Program Officer

IREX•Washington, DC

10d•Onsite

About The Position

The Program Officer provides operational leadership and hands-on support for the Mandela Washington Fellowship Operations team. In this role, you will manage and strengthen critical Fellowship processes, including Fellow selection, travel, visas, procurement, vendor management, finance, participant communications, and data management. You will help maintain accurate program systems and records, coordinate complex logistics before, during, and after program activities, and guide junior team members to ensure high-quality, timely deliverables. This role is ideal for an organized, solutions-oriented professional who brings strong judgment, attention to detail, and a commitment to responsive partner and participant support.

Requirements

Ability to work independently and collaboratively while maintaining professionalism, positivity, flexibility, and sound judgment amid shifting priorities.
Demonstrated ability to plan strategically, anticipate challenges, generate solutions, manage multiple priorities, and meet deadlines with a high degree of accuracy and attention to detail.
Experience managing complex international and domestic travel logistics, including flights, ground transportation, visas, disability accommodations, and related participant support.
Experience with data management, including cleaning and auditing data, synthesizing information from multiple sources, maintaining data integrity, managing records, and summarizing findings accurately.
Demonstrated knowledge of procurement procedures, financial tracking, budget management, vendor oversight, and compliance-focused records management.
Strong writing, editing, presentation, and oral communication skills, including the ability to produce near-final draft communications and documents.
Experience managing participant or stakeholder communications and difficult situations with professionalism, tact, diplomacy, and strong customer service across diverse audiences.
Experience with Salesforce or a comparable CRM or database; experience with SharePoint, Mailchimp, Alchemer, Canvas, Submittable, or comparable systems strongly preferred.
High-level proficiency in Microsoft Office products, especially Excel, including formulas, conditional formatting, and data validation.
Availability to support program activities in the evenings and on weekends, when needed based on the program cycle.
Unrestricted authorization to work in the United States.

Nice To Haves

Experience mentoring, coaching, or guiding junior staff or young professionals preferred.
Experience with SEVIS and J-1 visa regulations, including experience as an Alternate Responsible Officer, preferred.
Familiarity with U.S. Government grants and regulations, specifically U.S. Department of State grants and regulations, preferred.

Responsibilities

Support day-to-day and cycle-based Fellowship operations, ensuring timely, accurate, and thoughtful completion of deliverables.
Manage operational details related to Fellow selection, travel, visas, participant information, program systems, procurement, vendors, and event logistics.
Maintain accurate records and strengthen program systems to support efficient implementation across the team.
Serve as a reliable point of contact for participants, partners, vendors, and other stakeholders through clear, professional, and responsive communication.
Manage program inboxes and contact information, prepare and edit internal and external communications, and provide guidance on project deliverables, policies, and logistics.
Support financial administration, procurement, and compliance processes, including payment requests, vendor records, contracts, transaction reconciliation, cost-share tracking, participant taxes, and budget inputs.
Help identify risks or discrepancies and coordinate with program leadership to address issues in alignment with IREX and U.S. Government requirements.
Guide and coach junior staff, delegate work with clear priorities, and help ensure quality and accountability across outputs.
Support workflow improvements that reduce duplication, improve coordination, and build shared knowledge across the Operations and Fellowship team and other program contributors.
Contribute to proposal development and partner engagement as needed, including drafting text, gathering supporting materials, supporting budget processes, and helping maintain relationships with external stakeholders and partner institutions.