Program Support Specialist

Overview of the Company

Social Solutions International, Inc. (Social Solutions) is a Hispanic and woman-owned business emphasizing quality research and evaluation, training and technical assistance, and institutional support services. We are a mission-driven organization that believes that superior science can improve the world. Social Solutions is dedicated to the creation of social and health solutions to improve the welfare of underserved populations worldwide.

Social Solutions is a large, thriving business with a fun atmosphere that encourages creativity, new ideas, and employee health and well-being. We put our employees first and use empathetic leadership, taking a genuine interest in our employees’ lives and the challenges they face in and out of the workplace. Diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) are integral to our company culture, and we are continuously striving to enhance our DEIA efforts across our company. You will feel like a contributing member of a growing team and company that has flexibility to enhance processes and procedures quickly to improve performance and growth. We help our employees carve out a professional pathway that has mutual benefits for them and Social Solutions. Social Solutions also offers exceptional compensation and benefits, detailed below.

Overview of the Position

This position is located within the Development Innovation Ventures (DIV) team, USAID’s evidence-tiered, open innovation grantmaking program that provides risk-calibrated funding for

cost-effective, scalable solutions to development challenges. DIV’s principles-based funding approach has proven immensely successful: its early portfolio has already returned $17 in social benefit for each dollar awarded.

DIV is housed within the Innovation, Technology, and Research (ITR) Hub, which leads USAID’s work in expanding the identification, experimentation, exploration, and integration of innovative technologies, processes, and practices that amplify the success of USAID’s programming. Working collaboratively with the Agency and external partners, ITR's mission is two-fold:

1. To produce breakthrough development innovations by sourcing, testing, and scaling proven solutions that impact millions of people;
2. To transform development by opening it to people everywhere with good ideas, promoting new and deepening existing partnerships, bringing data and evidence to bear, and harnessing scientific and technological advances.

ITR is housed within the Bureau for Development, Democracy, and Innovation (DDI), which integrates technical expertise with values-driven, cross-cutting priorities and modern approaches to the way USAID performs its work.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Social Solutions is seeking a Program Support Specialist to support DIV’s grantmaking process and management of awards throughout their periods of performance. The incumbent will manage the team’s clearance processes, create and maintain templates, review and track key documents, and help finalize award packages. The position will liaise with partners within and beyond ITR in order to support grantees

• particularly those new to USAID - and ensure DIV awards generate the maximum possible social benefit. The position will be responsible for other tasks to support the DIV team’s work, which may include general administrative work, scheduling events, application review, etc.

The major duties and responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Assists technical staff in the preparation of various program documents and correspondence for procurement and award management such as project authorization documents, action memos, waivers, and gender and environmental reviews, ensuring that all documentation is complete and in compliance with rules, regulations and standards.

• Maintains and creates templates for use in procurement and award management

• Maintains documents and guides for grantees’ use throughout the procurement and award

• Contributes to the development and rollout of tools to support DIV and its grantees’ work (e.g. data collection templates, knowledge products, and thought leadership materials).

• Receives, tracks, and manages multiple incoming actions and processes at once, ensuring compliance with regulations and deadlines.

• Routes communications, including clearance of official correspondence, and responds to routine requests for Creates and maintains an organized process for clearances and manages DIV’s clearance process, liaising with contacts within DDI and across the Agency.

• Facilitates DIV’s relationship with the Office of Acquisition and Assistance (OAA) and the Bureau Environmental Officer (BEO), ensuring compliance with regulations and timely responses to requests.

• Streamlines procurement and award management processes, identifying and troubleshooting bottlenecks and liaising with partners across the Agency to find solutions that support the Agency’s drive toward localization.

• Collects and makes arrangements for distribution of grant- and program-related material to Missions, Bureaus, and other Agency partners.

• Performs other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• At least three years of related experience; experience with federal grants preferred
• Exceptionally organized with great attention to detail
• Comfort multitasking and managing multiple processes and moving parts while balancing different priorities
• Track record of proactively solving problems by identifying areas for improvement, iterating, and delivering results
• Track record of building trusted relationships with partners, and comfort working independently and in teams
• Demonstrated commitment to improving the lives of those living in poverty
• US Citizen
• Secret clearance obtained (preferred)

Equal Employer

Social Solutions offers competitive salaries and comprehensive benefits. Please submit your resume online at www.socialsolutions.biz.

Social Solutions is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, protected veteran status, disability status, sexual orientation, gender identity or any other characteristic protected by law.