Senior Program Officer, Education & Culture

Country: United States Area of Interest: Education Posting Date: August 14, 2026 Type of Employment: Staff About Partners of the Americas Partners of the Americas (POA) is a private, nonprofit volunteer organization founded in 1964 that connects people, institutions, and communities across the Western Hemisphere, especially between the United States, Latin America, and the Caribbean. Its purpose is to build bridges of collaboration to promote sustainable development, strengthen civil society, and create opportunities that improve people’s lives. Over the past six decades, POA has become a strong network that engages volunteers, professionals, governments, and businesses, generating positive impact in education, economic development, agriculture, health, youth leadership, and community resilience. Position Summary Reporting to the Senior Director, Education Unit, the Senior Program Officer for the Education and Culture Program provides program management, compliance, financial oversight, and stakeholder coordination for Partners of the Americas’ U.S. Department of State-funded Education and Culture (E&C) Program. The Senior Program Officer leads day-to-day administration of the Program, ensuring that all activities are implemented in accordance with the approved proposal, award terms and conditions, and applicable U.S. government regulations. The Senior Program Officer serves as Partners of the Americas’ primary point of contact with the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) for technical and administrative matters related to the Program, and works closely with Partners’ Finance and Administration, Communications, Community & Volunteer Engagement, and Monitoring and Evaluation teams to ensure sound program, financial, and compliance management. This position does not have supervisory responsibilities. This position is based in Washington, DC. Program Management Lead day-to-day implementation of the Education and Culture Program. Oversee the application, review, and selection process for exchange participants and sub-award applicants, including recruiting and orienting reviewers and coordinating review committees. Develop materials and resources for prospective applicants, participants, and sub-award recipients, and guide program agendas, orientations, and cultural-immersion activities. Monitor program implementation against the approved Work Plan and proposal, identifying and resolving implementation challenges. Support onboarding, orientation, and ongoing technical assistance for Group Pre-Designed Exchange and Community-Led Project sub-awardees. Award and Compliance Responsibilities Ensure Program implementation complies with the terms and conditions of the Award, 2 CFR Parts 200 and 600, and the Department of State Standard Terms and Conditions for Federal Awards. Oversee compliance with Exchange Visitor Program (J-1 visa) regulations under 22 CFR 62, in coordination with the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) and Public Affairs Sections. Ensure Program materials and communications comply with ECA branding, marking, and Communications Guidance requirements. Support compliance with award-specific conditions, including OFAC licensing provisions and subrecipient vetting requirements, in coordination with the Finance and Administration Unit. Oversee preparation and timely submission of semi-annual and final performance and financial reports to ECA in accordance with the award’s reporting schedule. Financial and Operational Coordination Partner with Partners’ Finance and Administration Unit to monitor the Program budget, ensuring costs are allowable, allocable, and classified in accordance with U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP). Review and support processing of sub-award contracts, invoices, and payment requests for exchange facilitation and community-led project sub-awardees, consultants, and vendors. Track program expenditures and cost-share contributions against the approved budget and flag variances or risks for resolution. Maintain program files, records, and documentation in compliance with award and organizational requirements. Monitoring, Evaluation, Reporting, and Learning Lead development and maintenance of the Program’s Performance Monitoring Plan (PMP), including data collection tools, standards, and processes aligned with the Monitoring Data for ECA (MODE) Framework. Oversee data collection and reporting through the Program’s grants management and survey platforms to track required performance indicators. Analyze performance data and prepare biannual program briefs summarizing accomplishments, challenges, and recommendations for ECA and Partners’ leadership. Facilitate internal and ECA-level Pause and Reflect sessions to review program data, identify trends, and inform adaptive management decisions. Document lessons learned and promising practices, including facilitation of Learning Circles and other capacity-building activities for grantees. Prepares technical reports as required in the award. Donor, Partner, and Stakeholder Coordination Serve as Partners of the Americas’ primary point of contact with ECA for technical and administrative matters related to the Program. Maintain regular communication and recurring coordination meetings with ECA and Public Affairs Sections at U.S. embassies and consulates participating in the Program. Cultivate and manage relationships with POA Chapters, organizational members, program alumni, and community partners across the United States and Latin America and the Caribbean supporting exchange hosting and sub-award implementation. Represent the Program at donor meetings, webinars, and events, including the annual What Works Conference. Support alumni engagement activities, including recruitment of alumni as application reviewers, panelists, and orientation volunteers. Internal Collaboration and Communication Coordinate with Partners’ different units for the successful implementation of the Education and Culture Program. Collaborate with the Community & Volunteer Engagement team to leverage the POA Chapter network for exchange hosting, recruitment, and community-led projects. Work with Finance & Administration and Contracts staff on sub-award agreements, payment processing, and compliance documentation. Coordinate with Partners’ Monitoring and Evaluation staff on data collection tools and reporting deliverables. Keep the Senior Director, Education Unit informed of program progress, risks, and opportunities requiring senior-level attention. Business Development Prepare the yearly proposal in response to the ECA solicitation for the Education and Culture Program. Others Other tasks as assigned. Qualification and Minimum Requirements Thorough understanding of U.S. government rules and regulations applicable to Department of State-funded exchange and grant programs, including 2 CFR Parts 200 and 600. Strong program and project management skills, including the ability to manage multiple activities, deadlines, and stakeholders simultaneously. Demonstrated ability to monitor budgets and expenditures and support accurate financial reporting in accordance with U.S. government requirements. Excellent written and oral communication skills, including the ability to prepare donor reports, proposal sections, and program materials. Strong interpersonal and cross-cultural skills, with the ability to build and maintain relationships with donors, partner organizations, and community stakeholders across the United States and Latin America and the Caribbean. Excellent organizational skills and the ability to prioritize effectively and meet deadlines in a fast-pacedenvironment. Fluency in English required; proficiency in Spanish and/or Portuguese (written and oral) preferred. Proficiency in Microsoft Office and experience with grants management or survey platforms (e.g., Zengine by WizeHive, Qualtrics). Ability to competently represent the Program and contribute to donor, partner, and other high level stakeholder meetings. Demonstrated ability to work independently, exercise sound judgment, and manage competing priorities with minimal supervision. Education, Experience & Training Bachelor’s degree in international development, education, international relations, or a related field required; master’s degree preferred. Minimum of six (6) years of relevant professional experience in program or grants management, international exchanges, or international development, including at least two (2) years in a senior program or project management role. Minimum of three (3) years of demonstrated experience managing U.S. government-funded programs, preferably exchange, grants, or sub-award programs funded by the U.S. Department of State or the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA). Experience managing sub-awards or subrecipients, including monitoring compliance and financial reporting. Experience developing or implementing performance monitoring plans and USG performance reporting. International experience, preferably in Latin America and the Caribbean. The salary range for this position is $58,389-$73,000 annually. Final compensation will be based on experience, skills, and qualifications. Partners is Proud To Be An Equal Employment Opportunity And Affiantive Action Employer. Partners Does Not Discriminate In Employment On The Basis Of Race, Color, Religion, Sex (Including Pregnancy And Gender Identity), National Origin, Political Affiliation, Sexual Orientation, Marital Status, Disability, Genetic Information, Age, Membership In An Employee Organization, Retaliation, Parental Status, Military Service, Or Other Non-Merit Factor. #J-18808-Ljbffr Partners of the Americas