United States of America: Project Support Officer

Overview

This position provides high-level and confidential administrative support to the Project Director and the global project management team; and ensures smooth coordination of project programmatic information, logistics, and technical support activities. The PSO’s primary accountabilities are:

1. Coordinate and ensure effective and efficient provision of operations support to the project which may include calendar management, travel and expense management, meeting management, etc. for the Project Director and the global project management team.
2. Partner with (and complement) corporate offices for project capacity building and support to implementation and monitoring of compliance with MSH policies and standards, including PM@MSH standards.
3. Proactively coordinate meetings and manage internal and external communications, including preparing and editing correspondence, communications, presentations and other documents for the Project Director and the global project management team.
4. Collaborate with offices and groups to plan for and execute project start up, support, close out, orientation, and onboarding of project staff.

Specific Responsibilities

Project Operations Support (70%)

• Serve as “first responder” for all issues related to project management and operations support needs, tapping into expertise of content area experts as needed.
• Partner with the PD and Senior Director of Operations (SDO) to anticipate, address, and, when needed, escalate project implementation and operations challenges requiring guidance and/or support.
• Follow up and, as needed, support project for timely follow up of requests from corporate functions for information or action related to MSH policies and standards.
• Support planning and execution (in collaboration with and under oversight by PD, SDO, Technical Directors (TDs), corporate and country offices) of project orientation and team onboarding plans, project start up and close out.
• Partner with PD, SDO, and TDs to participate in and provide support to project annual work planning and budgeting; and in collaboration with Finance and Operations, ensure budgets are realistic and aligned with planned activities.
• Assist the PD and TDs in articulating STTA needs to successfully implement the project’s work plans, develop scope of works, and maintain the STTA plan for the project. Maintain communication with and supervise consultants as requested.
• Assist SDO and PD on work plan, staffing strategy, and talent management.
• Assist SDO with monitoring of Project’s budget execution and financial pipeline, staffing plan, deliverables tracker, and contract compliance.
• Partner with Program Learning and Impact (PLI) office and support project to ensure availability and quality of project data for MSH indicators at the output, outcome, and impact levels.
• Follow up on contacts made by the Project Director and support the cultivation of ongoing relationships.

Project Communications (15%)

• Provide support in developing, drafting, and editing deliverables as needed including quarterly progress reports, STTA reports, and other technical deliverables.
• Draft project briefs and reports, presentations, documentation, and other communication materials. Collaborate with management, program, and communications staff in final development and production.
• Assist in preparing project management team presentations as requested.
• Ensure electronic archiving of global project management team’s project documents whether submission of documents to DEC or MSH’s Institutional Memory.

Travel, Event Coordination, and Misc. Support (15%)

• Develop and maintain internal project pending lists and meeting agendas.
• Create and administer executive and project meeting agendas as well as record, transcribe, and distribute minutes of meetings.
• Coordinate international staff coming to HO or domestic travel for project management team including hotel arrangements.
• Ensure that all travel arrangements are in compliance with USAID regulations and MSH procedures.
• Prepare Purchase Orders for project items to be procured in the US (plane tickets, equipment).
• Provide travelers with Memorandum of Engagement or Consultant Agreements (containing all travel details) prior to departure.
• Provide general support to project team members when traveling.
• Provide staff coverage as requested.
• Other tasks as necessary.

Qualifications and Experience

Education:

Required:

• Bachelor’s degree

Preferred:

• Master's degree

Experience:

Required:

• 4 years of experience (with a BA) or 2 years of experience (with a MA) supporting health or development projects in developing countries.
• Knowledge of US Government funded programs, regulations and requirements.

Preferred:

• Minimum of 5+ years of demonstrated success and experience in overseas project support and management is particularly relevant.
• Direct overseas project work experience strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated, relevant and related experience in project management.
• Experience in the management of USAID-funded activities and understanding of USAID and field Missions; USG audiences, trends and requirements.
• Experience editing reports and preparing presentations.

Knowledge and Skills:

• Strong analytical and organizational skills demonstrated by ability to work both independently and within a team.
• Requires strong conceptualization, facilitation, and planning skills.
• Familiarity with financial management of international projects.
• Demonstrated ability to achieve high performance goals and meet deadlines in a fast paced environment.
• Strong organizational skills that reflect ability to perform and prioritize multiple tasks seamlessly.
• Successful experience working in a home office environment.
• Strong interpersonal skills, written, and oral presentation skills. Excellent cross-cultural communication and active listening skills.
• Proficiency in French, Spanish or Portuguese or language as appropriate for the portfolio of countries under supervision preferred.

Competencies:

• MSH Core Competencies: Information Sharing, Managing and Measuring work outputs, Negotiating, Priority Setting, Business Acumen.
• Demonstrated ability to assess priorities, and manage a variety of activities with attention to detail.
• Demonstrated ability to succeed in a dynamic and fast-paced business development environment.
• Proven ability to handle confidential information with discretion, be adaptable to various competing demands, and demonstrate the highest level of client service and response.
• Demonstrated ability to assess priorities, and manage a variety of activities with attention to detail.

Personal Attributes:

• In line with core MSH competencies:
  Adaptability, Communication, Problem Solving, Creativity and Innovation, Quality and Timeliness of Work, Quality of Work and Team Relationships.

Physical Demands:

• Up to 25% local and international travel.
• Keyboard use, pulling drawers, lifting papers <10lbs.

https://jobs-msh.icims.com/jobs/10206/project-support-officer/job