Every employee of IRI is responsible for carrying out the Mission of IRI and demonstrating the core values in their day to day operations. The Core Values, which are IRI’s foundational building blocks include: Excellence- We believe in quality results delivered by investing in people. Freedom- We believe in exploration and experimentation to be agile and responsive. Respect- We believe in trust, empathy and empowering people. Teamwork- We believe in diversity, inclusion and the power of global collaboration. Transparency- We believe in open communication and clear decision-making. Accountability- We believe in personal responsibility as the foundation of success.

The Program Officer serves as part of IRI’s Center for Global Impact and Government Affairs Team, serving a multi-faceted role as program developer, implementer and relationship builder. S/he will work with the Governance team in developing program ideas and drafts proposals related to legislative strengthening, subsequently supporting program implementation through a range of activities related to the House Democracy Partnership and Institute for Representative Government. S/he consults with regional program teams based in Washington D.C. and in field offices on legislative strengthening programs. S/he will assist the Director of Government Affairs as a liaison on behalf of IRI to Capitol Hill, coordinates meetings for U.S. Government funded visiting foreign delegations and assists with planning and executing overseas and domestic legislative training programs. .

Position Requirements:
• Undergraduate degree in political science, public administration, international relations or related field.
• 3-5 years professional experience in in democratic governance, campaigns, politics, government or international development, preferably with the U.S. Congress.
• Preferred experience working with U.S. Government funded projects and familiarity with USG regulations and processes.
• Knowledge and expertise of the legislative, budget and appropriations processes and constituent services.
• Experience with planning high-level events.
• Experience with program management, project implementation and budgetary oversight.
• Ability to work independently and as a member of a team to coordinate and lead the efforts of other professionals to effectively meet program goals.
• Demonstrated exceptional organizational and detail-oriented skills.
• Demonstrated strong interpersonal, research, and written/oral communications skills.
• Demonstrated exceptional ability to operate under strict deadlines and ability to easily shift priorities.
• Willingness and ability to travel to challenging environments, up to 15% of the time.

Primary Functions & Responsibilities:
• Assists the Director of Government and the External Affairs in implementing communications strategies and relationships with U.S. lawmakers and their staffs
• Assists IRI staff with meetings on Capitol Hill
• Provides support to regional divisions in the design and implementation of foreign visitor exchanges with the U.S. Congress and other stakeholders
• Assists with implementation of specific governance grant(s), including the House Democracy Partnership and the Institute for Representative Government.
o Understands assigned grant’s substantive, financial and compliance requirements.
o Supports efforts to ensure that grants are in compliance with grant agreements and completed on time.
o Participates in monitoring and evaluation efforts for grants assigned.
o Implements selected programs under the grant(s) domestically and abroad.
o Assists with identifying and coordinating delegations of foreign government and U.S. Government officials participating under the auspices of the grant.
o Supports and conducts legislative assessments under the auspices of the grant.
• Works closely with the Legislative Strengthening Specialist in the implementation of governance programming related to legislative strengthening.
• Works closely, as needed, with the Legislative Strengthening Specialist in supporting with Regional Division consultations such as business development opportunities, proposal writing and brainstorming around governance related topics.
• Travels as needed for various programs oversight and implementation.
• Develops promotional material and thought leadership pieces for external audiences.
• Represents IRI at external events and on Capitol Hill.
• Maintains an understanding of funder and IRI policies and procedures related to grant and project implementation and compliance.
• Participates in cross functional teams and initiatives.
• Performs other duties as assigned.