Program Officer, Transaction Advisory

Environmental Defense Fund•Washington, DC

3d•$90,000 - $96,000•Remote

About The Position

Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) seeks a Program Officer to support its Forests program and the anticipated World Bank grant for jurisdictional REDD+ programming and transaction advisory. The program uses a transaction-focused delivery model to provide direct advisory support to governments and help jurisdictions progress from readiness to executed carbon market transactions. The position is a two-year, renewable fixed-term role, contingent on the anticipated grant award, and may be based remotely in Mexico or the United States. Mexico-based candidates in Monterrey, Guadalajara, or Mexico City are preferred; US-based candidates near current EDF office locations are preferred. The Program Officer supports program management, reporting, and monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL), helping ensure effective performance monitoring and results reporting across the program. The role also coordinates with EDF teams including Finance, IT, HR, and Development to support collaboration and smooth operations. Responsibilities include coordination and reporting, MEL data collection and analysis, grant and financial management, procurement and contracting oversight, document management, and support for team events and meetings. The role requires a native or fully bilingual Spanish speaker with English fluency, a bachelor’s degree, and at least six years of relevant experience. A master’s degree may substitute for up to two years of relevant experience. Compensation is listed separately for Mexico and the United States, and EDF offers competitive compensation, benefits, and professional development opportunities.

Requirements

Native or fully bilingual Spanish speaker with excellent written and verbal communication skills; English fluency is required.
At least 6 years of relevant experience.
Bachelor’s degree; a master’s degree may substitute for up to 2 years of relevant experience.
Ability to independently develop and execute high-impact solutions in ambiguous or evolving contexts.
Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to work professionally with organizational departments and external stakeholders.
Experience using the MS Office Suite, including strong Excel skills with formulas, pivot tables, charts, and spreadsheets for decision-making.
Familiarity with GAAP and thorough understanding of nonprofit accounting principles and grants management.
Excellent written and oral communication skills.
Proactive, well-organized, and attentive to detail.
Strong project management, problem-solving, research, and analytical skills.
Ability to prioritize multiple tasks, adapt to evolving contexts, and meet deadlines.
Ability to work independently and collaboratively as part of a multidisciplinary team.
Ability to identify trends and ensure accuracy.
Passion and commitment to EDF’s mission.
Self-awareness, cultural competency, inclusivity, and ability to work with colleagues and stakeholders across cultures and backgrounds.

Nice To Haves

Project management certification.
Prior experience working on government grants, particularly in compliance, procurement, administration, finance, or coordination functions.
Experience reporting on government grants, foundations, and private donors.
Experience with NetSuite.
Master’s degree.

Responsibilities

Provide program management support to the Senior Director and Senior Transaction Manager, including calendar management, scheduling, meeting preparation, and logistical support.
Respond to information requests and coordinate team activities, projects, and workplans.
Stay informed about program developments and prepare narrative reports, briefings, and other documentation.
Track funder deliverables and coordinate inputs for project implementation progress reports to the World Bank.
Lead or support monitoring, evaluation, and learning activities, including high-quality data collection and management from beneficiaries and partners.
Support program staff with data collection, verification, and validation to enable timely analysis, reporting, and other MEL activities.
Contribute monitoring data to case studies, learning briefs, success stories, and other learning and communications materials.
Participate in developing narrative and financial grant reports, coordinating with staff across EDF departments.
Oversee team contracting and purchasing processes and documentation in accordance with EDF guidelines and donor procedures.
Support Program and Finance staff with timely month-end actual-versus-budget reporting and monitor grant-level financial activity for accuracy and completeness.
Investigate, analyze, and explain income and expense variances from budget.
Prepare budgets and financial reports for program staff, internal management, finance staff, and senior operations leads.
Help oversee funds to ensure resources are deployed in alignment with donor intent, internal policies, workplans, and GAAP rules.
Contribute to EDF organizational effectiveness and culture goals, fostering an inclusive environment aligned with EDF values.
Organize team events and meetings as needed, including agendas, venue research and selection, contract negotiation, travel arrangements, attendee needs, catering, and activities.
Maintain project files in accordance with EDF policies and procedures.
Review and track technical documents and maintain an organized shared electronic filing system.
Carry out other responsibilities in support of Forests and EDF strategy, planning, reporting, and institutional priorities.