[Mary Arnstein]

Program Officer, Entrepreneurship & Innovation

U.S. Russia Foundation (USRF) https://www.usrf.us/careers/

Position

Reporting to the Chief of Staff, the Program Officer assists in developing, managing and evaluating a portfolio of grants and  initiatives under the funding concentration(s) of entrepreneurship, innovation, and sustainable business models. The Program Officer will oversee the entire application process, from concept development through presentation of proposals and evaluation of results. The Program Officer is expected to develop and maintain effective working relationships with a diverse portfolio of clients.
S/he will work with foreign and American institutions in the course of the program’s administration.

Portfolio Development

• Builds a network of partners in Washington, DC, and Europe to solicit feedback on current grant funding areas of interest, possible future areas of opportunity, and keep apprised of the latest developments among like-minded NGOs

• At the direction of the President and Chief of Staff, develops concept papers and requests-for-proposals (RFPs) to solicit proposal applications from a diverse audience of potential grantees

• Briefs relevant members of the Board of Directors on a recurring basis regarding developments in the Entrepreneurship & Innovation and Community & Citizen Capacity-Building funding concentration(s)

• Assists the Senior Program Officer on special projects

Grants Management

• Works alongside the Senior Grants Administrator and Senior Program Officer to manage grantee record keeping and reporting benchmarks

• Utilizes interns as needed to draft materials for Board members regarding current grantee portfolio or future RFPs

• Briefs Board of Directors at annual meetings regarding status of current grantees, and evaluates/recommends potential grantees for approval by the Board

• Manages a daily flow of grantee paperwork including proposal evaluations, reporting cycle evaluations, site visits reports, and close-out reports

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Economics, Business, or Political Economy; MBA or business-related MA very strongly preferred

• Russian language fluency

• 5 years of experience in Russian business, economics, and/or entrepreneurship

• Demonstrated understanding of the principles of a rules-based market economy and the environment that would support such a system in Russia; familiarity with the Russia expert community in the U.S.

• Skills should include extensive writing, analytical, conceptualization, planning, and organizational skills, and must also have a general understanding of budget administration

• Must be comfortable working in a small-team environment with full commitment to the organization’s mission.

Eligibility

• Must possess U.S. citizenship or be a lawful permanent resident of the United States.

To Apply

To apply for this position, please submit the following items to chief@usrf.us:

1. Current resume or CV

2. Letter of interest that describes your background in this field, relevant employment history and qualifications

3. Three (3) references with associated contact information

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