Program Officer At Concern Worldwide

Concern Worldwide is an international humanitarian organization committed to the relief, assistance and advancement of the poorest people in the least developed countries of the world. Founded in Ireland in 1968, Concern Worldwide has nearly 4,000 personnel working in 23 countries across the globe. Concern believes in a world where no one lives in fear; where all have access to a decent standard of living and the opportunities essential to a long, healthy and creative life. Our mission is to help people living in absolute poverty achieve major improvements in their lives, improvements that are sustainable without ongoing support from Concern.

Concern envisions a world where no one lives in poverty, fear, or oppression where everyone can exercise their rights to a decent standard of living with equal access to opportunities. We believe in creating a culture of inclusion where everyone feels empowered to bring their full, authentic selves to the workplace. Building a diverse and inclusive team is an absolute necessity to deliver the solutions needed to achieve our core mission, because without promoting justice and equality, we cannot eliminate extreme poverty.

Concern Worldwide US (CUS) is an independent affiliate of Concern Worldwide, with offices in New York, Chicago and Los Angeles. CUS advances the Concern Worldwide mission through mobilizing financial and human resources, as well as influencing and activating networks in the US to elevate programs globally.

The Role

Based in New York (although currently remote working is being implemented), the Program Officer is an integral member of the Programs team and provides grant management to Concern’s growing grant portfolio, including programs funded by USAID, BHA and PRM, as well as by US foundations, corporations, and major donors. This position will be responsible for a dedicated portfolio of grants and cooperative agreements, which they will support through a high level of grant management, compliance, administration, monitoring and general program support.

The successful candidate will be extremely detail oriented and will have robust collaboration and problem-solving skills. The candidate will ensure that procedures, reporting obligations, and general compliance issues are fully met to the highest possible standard.

Responsibilities

Contracts and Grant Management

• Work with Concern Worldwide HQ in Dublin and Concern country teams to ensure that all reporting obligations and general compliance issues are fully met to the highest possible standard.

• Assist Concern Worldwide’s Business Development Team and Major Donors Teams to provide reports, content, and information about Concern’s programming as needed.

• Collaborate with Concern’s Finance & Programs staff to ensure an accurate, timely, efficient, and transparent process for the entire grant life cycle. This entails tracking expenditures, payments, reviewing or producing relevant reports, sub-grant management tracking processes, monitoring, and closeout.

• Coordinate with country teams on all modifications during the life of the award, including cost modifications and no-cost extensions.

• Administration of gifts and grants from Major Donors and Foundations, ensuring that country offices honor donor preferences and project timeframes and coordinating, reviewing and sharing reports, case studies, and country updates with the Major Donors & Foundations Team.

• Liaise with country offices regarding grant administration and organizational policies.

• Assist the finance staff in completing compliance and performance audits at headquarters and country program level.

• Facilitate cross-team support across the grant management unit to ensure ample coverage when team members are away.

Country Program Based Monitoring and Support

· Undertake monitoring visits to Concern US funded programs to ensure compliance with reporting and financial guidelines as well as assessing program scope and impact.

· Providing capacity building trainings, both in person and online, to Concern US funded countries, ensuring relevant staff are aware of and equipped to respond to all required responsibilities and USG regulations.

Information Management and Donor Relations

• Maintain a deep understanding of the operational contexts of Concern’s country programs, particularly those within dedicated grant portfolio.

• Ensure descriptions of Concern’s country activities are updated for submission to various internal and external publications.

• Support when needed to significant policy developments and collaborate on donor briefings, key advocacy events, updates, and overseas trips as appropriate.

• Keep abreast of changes to donor rules and regulations, update guidance materials as needed and become a key source of information for country team staff on regulatory questions.

• Maintain Grant Management System and all program folders and information updated.

• Recommend country programs of relevance to Communications Department and assist in the development of communications materials.

Additional

· Support to Business Development Team on high priority proposal tasks, including review of proposal and budget drafts, as needed.

· Support to various teams including but not limited to Special Events Team, Admin Team, Communications team and other tasks, as needed.

· Possible opportunities for emergency support / program support deployments to country teams.

· Assist advocacy team as needed with country relevant work – especially related to funding and donor related issues.

Requirements

• 2+ years of experience working for an NGO or donor agency.

• Minimum 1-2 + years of experience with donor portfolio management including grants administration, management, and donor compliance.

• Familiarity or previous experience working with the US Government as a donor (USAID, OFDA, FFP, PRM, BHA etc.).

• Extremely detail oriented, with strong writing and editing skills.

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills; capable of facilitating a diverse range of internal and external relationships, often through remote communications.

• When travel resumes (currently paused due to Covid-19), ability to undertake domestic and international travel to Concern program areas – which includes complex environments (minimum 10%).

• Demonstrated high energy and the ability to handle multiple and often competing deadlines.

• Ability to set and revise policies and procedures while brokering buy-in from all stakeholders.

• Demonstrated capacity to frame complex situations and present options.

• Ability to provide guidance and present complex materials to people with a wide range of cultural backgrounds, training levels, and experience.

• Position is based in New York City, but open to being remote from elsewhere temporarily.

• Must have eligibility to work in the U.S.

Desirable:

· An undergraduate degree in International Development, International Relations, Humanitarian Studies, or related discipline

· Overseas experience.

· Foreign language ability applicable to Concern’s areas of operation, French preferred.