Management Systems International is hiring for Program Development Officer

Program Development Officer, USAID/OTI Moldova Program, Chișinău 

Company Profile:  

Management Systems International (MSI), a Tetra Tech Company, is a Washington, D.C. metro area management consultancy with a 40-year history of delivering results for our clients. Our expertise is in the fields of monitoring and evaluation; democracy and governance; peace and stability; rule of law and accountability; education; gender and inclusion; strategic communications; and leadership and organizational development. MSI has implemented projects in 90 countries around the world such as Colombia, Indonesia, Jordan, Kenya, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Syria and Ukraine, and works domestically. We support clients ranging from the U.S. Government (e.g., the U.S. Agency for International Development, U.S. Department of Defense, U.S. Departments of State and Labor, and the Millennium Challenge Corporation) to large bilateral and multilateral donors (e.g., the World Bank and the United Nations Development Program). We also work with national and local governments, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), think tanks, foundations and universities. For more information, please visit our website at www.msiworldwide.com. 

Project Summary:   

Working in close coordination with USAID’s Office of Transition Initiatives (OTI), MSI will establish and manage a flexible, quick-response mechanism supporting activities that will advance democracy and stability in Moldova. USAID/OTI and MSI will work with a coalition of civic, media, and government stakeholders in support of program goals. The program will operate primarily through a small grants mechanism and will rely on ongoing analysis of the local context to inform programming. 

**Please note: Only Moldovan citizens are eligible for this position** 

Position Summary:  

This position is primarily responsible for the identification, development and implementation of national and field-level activities. The Program Development Officer (PDO) will establish and maintain relationships with key partners, government officials, and community leaders within the assigned technical or geographical area. The PDO plays a central role in developing activities and in-kind grants, coordinates with program leadership, and works closely with partners. They also provide monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) support on an ongoing basis for activities during activity implementation. This is a long-term assignment. 

Responsibilities:  

Support Program and Cluster Strategy 

• Work with the Senior Management Team (SMT) to formulate program and cluster-level strategies and identify geographic areas, government bodies and population groups for activity development in line with those strategies. 
• Travel to targeted communities and/or meet with government counterparts as needed. 

 
Develop Activity Ideas 

• Lead in the identification of communities, community groups and government bodies within area of responsibility where program objectives can be met and draft activity ideas. 
• Collaborate with MEL staff to set indicators and a monitoring plan for each activity.  
• Prepare grant records in the Activity Database for review and approval by the SMT.  

Lead Program Teams 

• Provide overall leadership and direction for a program team, consisting of a Grants Officer (GO) and a Procurement Officer. Ensure that all team members are aware of activity and strategic priorities and working in close collaboration to implement activity tasks and meet targets. 

Liaise with Grantees and Counterparts 

• Collaborate in preparing for and conducting project development and implementation meetings.  
• Maintain working relationships and liaise with project counterparts, international organizations, and local and national authorities as appropriate.  

Track Activity Progress 

• Collaborate in the response to ad hoc requests for information as well as frequent reporting to USAID.  
• Support with data collection, as needed, and with contributions to the final evaluation reports. 
• Assist in preparing success stories on individual projects and other public information material, including photographs for both internal and external purposes. 
• Support the GO with activity close out tasks as needed. 
• Provide capacity building and/or training to supervisees as necessary.  

Report on Activity Progress, Lessons Learned and Success Stories 

• Regularly provide updates on the status of activities in weekly meetings, ad hoc conversations with the SMT, and by entering detailed activity notes in the Activity Database. 
• Provide inputs and support the development of activity final evaluations reports, encompassing lessons learned, challenges encountered, and success stories. 
• Support the development of success stories and lessons learned and provide inputs for program monthly and semi-annual reporting. 
• Maintain clear and timely communication with both MSI and USAID/OTI staff at all times.  
• Other duties as assigned. 

Qualifications:  

• Bachelor’s degree in relevant field is required.  
• At least three (3) years of experience working developing and implementing projects in Moldova required.  
• Eagerness to work in a dynamic and creative environment that values learning and open communication. 
• Excellent communication skills as well as: a) proactive problem-solving abilities independently and with teams, b) a strong service orientation, and c) inter-personal skills, self-awareness and emotional intelligence. 
• Ability to work effectively and harmoniously under pressure in a stressful environment and with colleagues from different cultural and professional backgrounds. 
• Ability to travel and work under difficult conditions while maintaining security awareness.   
• Excellent written and verbal communication in English is required. 

MSI is an equal opportunity employer that values diversity and inclusion. We strive to develop and maintain a culture that honors the perspectives and identities of our employees, our communities and those impacted by our work. 

We do not discriminate on the basis of any protected attribute, including race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, marital or veteran status, pregnancy or disability, or any other basis protected under applicable law. In accordance with applicable law, we make reasonable accommodations for applicants’ and employees’ religious practices and beliefs, as well as any mental health or physical disability needs. 

MSI is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Affirmative Action/Americans with Disabilities/Veterans Employer. 

Reasonable Accommodations: 

MSI is dedicated to hiring an inclusive workforce. If you would like to request reasonable accommodations during the application process, please visit Tetra Tech’s Disability Assistance Page. Our recruitment team looks forward to engaging in an interactive process to provide reasonable accommodations for candidates. 

Only candidates who have been selected for an interview will be contacted. No phone calls, please.  

To apply: Please visit our website, www.msiworldwide.com