Program Officer Atrocities Prevention and Response Program; WA

Posted on August 23, 2017

Wellspring Advisors, a private philanthropic consulting firm, seeks a Program Officer to join its Atrocities Prevention and Response (APR) Program, based in Washington, D.C.

The APR Program Officer works with the APR Program Director, Program Assistant, and other Wellspring staff onan international grantmaking program focused on ensuring that the international community effectively prevents and responds to large-scale, systematic violence against civilians—situations that include genocide, crimes against humanity, ethnic cleansing, and other types of “mass atrocities.” The program includes thematic concentrations on atrocity prevention, international response mechanisms, and emergency prevention and response activities.

The work of the Program Officer will consist of staying abreast of relevant issues, trends, and policy developments; managing part of the program’s grants portfolio, to include monitoring and evaluating existing grants and soliciting and recommending new or continuing grants, building and maintaining relationships with other donors, and participating in funder collaboratives, among other things. Additional responsibilities include mentoring junior staff, participation in cross-programmatic and company-wide activities, and development and implementation of funding strategies and grantmaking best practices.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Under the guidance of the Program Director, develop, refine, and implement grantmaking priorities and strategic approaches concentrated primarily on the Atrocity Prevention theme, including work on early warning and early response mechanisms, as well as “dangerous speech,” consistent with the program’s current multi-year work plan, proactively researching grantmaking opportunities and challenges.
• Monitor developments in the field to identify emerging needs, gaps, and opportunities.
• Work with Wellspring’s Chief Learning and Evaluation Officer and other staff to integrate measurement and evaluation as well as capacity‐building and technical assistance throughout the program, internally and among grantees.
• Partner with staff from other Wellspring program areas to share strategic thinking.
• Attend conferences and other events on field-specific issues.

Grantmaking

• Undertake initial screening of potential grantees, manage grantee relationships, analyze and assess background information, conduct site visits, solicit and develop funding proposals, determine appropriate funding levels (in compliance with Wellspring guidelines), and prepare grant recommendations.
• Review progress reports, conduct evaluations of grantee programs, and monitor use of grant funds.
• Advise grantees, especially start-ups, on best practice approaches, tools, and information for organizational growth and development, managing leadership and staff transitions, multi-year strategic planning, and due diligence.
• Ensure adherence to internal grantmaking processes via appropriate documentation, grant budgeting, and reporting.
• Stay abreast of new developments and trends in the mass atrocities field and provide analyses to synthesize implications for the program.

External Relations

• Create annual work plans, annual reports, and undertake other activities to educate donor clients on issues related to the APR Program.
• Exercise leadership through active engagement with peer funders, affinity groups, and civil society organizations working in fields relevant to the APR Program.
• Engage in creative use of convenings, co-funding, partnerships, pooled funds, and other tools together with other partners to promote a common grantmaking agenda and advance learning in the philanthropic and advocacy sectors, among others.

OrganizationalEngagement

• Participate in the advancement of organization‐wide initiatives at Wellspring, including internal committees or task forces.
• Initiate and lead institutional discussions as needed.
• Other duties as assigned.

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILL REQUIREMENTS/QUALIFICATIONS

• Minimum of 7 years’ experience with a social justice organization or in philanthropy working on international development or international human rights…