Program Assistant

Creative Corrections, LLC•Washington, DC

28d•Onsite

About The Position

Creative Corrections is actively recruiting exceptional candidates to be considered for a PROGRAM ASSISTANT position located in Washington, DC. This will be a contract role within the U.S. Department of State. The U.S. Department of State is the lead institution for the conduct of American diplomacy and the Secretary of State is the President’s principal foreign policy advisor. The Department of State’s mission is to advance U.S. national security interests, fight terrorism, protect U.S. interests abroad, and implement foreign policy initiatives that build a freer, prosperous, and secure world. The Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) keeps Americans safe at home by countering international crime, illegal drugs, and instability abroad. INL helps countries deliver justice and fairness by strengthening their police, courts, and corrections systems. These efforts reduce the amount of crime and illegal drugs reaching U.S. shores. The INL, Office of Security Assistance and Operations, Assistance Coordination division is responsible for managing the budget planning, formulation, and funds control functions of INL's program operations domestically and abroad. The purpose of this Third-Party Contract (TPC) is to provide programmatic and budgetary analysis support for the budget formulation of INL programs, incorporating planning elements related to the Department’s relevant budget management procedures, strategic documents, metrics and performance measures in the budget formulation exercise. This position is contingent upon award of contract for BPA Call.

Requirements

U.S. Citizen or legal U.S. resident.
A bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution.
Six to ten years’ experience in relevant field.
Demonstrated ability to work on projects and issues within overall policy guidelines.
Demonstrated skilled in oral and written communication, sufficient to draft action and info memos, congressional testimony, press guidance and congressional and general correspondence.
Knowledge of international narcotics and law enforcement issues.
Demonstrated knowledge of federal budget processes, regulations, and reporting requirements.
Proven ability to analyze complex financial data and prepare clear, concise budget reports and recommendations.
Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to present budgetary information to diverse audiences.
Experience in budget execution, to include analysis of budget execution reports produced by the Department’s financial management system, and data repositories.

Nice To Haves

Demonstrated experience reviewing and negotiating foreign assistance letters of agreement, grants, and contracts.
Demonstrated experience formulating foreign assistance budgets.
Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution in Finance, Economic Resources, Statistics, or a closely related field.
Minimum of six (6) years of professional experience working for the federal government in a budget sector. Experience must demonstrate progressively responsible duties in budget formulation, execution, and analysis within a federal agency or department.

Responsibilities

Supports INL officials in coordinating policy issues relating to portfolio.
Aid in managing program budget formulation; analyze budget proposals and assists with preparing justifications and memoranda for presentations to Department leadership, OMB, and Congress.
Aid in evaluating program effectiveness in relation to the funding expended for programs.
Aids in drafting briefing papers, talking points, and presentations for management review and use.
Aids in office outreach projects by traveling to relevant countries and conducting logistical support for others.
Manages program files and records, tracks reports.
Coordinate and lead meetings as necessary with INL internal and external officers.
Research materials as required to compile information, reports, and statistical information regarding the supported program.
Performs administrative duties when required to support program requirements.
Assist with determining the status of funds for the Bureau, and other funds control duties.
Determine if funds can be de-obligated and/or reclassified/reprogrammed. The contractor shall determine the type, country, purpose, and status of obligations, points of contact, and supporting documentation. The contractor shall determine which obligations are available for either de-obligation or reclassification/reprogramming.
The contractor shall run data reports for specific accounting data and fiscal years; create spreadsheets or databases for future reference and formulated use (Pivot tables, XLOOKUP formulas cross-walking future reports to past reports). The contractor shall identify the benefiting country or program.
The contractor shall determine the original funding to include analyzing and tracking approved apportionments, researching electronic or paper files and coordinating with other Department offices to acquire necessary information. The contractor shall create a spreadsheet presentation, which provides beginning funding, amounts that have been obligated, expended, de-obligated, reclassified, reprogrammed, transferred, and remaining balances.
Respond timely to requests for information regarding the reconciliation of agreements, amendments, and reprogramming of funds and track all pertinent information relating to these activities in established Department-wide financial system and Excel spreadsheet logs.
Provide financial guidance to program officers and project managers, as well as to staff in program countries, as appropriate. Provide advice and assistance to other staff members, and senior managers on financial management and processing problems or issues. Develop and/or recommend the modification of methods and techniques to resolve accounting or auditing problems and explain such changes to all staff members, and overseas posts when appropriate, to ensure their awareness of and familiarity with such procedures.