Senior Program Officer at FHI 360

Job Summary:

Supports Strengthening Infectious Disease Detection Systems (STRIDES) Activity implementation in Nigeria by ensuring that project activities are on track with work plans and with technical expertise informing project implementation. The Sr Program Officer gathers information to assist the project with multifaceted and complicated activities. Ensures compliance with internal and external regulations. Monitors expenditure against the budget and may have access to confidential project information (i.e., salary information). Ensures completion of the project while adhering to budget, scope, and schedule requirements. Develops/reviews work plans, prepares presentations, and supports other related project objectives and deliverables. Provide project management, administrative, and operational support to STRIDES Nigeria leadership. This Program Officer is embedded in the STRIDES Activity in Nigeria and is responsible for direct project implementation and delivery.

Accountabilities:

Programmatic Management:

• Supports the STRIDES Nigeria management team through coordination of project resources (people), planning for deliverables, and leading meetings.
• Ensure compliance with client requirements and organizational policies and procedures.
• Supports programmatic reports, annual work plans, and ad hoc reports by facilitating review processes, providing editorial support, and coordinating inputs and submission.
• Oversees reporting processes to ensure client requirements are met; may aggregate reporting for oversight of a project.
• Represents the project at client meetings and participates in external events. Liaises with the client regarding the overall project and communicates planning and task completion under the supervision of the STRIDES Nigeria Project Director.
• Promote and facilitate communication between STRIDES and other relevant internal and external stakeholders, including various units within the country or headquarters (HQ).
• Monitors subcontractor/partner deliverables
• Monitors project risks and informs senior managers of issues.

Programmatic Administration:

• Support project knowledge management initiatives in documenting approaches and achievements.
• Provides context and framing in project reporting.
• Ensures the document management site (SharePoint) is used appropriately by project team.
• Provides operations support, e.g., writes position descriptions, participates on staff interview panels, and serves as hiring manager as needed.
• Conducts new hire onboarding on department procedures and administrative processes.
• May liaise with Corporate on matters concerning data integrity associated with HR systems, team finance system, etc., and other administrative matters delegated by senior project staff.

Finance Support:

• Support assigned projects in areas including start-up, work planning, budget development, project reporting, and general problem-solving.
• Provide on-going programmatic and financial oversight to assigned projects, including monitoring of spending rates, sub-awards, deliverables, reports, etc.
• Contributes to the development of the project’s budget process.
• Reads and interprets the budget to understand tracking.
• Reviews or approves expense reports.
• Reviews or approves invoices.

Applied Knowledge & Skills:

• Advanced knowledge of project management concepts and practices.
• Experience supervising lower-level staff and implementing performance management and professional growth mentorship processes.
• May have or be in the process of developing content knowledge in a functional area. Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Excellent and demonstrated project management skills. Ability to influence and collaborate with others.
• Ability to analyze and interpret data, identify errors, and prepare reports.

Problem Solving & Impact:

• Works on problems of complex scope that require evaluation of variable factors.
• Demonstrates good judgment in selecting methods, techniques, and evaluation criteria for obtaining solutions.
• Networks with key internal and external personnel.
• Decisions may cause delays or failure to achieve results that impact departmental goals.

Supervision Given/Received:

• May serve as a team lead and mentor lower-level personnel.
• Determines methods and procedures for new assignments and may coordinate activities of other personnel.
• May serve as a mentor and provide guidance to junior staff.
• Typically reports to a Manager/ Associate Director/ Director.

Education: 

• Bachelor's Degree or its International Equivalent in Civil Society, Communication and Social Marketing, Economic Development, Education, the Environment, Gender, Health, Nutrition, Research, Technology, and Youth or a related field.
• Project Management (PM) Certification preferred.

Experience:

• Typically requires a minimum of 6+ years of relevant experience with project management principles and practices.
• Prior work experience in a non-governmental organization (NGO), government agency, or private organization.
• International or Domestic (US) Program Development or Program management preferred.

Typical Physical Demands:

• Typical office environment.
• Ability to spend long hours looking at a computer screen and doing repetitive work on a keyboard.
• Ability to sit and stand for extended periods of time.
• Ability to lift 5 - 25 lbs.