Program Officer – SME III

Jobtailor; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 105,000 - 155,000; Full time

Job summary

U.S. Department of State, Office of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, seeks a senior program manager to oversee international programming and federal assistance lifecycles.

You will lead multi-year funding and compliance efforts, coordinating with interagency partners to advance democratic governance initiatives. The role requires deep expertise in grants management, policy analysis, and ability to manage complex budgets while briefing congressional staffers and senior officials.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree with 10-12 years of experience or a master’s degree with 8-10 years or a PhD with 5-7 years of experience.
• Strong knowledge of 2 CFR 200 and federal grant/aid rules.
• Experience leading teams in fast-paced, demanding environments.
• Experience managing international programming and NGO administration.

Responsibilities

• Provide support for the Office of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor at the U.S. Department of State.
• Ensure effective execution of program requirements; establish systematic methods of program execution, evaluation, and advocacy.
• Determine whether funding is warranted and available and assess activities to determine funding requirements.
• Analyze program and budget proposals and present them to the State Department and interagency panels.
• Provide leadership technical assistance throughout the federal assistance life cycle that includes pre-award, award, and post-award phases in grants and cooperative agreements.
• Assist with Departmental briefings to congressional staffers on these programs.

Skills

Grants management

Budget analysis

Program evaluation

Leadership

Policy analysis

Education

Bachelor’s degree plus 10–12 years experience

Master’s degree plus 8–10 years experience

PhD plus 5–7 years experience

Job description

• Provide support for Office of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor at the U.S. Department of State.
• Ensure effective execution of program requirements; establish systematic methods of program execution, evaluation, and advocacy.
• Determine whether funding is warranted and available and assess activities to determine funding requirements.
• Analyze program and budget proposals and present them to the State Department and interagency panels.
• Prepare justification or recommendation memoranda for review and approval by appropriate officials.
• Provide follow-up problem-solving assistance, guideline interpretations, and technical consultations as required to applicants.
• Provide leadership technical assistance throughout the federal assistance life cycle that includes pre-award, award, and post-award phases in grants and cooperative agreements.
• Assist with Departmental briefings to congressional staffers on these programs.

Requirements

• Experience working with projects in closed or closing democratic spaces will be considered highly competitive.
• Strong knowledge of 2 CFR 200.
• Experience working in professional, fast paced, and demanding environments.
• Ability to manage competing priorities with minimal supervision.
• Experience leading teams and ability to handle diverse work styles.
• Must have knowledge of and experience in managing international programming in addition to relevant education and training, ideally with a strong understanding of domestic and foreign NGO administration.
• Understanding of the legal requirements of different types of foreign assistance funds.
• Bachelor’s degree with 10-12 years of experience or a master’s degree with 8-10 years of experience or a PhD with 5-7 years of experience.

Core Competencies

Demonstrates expertise in managing international programming and federal assistance life cycles, including pre-award, award, and post-award phases. Proficient in analyzing program and budget proposals while providing technical assistance and leadership in democratic governance initiatives.