Youth Project Director/Senior Technical Advisor

About IREX

IREX is an international nonprofit organization dedicated to building a more just, prosperous, and inclusive world by empowering youth, cultivating leaders, strengthening institutions, and extending access to quality education and information. Founded in 1968, IREX has an annual portfolio of over $80 million and a staff of over 400 professionals worldwide. IREX employs field-tested methods and innovative uses of technologies to develop practical and locally-driven solutions with our partners in more than 100 countries.

Position Summary

IREX seeks a Project Director/Senior Technical Advisor to provide oversight and leadership to one or more projects, to contribute substantially to new business development, and to advance IREX’s youth portfolio. S/he will be responsible for management support and oversight of the anticipated USAID-funded “Harnessing Emerging Political Leaders for an Accountable Guatemala”, a 5-year, $35 million project intended to create a diverse cadre and network of youth civic and political leaders throughout Guatemala. S/he will also lead and write proposals for USG and other donors in youth development and other technical areas, oversee/manage other projects as assigned, and support advancement of IREX’s youth development portfolio.

This position is contingent on funding.

Summary of Responsibilities:

Project Oversight (approx. 40%)

• Provide management oversight of one or more IREX youth programs, ensuring that program objectives are met, maintaining compliance with USG and IREX policies and procedures, coordinating with the Chief of Party and field team, supporting and monitoring implementation, and ensuring rigorous budget oversight
• Manage a small DC-based project support team; oversee a schedule and process for effective program oversight and backstopping
• Provide technical input to program implementation, including training, technical assistance, organizational capacity-building, scholarships, and support services
• Exercise sound judgment to trouble-shoot complex technical, managerial, and operational issues
• Ensure that complex sub-grant portfolio is managed effectively and cohesively, coordinating with the Field Office team and IREX/DC Grants and Contracts
• Maintain effective working relationships with donors and international partners
• Collaborate with Field team and IREX/DC monitoring and evaluation experts to ensure an effective Collaborating, Learning, and Adapting (CLA) approach, including stakeholder engagement and creating and disseminating high quality products

New Business Development (approx..40%)

• Lead proposal development and management efforts to ensure quality and timely submission
• Write technical narratives, concepts, expressions of interest, or other documents primarily in the youth, education, and leadership sectors
• Contribute to proposal development in strategy meetings and partner discussions
• Develop and manage relationships with IREX’s funders, partners, etc.
• Conduct reconnaissance missions for project development
• Contribute to partnership strategies and preparation of teaming agreements
• Support proposal development efforts to ensure quality and timely submission

Advancing IREX’s youth development work (approx. 20%)

• Provide technical advising in youth development and other areas to IREX projects as requested
• Contribute to and/or lead the development of IREX youth products, including training materials, frameworks, approaches, assessments, and/or evaluations
• Promote IREX’s participation and represent IREX in conferences and industry functions

Other:

• Other duties as assigned
• Up to 25% travel

Skills and Qualifications:

• Minimum of 7 years’ experience in the international development field with substantial experience working on youth development programs. Long-term international experience a plus
• A successful track record of at least 5 years of increasing responsibility managing US government-funded programs including staff supervision, with a strong preference for experience managing large USAID-funded projects in Central and/or South America
• A demonstrated understanding of best practices and approaches to international youth development, international leadership development, youth program design, and training
• Experience with youth civic and political engagement, youth scholarship programs, and youth organizations/movements preferred
• Ability to establish and manage relationships with senior government officials, political and civic leaders, international donors, and other high-level stakeholders
• Demonstrated ability to manage complex budgets and to plan creatively and strategically to meet specified objectives
• Excellent interpersonal skills and communication, with a demonstrated ability to lead and work with a multi-national team
• Demonstrated organizational skills, including the ability to manage multiple projects and priorities, produce timely and high quality deliverables, s, and teams effectively
• Demonstrated ability to write effectively for international donor programs
• Masters’ degree in relevant discipline preferred
• Fluent English and Spanish required

Go to https://www.irex.org/careers?p=job%2FoIPi5fwE submit your resume and cover letter via our website.