Program Specialist, China

Who We Are

Peace is our commitment. The United States Institute of Peace represents the American people’s shared values and commitment to peace worldwide. We know that Peace is Security – it advances both U.S. and international security by preventing, managing, and mitigating violent conflict.

We are an independent, non-partisan institution and are actively engaged with peacebuilding efforts worldwide. Together we tackle the most challenging problems and hold fast to the possibility of a more peaceful world. To learn more about USIP programs and job openings, go to https://www.usip.org/about/careers.

If you have a passion for making the world a better place and want to have a front-row seat on the world stage, USIP is the place for you. 

Job Brief

The Program Specialist will contribute to, support and lead where applicable, the USIP China Program with substantive research, writing, and analysis, project and/or program management, budget and contract management, day-to-day administrative and logistical support. The Program Specialist will report to a senior member of the China Team, work closely with all members of the China Program and is a member of the Asia Center. This is a full-time position, based in Washington, DC, with some travel required.

TARGET SALARY

Grade 10 - $71,000 - $73,000

The Institute uses the General Schedule salary tables for administering compensation. Offers are determined based upon candidate qualifications, related experience, internal equity, and the amount budgeted for the position.

Major Duties and Responsibilities

Research Support:

• Assists China team colleagues with substantive research, writing, and project development.
• Works with the China team colleagues to define research priorities and identify partners.
• Reviews and edits products written by USIP or external authors.
• Provides meeting notes.
• Builds and maintains substantive expertise on a range of issues related to China.
• Writes and/or assists in writing and publishing articles for the USIP website and other USIP and external publications with colleagues.

Program Planning Support:

• Develops, edits, and updates program informational items for internal USIP staff members and external audiences (e.g., web content, project pages, event pages, etc.).
• Supports program strategy development.
• Maintains program databases, files, and Sales Force contacts, and holds responsibility for the accuracy of the data.
• Assists China team colleagues in identifying new programming and managing existing program activities (e.g., plans, develops, coordinates, and implements the program’s support services).
• Assists in the development of concept notes and proposals for new areas of research and programming as needed.
• Coordinates the implementation of the day-to-day operations of the program, including with key external stakeholders.
• Designs and manages the monitoring and evaluation (M&E) for team projects/programs in collaboration with the Learning, Evaluation, and Research (LER) Team.

Events:

• Assists in the planning and organizing of workshops and other meetings in Washington, DC, and abroad.
• Coordinates all logistical arrangements for program events, including reserving rooms, drafting event text and panelist bios, sending out invitations and monitoring RSVPs, ordering food and supplies, arranging room set-up, serving as the main point-of-contact for attendees, and developing promotional and informative descriptions of events for internal USIP staff members and external audiences. 
• Drafts event text, agendas, panelist bios, etc. and develops promotional and informative descriptions of events for internal USIP staff members and external audiences.
• Liaises with panelists and/or co-sponsoring organizations.
• Creates web content for events on USIP website and Exact Target.
• Assists in the organization and expansion of the program’s Salesforce contact list to help the team better target research, event, and other list engagement announcements to the appropriate audiences.
• Serves on USIP-wide events assistance roster.

Budget and Contract Management:

• Leads requisitions, invoice and expense processing, and cash requests, monitors payment of contract services; and generates budget reports.
• Develops and maintains contract tracking system and remains prepared to answer basic questions about any contract under the China Team’s management (e.g., contract expiration date, amount of funds remaining, latest payment, etc.).
• Leads budget tracking for selec