Program Officer, Sri Lanka

Job Summary:

Every employee of IRI is responsible for carrying out the Mission of IRI and demonstrating the Core Values in their day-to-day operations. The Core Values, which are IRI’s foundational building blocks include:

Excellence– We believe in quality results delivered by investing in people. Freedom– We believe in exploration and experimentation to be agile and responsive. Respect- We believe in trust, empathy, and empowering people. Teamwork- We believe in diversity, inclusion, and the power of global collaboration. Transparency– We believe in open communication and clear decision-making. Accountability- We believe in personal responsibility as the foundation of success.

The International Republican Institute (IRI) is currently recruiting a Program Officer (PO) for its Sri Lanka Democratic Governance and Civic and Inclusion programs. The PO will work with the Program Managers to implement programs, monitor, and analyze political and economic developments in Sri Lanka, identify program partners and maintain close relationships with them and funders.

This position will be based with the program team in Colombo, Sri Lanka.

Position Requirements:

• Undergraduate Degree in political science, social science, international relations, law or related field. Master’s degree in a related field is an asset.
• Demonstrated experience and understanding of the political and economic contexts in South Asia and Sri Lanka.
• Demonstrated experience working with political stakeholders, governmental and non-governmental agencies.
• Experience working with US Government funded projects and familiarity with USG regulations and reporting requirements are preferred.
• Five years’ professional experience in democratic governance and rights, preferably working directly with elected officials, bureaucratic bodies, and/or civil society Ability to work independently and as a member of a team to coordinate and lead the efforts of other professionals to effectively meet program goals.
• Strong written and oral communication and presentation skills in English and Sinhala/Tamil.
• Strong analytical and organizational skills, execution of tasks, and attention to detail required.
• Experience with program management, implementation, and basic finance necessary to draft and oversee a
• Ability to manage multiple activities and to meet deadlines required.
• Ability to travel locally as required to oversee and implement program activities.
• Fluency in English and Sinhala/Tamil.

Primary Functions & Responsibilities:

• Monitor, analyze, and report on civil, political, and related developments in Sri Lanka to provide regional and country analysis and information.
• Maintains an understanding of funder and IRI policies and procedures related to grant compliance and oversight.
• Oversee implementation of specific sub-award(s) and associated project activities, including tracking and reviewing deliverables to ensure compliance and maintaining regular and effective communication with grantees.
• Develop strategic plans for new program initiatives and ensure alignment with organizational goals.
• Draft funder reports to ensure high quality quarterly, semi-annual, final, and other program related reports.
• Directly work with the MEL focal point in Sri Lanka in the development and drafting of M&E components for program activities, M&E plans, and data collection tools.
• Provide staff with guidance on tools, methods, and technologies to support programmatic data collection needs and reporting.
• Develop and coordinate new program intervention strategies including communication and outreach.
• Anticipate potential problems, troubleshoots, and offers solutions, actively taking part to resolve external and internal challenges with creative and immediate solutions.
• Establish, maintain, and develop strong working relationships with relevant stakeholders.
• Actively support IRI’s communication strategy including IRI’s branding and outreach plans, including drafting and updating program summaries and other outreach materials, and creating social media posts.
• Organize meetings and briefings with national and local government officials, civil society leaders, activists, and other stakeholders.
• Represent IRI at external events and in various civil society networks to promote information sharing among IRI’s stakeholders.
• Culturally sensitive to work with diverse stakeholders and challenging environments.
• Assist IRI’s capacity building and research activities, including workshops, briefings, stakeholder mapping exercises, exchanges, and dialogue forums.
• Serve as a liaison between IRI and external stakeholders ensuring strong communication channels and partnership management.
• Travel as needed for program oversight and implementation.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Education

Required

Bachelors or better in Political Science or related field.

Experience

Required

5 years:

Undergraduate Degree in political science, social science, international relations, law or related field. Master’s degree in a related field is an asset. Five years’ professional experience in democratic governance and rights, preferably working directly with elected officials, bureaucratic bodies, and/or civil society Ability to work independently and as a member of a team to coordinate and lead the efforts of other professionals to effectively meet program goals.