation, preferably related to community development and/or conflict, post-conflict and peace-building issues.
- Experience working with political transition programs preferred.
- Demonstrated field experience in conflict-affected areas.
- Experience working in such roles with USAID projects, specifically the Office of Transition Initiatives, is highly desirable.
- Knowledge of program planning and implementation.
- Advance knowledge of all Microsoft Office programs (Word, Access, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and FrontPage).
- Determination, commitment, efficiency and adaptability.
- Excellent communication and negotiation skills.
- Understanding of complex socio-political environments, especially of post-conflict situations.
- Ability to work under difficult conditions while maintaining security awareness.
- Ability to work effectively and harmoniously under pressure in a stressful environment and with colleagues from different cultural and professional backgrounds.
- Willingness to travel in high risk areas is essential.
- Spoken and written English fluency is desirable.
Only candidates who have been selected for an interview will be contacted. No phone calls, please.
MSI is an EEO/AA/ADA Veterans Employer.
PI102953456
How to apply: