Program Manager – Dept of State Project Portfolio ($75-100K)

Vacancy Announcement:

Program Manager – Dept of State Project Portfolio ($75-100K)

• Type: Full-time/Permanent
• Format: Hybrid/Washington, DC
• Remuneration: $75-100K per annum + benefits
• Deadline to Apply: No later than Friday, January 19, 2024 (rolling)
• Start Date: ASAP (JAN/FEB 2024)
• U.S. citizenship required

We're seeking to fill this role quickly. Candidates will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Please apply early.

About Us:

Motive International (www.motiveinternational.com) is not like most Federal contractors. We are a social enterprise with a hybrid for-profit/not-for-profit business model focused entirely on a mission to mitigate global conflict and instability. We implement programs and deliver training for government and commercial clients and conduct pro-bono impact initiatives all around the world that help make societies more peaceful and prosperous. Our small team is comprised of passionate, world-leading experts and motivated professionals who believe deeply in our mission and values. We are a certified Economically Disadvantaged Woman Owned Small Business (EDWOSB) based in Washington, DC with a reputation for excellence, integrity, and fearlessly pursuing our mission.

About the Position:

We are immediately seeking a highly motivated, full-time Program Manager (PM) to play a leadership role in the management of four (4) live State Department-sponsored projects focused on nonproliferation, disinformation, tech security, and more. As PM for this portfolio, you will be based in the Washington, DC area but travel to 7+ countries spanning three continents to interact with diverse international stakeholders supporting projects that prevent the spread of Weapons of Mass Destruction. The projects this position supports (and their countries of focus) include the following:

1. Project FORTRESS (Romania & Moldova) – Focused on supply chain security for dual-use chemical and biological material.
2. B3A (Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa) – Focused on mitigating emerging biosecurity threats.
3. Innovators Next Door (Bulgaria) – Focused on counter diversion of emerging and disruptive technologies that could be exploited for use in advanced weapons. 
4. Project TELL (Mongolia) – Focused on countering disinformation intended to undermine nonproliferation norms.  

The PM is responsible for ensuring timely progress towards project objectives and outcomes, preparing reports for project sponsors and stakeholders, coordinating personnel, planning travel and events, and managing project-related data. In addition to these critical project management duties, a strong candidate will also be involved in technical aspects of the projects, with guidance from accomplished subject matter experts. This combination of management and technical work offers unparalleled potential for professional growth and global impact.

This role requires exceptional organizational skills, strong creative and analytical thinking, solid writing and research capabilities, and the ability to multitask on fast-paced projects, often with minimal oversight. Though based in Washington, DC, the role involves overseas travel and engagements with a diverse array of stakeholders, including U.S. policymakers, senior foreign government officials, international industry, civil society, academic experts, and others.  

The work model for this position is hybrid, with a combination of remote work and in-person meetings in the Washington, DC area approx. 1-2 times per week. PM will have the ability to define their preferred work hours to best accommodate interactions with local colleagues and stakeholders across time zones. This model offers great flexibility and work/life balance.

The PM travels internationally, making 6-12 trips in calendar year 2024 lasting 1-3 weeks per trip. A strong candidate will be a seasoned traveler who is enthusiastic about visiting new places and comfortable in a variety of cultural settings.

Key Tasks & Responsibilities:

• Serve as the primary accountable party for all management (non-technical) aspects of assigned projects, including the four projects named in the position description.
• Work closely with project Technical Lead (TL) and Finance Lead (FL) as part of the leadership “triad” of assigned projects.
• Manage project schedules and timelines, prepare and submit monthly, quarterly, and ad hoc management reports, and format technical reports and deliverables created by technical staff.
• Set-up and maintain project management systems, including boards in Monday.com, project channels in MS Teams, and project-specific systems and processes to track progress against tasks and timelines.
• In coordination with TL and technical staff, draft statements of work (SOW), position descriptions (PDs), or Engagement Letters (ELs) to engage personnel, subcontractors, or vendors to fulfill project objectives, then oversee completion of work against objectives, schedules, and budgets. As needed, conduct due diligence to ensure qualifications and cost reasonableness of new partners or personnel.
• In coordination with FL and accounting team, ensure projects are managed on-budget and that financial and human resources are effectively allocated to complete project activities.
• Coordinate, set agendas for, and serve as primary facilitator at project internal meetings.
• Manage data and relationships for assigned client projects.
• Brief CEO on status of project and proactively spot and propose solutions for issues or challenges.
• Contribute to technical execution of assigned projects, including topical research and analysis, design and facilitation of tabletop exercises, stakeholder outreach and interviews, monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) tasks, etc.
• Coordinate with TL to maintain technical resource library and keep project colleagues informed of latest insights, publications, and best practices in relevant project domains.
• Travel and complete administrative tasks as required in support of projects.
• Seek opportunities for professional development and networking in the PM community of practice, and introduce new systems, processes, tools to Motive to strengthen PM functions.

Required Skills and Experience: 

• U.S. citizen with a valid passport.
• Willingness/availability to travel 25-35% of the time (primarily overseas) for up to 3 weeks at a time, sometimes on short notice.
• Live within 50 miles of Washington, DC, and be available for in-person meetings 1-2 times/week.
• 6+ years of relevant professional experience, preferably with at least 3 years managing/supporting federally funded contracts, grants, or cooperative agreements.
• Bachelor’s degree (advanced degree preferred) in a relevant discipline such as business, management, public administration, international affairs, or public policy.
• Demonstrated experience managing people, tasks, timelines, and budgets in complex projects.
• Exceptional writing, critical thinking, time management, and organizational skills.
• Mastery of Microsoft Teams and OS365 suite and ability to quickly learn new software.
• Mature, proactive communicator who enjoys teamwork and is solution-oriented. 

Additional Preferred Qualifications

• Formal training or credentials in project or program management (e.g., PMP, Lean Six Sigma, Agile, Scrum master, etc.).
• Experience working in/around the State Department.
• Experience with monday.com or similar project management software.
• Fluency in one or more project-relevant language (Romanian, Bulgarian, Russian, Swahili, Hausa, Yoruba, Mongolian). 

Benefits:

• Salary range of $75,000-100,000 per annum, commensurate with experience
• Health, dental, vision, and life insurance
• Paid time off (PTO), sick leave, holidays
• Flexible schedule and hybrid work model enables great work/life balance
• Significant career advancement and professional development opportunities
• International travel

To Apply: 

Applications will be processed on a rolling basis, but must be received no later than Friday, January 19, 2024. Please apply early. We’d like to fill this position quickly. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

1.  First, please spend some time on our website (www.motiveinternational.com) getting a sense of who we are and what we do.

2. Next, prepare your CV and write a custom statement of interest (1-2 pages) addressing the following:

In 1-2 pages, briefly tell us what appeals to you about this opportunity and why you're the right person for this position. We're eager to hear about your project/program management skills as much as your broader career goals and interest in Motive's mission and the specific projects you’d be supporting (described in the position description). 

Note: Your statement of interest will be reviewed for content and as a sample of your writing skills. Applicants who do not submit a tailored written statement will not be considered. 

 3. Complete the application questionnaire, upload your CV and statement of interest, and submit.   

 4. Shortlisted candidates will be contacted and invited to a group information session/interview set to take place in Washington, DC, on Wednesday, February 7, 2024 (to be confirmed).

 5. Ideal start date is Wednesday, February 28, 2024 (sooner if possible).