Senior Associate Program Manager - Middle East & Central Asia

Are you looking to make a difference in the world by helping to save and improve lives? Are you energized by working at the intersection of U.S. national security, private philanthropy, and global impact?

Spirit of America is the only nonprofit organization that unites the American people with U.S. troops and diplomats stationed abroad to help them succeed in their missions, build goodwill, and save and improve lives wherever they serve.

Spirit of America seeks an exceptional Senior Associate Program Manager to support our initiatives in the Middle East and Central Asia region and serve in close cooperation and coordination with US military, development, and diplomatic personnel in security and stability operations. The Senior Associate Program Manager's duty is to provide rapid humanitarian and economic development assistance for needs identified at the local level in some of the world's most challenging environments. Senior Associate Program Managers will report to the Regional Director and play a pivotal role addressing critical needs by supporting and serving communities in the Middle East and Central Asia region. This is a full-time exempt position based at our Arlington, VA office, or in the Middle East region.

Responsibilities:

This position will require independent travel to the Senior Associate Program Manager's assigned area of responsibility. Cross-regional initiatives are also possible based upon the needs of the organization.

The Senior Associate Program Manager will:

• Implement Spirit of America's mission in one or more countries in accordance with regional plans and strategies, including the management of operational relationships and project design and execution.
• Within the assigned countries look for and surface new opportunities with the potential of being able to develop into SOA program initiatives.
• Collaboratively develop and implement initiatives in response to local needs identified by US military and/or government partners in support of US mission effects and objectives.
• Apply skills in project management to execute Spirit of America-funded initiatives. This includes managing project scope and objectives, maintaining stakeholder and vendor relationships, preparing budgets and contracts/agreements, coordinating procurement and logistics, identifying and managing risks, and measuring project performance.
• Prepare project proposals and post-project assessments analyzing key activities, outcomes, and lessons learned.
• Coordinate project logistics, including identifying and evaluating vendors, procuring supplies, and coordinating the delivery of donated goods to the end user. Often, this will require close coordination with the US or local partners.
• Manage relationships with stakeholders to include, US military, Department of State, think tanks, foreign public officials, civil society members, vendors, and enablers.
• Coordinate with local and US government partners to obtain project-related media and work closely with Spirit of America's Marketing Department to create effective content (i.e. written emails, PowerPoint slides, fact sheets) to engage donors and partners in the US and abroad.
• Assist the Regional Director in preparing regional data and reporting, forecasting program expenditures, and completing project audits. Engage in other special projects and initiatives as identified by the RD.

• Travel internationally approximately 35% of the year to the Middle East and Central Asia region and engage with partners, US government, and civilians.

Requirements:

• The Senior Associate Program Manager will have at least a BA/BS degree or equivalent experience.
• 4-8 years' experience working in or supporting: pre-conflict, conflict, or post-conflict environments, engaging with local populations and issues, partnering with host nation militaries or governments, or Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Response environments.
• Experience in working on small- to medium-scale projects ($25,000 to $500,000), preferably with budgetary management responsibilities.
• A solid understanding of USG interagency entities, roles, and processes and of America's 3Ds of foreign affairs - defense, diplomacy, and development.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, a strong attention to detail, and excellent organizational skills are required.
• A willingness to work outside regular hours to accommodate for meetings in different time zones.
• Experience working in the region or supporting issues related to one of those regions.
• Conversational in Arabic and/or Sorani, fluency strongly preferred.

Qualities and Qualifications:
The Senior Associate Program Manager's personal qualities are as important as their prior experience. They must be friendly, outgoing, natural relationship builders. The Senior Associate Program Manager needs to have exemplary patience and outstanding listening skills. The Senior Associate Program Manager will have very high personal initiative. They will spend the majority of their time interacting with US personnel and the local population.

The Senior Associate Program Manager will not only be a representative of Spirit of America but an ambassador of the goodwill of the American people. They must operate with the highest levels of integrity and cultural sensitivity. The Senior Assistant Program Manager must also have a deep understanding and appreciation of Spirit of America's decentralized, non-bureaucratic approach for rapid local progress worldwide.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience in or with the State Department, Interagency, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and/or private sector
• Exceptionally well-travelled

Salary and benefits:
Salary range $85,000 to $107,000 based on experience. Benefits include medical, dental, and vision insurance, and 403b contribution match to 4%.

Spirit of America
Spirit of America is a nonprofit founded in 2003 to engage citizens in preserving the promise of a free and better life. For over two decades, Spirit of America has united the American people with our troops and diplomats in common cause: to defend freedom, strengthen the frontlines of democracy, and secure a free and better life for those who seek it. We work with US troops and diplomats to identify places where America's help is needed most. Then we deliver assistance with flexibility and speed through our troops and a network of local partners around the world.

We are recognized by Congress and have an agreement with the Department of Defense that allows US troops to collaborate with us to build goodwill and deliver assistance at scale. We fill the gaps between what government can do and what is needed.

Our work saves and improves lives, prevents conflict, and strengthens America's security. In the world's toughest places, people experience the best of who Americans are and what we stand for.

Spirit of America is an equal opportunity employer. In accordance with applicable law, we prohibit discrimination against any applicant or employee based on any legally-recognized basis, including, but not limited to: veteran status, uniformed service member status, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age (40 and over), pregnancy (including childbirth, lactation, and related medical conditions), national origin or ancestry, citizenship status, physical or mental disability, genetic information (including testing and characteristics) or any other consideration protected by federal, state or local law. Our commitment to equal opportunity employment applies to all persons involved in our operations and prohibits unlawful discrimination by any employee, including supervisors and co-workers.