Flexible location where Helen Keller is an established employer.
Guided by the remarkable legacy of its co-founder, Helen Keller, Helen Keller Intl partners with communities that are striving to overcome longstanding cycles of poverty. By delivering the essential building blocks of good health, sound nutrition, and clear vision, we help millions of people create lasting change in their own lives. Working in 20 countries – across Africa, Asia, Europe, and the United States – and together with a global community of supporters, we ensure every person has the opportunity – as Helen did – to reach their true potential.
We are seeking a Project Management Officer to develop and coordinate integrated project plans for Helen Keller Intl’s Managing Director Team. This position will develop and maintain integrated project plans, assign owners and contributors, identify resources needed, and develop schedules to enable timely completion of activities, work products and deliverables. They will coordinate multiple projects at once across an assigned portfolio of countries. These include the coordination of proposal activities, training and learning efforts, the country portfolio’s contributions to strategic plan initiatives, and the portfolio performance management responsibilities of the Managing Director team. The Officer will support the delivery of projects on time, within scope and within budget. They will work closely with others across the team to understand priority levels, gather information, and create systems to plan and track deliverables. The Project Management Officer will identify and escalate critical path issues and risks, and follow-up with individuals and teams as needed to drive effective and timely completion of activities as per the plans.
The ideal candidate will bring strong project management expertise, thrive in dynamic environments, and demonstrate curiosity about how to optimize resources for impact and the evolution of new business models in the international development space. This is a full-time position with opportunities for cross-functional collaboration and professional growth. The preferred location is within the region supported by the position.
Functional Relationships
Reporting to the Managing Director or his/her designate, the Project Management Officer will be part of a team responsible for a portfolio of countries. As a member of that team, they will be responsible for the delivery of a vibrant portfolio of projects that spans countries and delivers impact in the lives of people. The Project Management Officer will develop and maintain strong relationships with country office leaders at the country office management team level, as well as with stakeholders in global Centers and with organizational leaders for Helen Keller’s strategic plan.
Key Responsibilities
Proposal Coordination and Development
• In collaboration with Country Office staff, the Center for Strategic Partnerships and your Managing Director Team members, coordinate the proposal development process, including proposal calendars, task assignments, and deliverables.
• Organize and facilitate proposal kick-off meetings, check-ins, and reviews to ensure timely progress and alignment.
• Compile, format, and edit proposal components to ensure clarity, consistency, and compliance with donor guidelines and internal submission approvals.
• As required, serve as the liaison among internal teams and with external partners.
• Coordinate partner inputs and documentation for consortium proposals.
• As a member of the business development practice, contribute to systems improvements and lessons learned to improve future submissions under the direction of the Center for Strategic Partnerships.
• Maintain accurate records in business development systems or databases.
Project Planning and Execution
• Establish and maintain both summary and detailed project plans (e.g., GANTT charts) and project budgets
for projects driven out of the Managing Director team.
• Assign tasks, define deliverables, and schedule activities in collaboration with the Managing Director and cross-functional stakeholders.
• Manage the day-to-day planning, logistics, and communication for Managing Director-owned projects,
ensuring timely execution and delivery of outcomes.
• Track progress against project plans and generate regular status reports, highlighting issues requiring
attention from Country Project Directors, Country Directors, the Managing Director or Center leaders.
• Maintain a risk register, escalate critical issues, and facilitate project review presentations for Managing Director team owned projects.
Portfolio Oversight
• Develop and maintain a register of critical donor-funded projects requiring oversight and
coordination with country office leaders and donor relationship managers.
• Maintain systems to monitor country office portfolio performance and ensure alignment with
strategic goals.
• Support knowledge sharing and documentation of best practices across the portfolio.
• Support business development efforts across the country portfolio as part of the managing director team.
• Develop, review, and refine portfolio review processes to enhance efficiency and effectiveness.
Stakeholder Engagement and Communication
• Develop, schedule, and execute a regular cadence of asynchronous check-ins and virtual meetings with project teams, sponsors, and stakeholders across time zones.
• Prepare high-quality communications and reports for internal and external stakeholders, including executive-level presentations.
• Provide superior customer service to stakeholders, ensuring responsiveness and clarity in all interactions.
• Contribute to thoughtful and creative discussions with project sponsors, country leadership, and other
stakeholders on project goals, resources, and challenges.
• Exercise independent discretion and judgment to mitigate risks and resolve issues, ensuring projects remain on track and stakeholders are satisfied.
For our team to be a great fit for you, the following qualifications should resonate with you:
• Bachelor's degree in project management, Business Administration, or related field required; Master’s degree or advanced certification in project management, management, business, human resources management, or related field is a plus.
• Minimum of 5 years of directly relevant experience (project management, product management, analyst,
management consulting); or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Demonstrated experience and ability to:
o develop and execute project plans and internal communications, including multiple projects or
portfolios at once;
o analyze data, identify implications, and develop recommendations;
o provide thorough documentation to support effective stakeholder engagement;
o influence senior leaders and others to act and hold them accountable to meet deadlines;
o troubleshoot matters arising and flag issues to senior staff;
o take proactive approaches to improving processes;
o ability to communicate effectively across cultures; and
o effectively collaborate with staff and stakeholders at all levels both virtually and in-person.
• Experience in business development and proposal writing including previous success coordinating
proposal submissions and supporting partnership development.
• Excellent oral and written English language skills, including the ability to clearly communicate complex
strategic and operational issues into layperson language. Written and oral proficiency in French is
preferred.
• Highly computer literate including knowledge of Microsoft software products, and strong Excel skills.
Experience with PowerBI or other analytical tools a plus.
• Ability to perform duties that require close attention to detail and synthesize substantial amounts ofinformation simultaneously.
• Well-established and practiced organizational and planning skills.
• Collaborative, flexible and solution oriented. An ability to maintain balance when under stress.
• Motivated, with strong attention to detail but who can also move quickly, pivot as needed (e.g.,
updating plans and meetings) and operate effectively in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability and willingness to flex schedule to accommodate availability of colleagues in other time zones.
• Adaptable, collaborative and solution-oriented mindset with a commitment to continuous learning.
Fairness, Belonging and Zero Tolerance to Abuse
As a member of the Helen Keller Family, each employee is expected to:
• Help to develop and maintain an environment that welcomes and develops a multi-cultural workforce
with varied lived experiences and identities.
• Foster a work environment where everyone feels valued and included.
• Support employees’ evaluation and promotion processes based on skills and performance.
• Promote a safe, secure, and respectful environment for all members of Helen Keller family,
stakeholders in general, and particularly for the communities we serve.
• Follow Helen Keller Code of Conduct helping to prevent any type of abuse including workplace
harassment, sexual abuse and exploitation, and trafficking in persons.
• Adhere to the Organizational Core Values
Compensation
The full-time annualized midpoint of the salary range for this position is $85,000. Helen Keller offers a comprehensive benefits package, including health coverage, paid leave, retirement savings with employer match, and professional development. Specific offerings may vary by country in accordance with local laws.
Qualified candidates should submit a cover letter and resume.
In the spirit of the extraordinary ability and vision of our founder, Helen Keller Intl fosters an environment of fairness and belonging for our workforce
Helen Keller Intl is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to the principles of equal employment opportunity for all employees and applicants for employment.
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