Program officer, Asia, Middle East & Europe

Background

The Program Officer is based in Washington, DC and is responsible for providing support to field staff and programs, including disaster responses, in the Asia/Middle East/Europe Region. The American Red Cross, with its partners in the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, works to provide urgent humanitarian assistance to the world’s most vulnerable communities, including disaster response, and disaster risk reduction and community health programming. Program Officers are expected to have a wide range of skills, experience and knowledge relevant to the American Red Cross programs in the Asia/Middle East/Europe (AMEE) region. Position reports to the Director for the AMEE region.

Responsibilities

Support regional programs

• Serve as NHQ point of contact and coordination for all projects, country plans, programmatic issues, and other cross-cutting areas where appropriate according to skills, interests and workloads in countries of responsibility, in coordination with, and support of, ARC field staff.
• Ensure programmatic and financial compliance of field projects; including project start-up, agreements, budget oversight, compliance with monitoring and evaluation and reporting standards. Undertake periodic site visits, oversee project close-out.
• Coordinate and cultivate relationships with relevant Movement partners (IFRC counterparts, National Societies, PNSs) and external stakeholders on a regular basis, in coordination with other ARC staff.
• Represent ARC and liaise with key external partners such as donor agencies and other humanitarian agencies in the U.S. and overseas.
• Maintain strong communications with and provide programmatic support to ARC field staff; within HQ, ensure effective communication among relevant ARC teams including the International Response Operations Center (IROC), Technical, Finance, and Business Operations.
• Coordinate closely with technical team and field staff in the conceptualization, execution, monitoring and evaluation of program activities, making sure there is adequate technical input in all decision-making and planning.
• Provide support to regional programs in the negotiation, monitoring and drafting of contracts, agreements and other project documents.
• Provide coverage to other regions or units as deemed appropriate (surge capacity related)

Planning and program development

• Participate in the development of regional and country-specific plans/strategies aligned with wider International Services and ARC strategies and operational plans.
• Assist in identifying new program opportunities through monitoring of sources and liaising with external donors and other humanitarian agencies.
• Participate in the development (design) of new programs. Role will vary by type of proposal and available skill sets, always coordinating the region’s participation and sometimes acting as lead writer.

Disaster Response

• Support the region’s response lead in managing all aspects of disaster response.
• Be prepared to serve as response lead when needed.
• Ensure timely response to disasters within the region by prioritizing and facilitating rapid assistance in support of relief operations; allocation of financial and in-kind resources; management and tracking of internal processes; facilitation of coordination of key internal and external stakeholders.
• Monitor new, ongoing, and potential disasters in region; work with International Response Operations Center (IROC)’s reporting function, and Development, Communications and Marketing Departments to ensure up-to-date information.

Qualifications

• Bachelors degree required, masters preferred. Minimum of three years relevant experience required.
• Field experience working in developing countries managing community based programs in disaster risk reduction, health, or related programs, and disaster or emergency response experience, strongly preferred.
• Experience working with local partner organizations.
• Program and proposal development experience is strongly preferred. Working experience in Asia/Middle East/Europe a plus.
• Must have excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to work effectively and in a collegial fashion with people from a wide range of backgrounds and cultures.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills in English are essential.

The American Red Cross is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer