Program Officer

Job Summary

Working as a member of one or two multi-disciplinary teams and under the guidance of a senior team member, Program Leader (PL) and/or Program Manager (PM) if applicable, the Program Officer (PO):

  • Under the supervision senior team members develops, monitors, manages, and evaluates small research projects and Research Support Projects (RSPs);
  • With guidance from senior team members, is responsible for a portfolio of Program Initiative (PI) projects in the range of 20-35 projects and RSPs values up to $5-7 million.
  • Liaises with program colleagues in Ottawa and the regional offices on issues of project development and management;
  • Assists senior team members in the identifying, developing and managing IDRC’s contacts with other international agencies and Canadian institutions;
  • Contributes to Centre-wide public relations efforts and to knowledge dissemination and utilization, including participation in IDRC, public and scientific fora;
  • Assists in revenue generation by preparing reports to co-funders and donors; and
  • Participates in team meetings.

Primary Duties or Responsibilities

Project Development

  • Assesses proposals, including conceptual, methodological, operational, evaluative, and financial aspects;
  • Identifies and develops research proposals in accordance with Centre policies;
  • Incorporates, at the project design stage, plans for dissemination and utilization of research results;
  • Explores the potential for support and participation by the Canadian research community;
  • Develop partnerships with other funding agencies to support project activities,
  • Negotiates with researchers to increase the use they make of research as input in policy formulation; and
  • Prepares project documents for approval.

Project Management

  • Manages, in consultation with the Resources Branch staff, the preparation of contracts and grant letters, materiel purchases, travel arrangements, analysis of financial statements, adjustment of budgets and schedules, and project closures;
  • Provides technical supervision, including analysis of interim reports, participation in workshops, literature searches, identification and administration of resource persons/consultants in support of projects;
  • Reviews final project reports of research results, and negotiates revisions and/or additional research requirements; and
  • Assists in coordinating the research activities of collaborative projects between Canadian and developing country researchers;

Program Development

  • Works and contributes within the PI team structure that guides the formulation and development of the PI’s program strategy and related project portfolio.

Project Evaluation

  • Plans and manages project evaluations; and
  • Prepares project completion reports.

Centre-wide Collaboration

  • Participates in regular PI meetings, and when required in other Program Area, Branch and Corporate meetings and committees; and
  • Collaborates with colleagues in Ottawa and the regions in connection with the PO’s portfolio of projects in the identification and evaluation of emerging and key development trends and priorities in a particular region.

Research Utilization and Centre Representation

  • Assists researchers in writing, editing, and publishing research results; and
  • Participates in public and scientific fora;

Supervision

  • Directly supervises more junior professional staff which may include Research Officers, Professional Development Awardees, Research Award Recipients, Summer Students and administrative and support staff; and
  • Indirectly supervises staff from the Resources Branch assisting with the administration of a Program Initiatives projects.