Turkey: Program development officer

Chemonics, through its local affiliate in Turkey, seeks a program development officer (PDO) to join our team for a dynamic program working on Syria issues. The Syria regional program will provide support for empowering moderate civilian entities to have a role in Syria’s future. The program development officer will play a central role in developing grants and other activities with carefully selected organizations in Syria, southern Turkey, and other locations as the need arises. These activities are designed to further the Syria regional program’s strategic objectives, in full compliance with donor and Chemonics regulations and policies. The PDO will develop and maintain collaborative partnerships and working relationships with Turkey-based governmental and nongovernmental actors relevant to fostering program objectives, as well as with groups in Syria as conditions permit, and will play a lead role in facilitating necessary linkages between local actors and entities and local-level stakeholders and partners for effective programming in all locations.

The PDO is the primary party responsible for development of specific grant activities and the primary point of contact with the grantee during implementation for the technical review of deliverables. The PDO will report directly to the regional program manager, and will also receive significant guidance from the development and strategy advisor, country representative and deputy country representative, with respect to regional engagement strategy and activity development. The PDO regularly works collaboratively with a large group of staff on activity development, monitoring, reporting, and documentation. We are looking for individuals who have a passion for making a difference in the lives of people around the world.

Responsibilities include:

• Identify potential partners through networking and outreach, and work with them to design and develop grant concepts and activities under the overall strategic guidance of the regional program manager
• Identify and conceptualize potential activities that respond appropriately to the current political situation and established program goals and objectives
• Prepare, present, analyze, and evaluate grant concepts, applications, and grant agreement/award documents to ensure consistency with program priorities, goals, and objectives
• Develop and finalize multiple grants and other activities, on an ongoing basis, in a fast-paced and highly changeable environment
• Provide technical assistance to grantees and potential grantees as required, during the grants preparation stage and in the implementation phase, working closely with grants managers and other staff
• Closely monitor political, military, and other developments within area of responsibility on a daily basis; share updates with the rest of the staff in a timely fashion and document significant activity-relevant developments in the client’s database
• Assist in developing technical presentations and other content for the project’s rolling assessments and other planning exercises
• Document and monitor activity updates
• Update team members on the status of activities during weekly implementation meetings and coordinate with grantees on a regular basis to ensure implementation is proceeding smoothly and challenges are proactively addressed
• Review grantee deliverables to ensure technical integrity and complete information has been provide in accordance with the terms of the grant agreement
• Closely oversee monitoring and evaluation (M&E) site visit reports and work with the M&E specialist to review independent verification of activity progress and status; work closely with the grants management unit and grantee to solve implementation challenges

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field required
• Syrian passport required
• Minimum one to three years of relevant experience required
• Strong organizational, management, and administrative skills, preferably with respect to report writing and monitoring and evaluation
• Demonstrated analytical ability and understanding of local and regional political context, with the ability to think creatively in conceptualizing relevant grant activities
• Proven knowledge of local and international NGOs and community-based organizations implementing relevant activities and programs in Syria, as well as key governmental actors and stakeholders
• Up-to-date understanding and knowledge of the political environment and social conditions in Syria and the surrounding region
• Experience in working with local organizations on project design and assessing technical and programmatic capacities
• Experience and/or solid understanding of donor organizations
• Field experience with NGOs in the region, preferably including experience in Syria, experience monitoring and evaluating field projects, and ability/willingness to travel in Turkey and, as conditions allow, in Syria, on a regular basis
• Minimum three years of relevant experience working with project design, development, and management of relevant donor-funded community development projects in the region
• Ability to effectively use computer software including Microsoft Access, Word, and Excel applications
• Demonstrated leadership, versatility, and integrity
• Fluent written and spoken English and Arabic required; proficiency in Turkish preferred but not required

Please submit CV and cover letter to SRP-ISDRecruitment@chemonics.com by June 22, 2016. Please include the name of the position in the subject line. No telephone inquiries, please. Finalists will be contacted.

In addition, please download and complete Chemonics’ equal employment opportunity self-identification form and submit it separately to EEOselfidentify@chemonics.com with only “program development officer SRP-ISD” in the subject line. If you prefer not to disclose your sex, race, or ethnicity, you may check “I do not wish to complete the information requested.” Thank you for completing the form and supporting our equal employment opportunity reporting requirements.

Chemonics is an equal opportunity/Affirmative Action employer and does not discriminate in its selection and employment practices. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, disability, protected veteran status, genetic information, age, or other legally protected characteristics.​​​​​