Project Manager

Position Description

EnCompass LLC is seeking a Project Manager II to support our United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Innovation Design, Execution, and Acceleration Support (IDEAS) contract. The IDEAS team works with the Bureau for Development, Democracy, and Innovation’s Innovation, Technology, and Research (DDI/ITR) Hub, USAID Missions, and other operating units to provide design assistance, technical expertise, and execution/acceleration support to bolster USAID open innovation programming.

The IDEAS Project Manager II (PMII) will play an instrumental role, providing critical management and operational support and backstopping the project’s leadership team. The PM II will be involved in the assessment, planning, delivery, and evaluation of IDEAS activities conducted in Washington, D.C. and internationally. The IDEAS PM II will work closely with EnCompass’ home office Operations, Finance, Contracts, and Talent Management teams to ensure alignment across the organization and to support seamless project delivery. The PM II will be instrumental in overseeing the project’s budget, scope, schedule, and quality standards and will be committed to delivering the highest quality of work in response to client needs and contract deliverable.

The ideal candidate will enjoy working with others to solve complex problems and will possess strong communication and leadership skills.

This is a full-time position located at the EnCompass principal office in Silver Spring, Maryland, and follows the EnCompass flexible hybrid work model with split time between telework and the office. This individual may also be expected to work from client sites in the Washington, DC metro area, as needed.

Candidates residing in the DC metro area will be given first consideration. Remote applicants might be considered, but only if the candidate resides in a state where EnCompass is currently registered.

Must be legally authorized to work in the US for any employer without sponsorship for a work visa or permit.

Position Duties and Responsibilities

Essential functions:

Financial Management

• Oversees financial aspects of IDEAS project by leading yearly projections, ensuring accurate review of monthly invoices (for accuracy and compliance with the contract provisions), monitoring monthly costs, and tracking contract expenditures against budget and total obligated funds
• Leads budgeting, planning, and negotiations with IDEAS partners and subcontractors. Creates budgets for new buy-in activities.
• Reviews and determines causes for variances to the budget and ensures that the Project Lead and Corporate Officer are aware of the status of budget and contractual performance

Operations

• Ensures smooth day-to-day project operations using effective project management and operational processes
• Liaises with EnCompass operations teams on behalf of the IDEAS project team, as needed
• Works closely with IDEAS leadership as well as EnCompass HQ Finance and Contracts teams on preparation of budget realignments, contract modifications, and subcontract modifications
• Builds and helps maintain/update internal project management and tracking tools
• Supports subcontract management
• Ensure the project team implements or appropriately adapts project operations and management standards and procedures in project setup, implementation, and closure, in compliance with client contract requirements and EnCompass policies and standards

Management and Administration

• Supervises and develops administrative staff:

– Supervises administrative staff in planning, quality, and compliance for travel and logistics for U.S. based and international travel

– Supervises administrative staff in internal staffing and vendor procurement processes for routine activity support functions.

– Supervises administrative staff to ensure that project-related data, files, and documentation are maintained, shared, and stored according to established protocols and in compliance with contract requirements

• Partners with the project lead to identify, track, and communicate program/project issues and risks, and advise on mitigation plans
• Conducts quality control reviews and ensures project milestones and deadlines are met, revising activities, timing, and resources, as needed, in response to shifting client deadlines and ad hoc requests
• Routinely presents updates on relevant management items to project leadership
• Engages in relationship management with USAID clients
• Manages support for project implementation tasks such as developing work plan, staffing, training, procurement plans, quality control plan, communication plan, risk management plan, project reviews, and project progress reports throughout the project life-cycle

Staffing

• Works with Talent Acquisition team to recruit project staff and consultants, including preparing job descriptions, conducting interviews with candidates, and onboarding new hires; may serve as Hiring Manager

Reporting

• Contributes to data summary and project activity reports
• Coordinates and prepares internal quarterly reviews

Other

• Engages fully as a member of the EnCompass staff team, including participating in staff meetings and other EnCompass events
• Contributes to company-wide project management guidelines and standards. Works with project staff to document best practices
• May require occasional international travel
• Other duties as assigned

Position Requirements

Qualifications

Academic Qualifications

• Minimum of a High School Diploma and 11 years or experience, or an Associate’s degree and 9 years of experience, or a Bachelor’s Degree and 7 years of experience, or a Master’s degree and 5 years of experience, or a PhD and 4 years of experience

Experience and Skills

Must have:

• Minimum of four (4) years of project management experience, including experience in:
  • Providing management, financial and contractual oversight and compliance on USAID funded projects
  • Creating quality review/control processes
• Experience managing international and national consultants and subcontractors
• Deep familiarity with range of U.S. Government contracts and budget requirements (FAR and AIDAR) – including cost plus fixed fee, time and materials, and fixed price contracts
• Developing and monitoring complex budgets for project activities
• Experience using project management software, for example, Asana or similar systems, word processing, database management, spreadsheets (Excel), and web-based programs
• Helping and tracking contracts or task orders and deliverables
• Excellent organization, communication (verbal and written) and problem-solving skills, with the ability to prioritize assignments and meet required deadlines in a dynamic environment, while managing multiple activities, ad hoc requests.
• Ability to work independently as needed, while also having excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to work collaboratively and engage effectively in a team environment, including with teams that span organizational divisions
• Ability to deal sensitively in multi-cultural environments and build effective working relations with clients and colleagues both in the U.S. and in country offices or Missions
• Strong judgment and discretion in managing potentially sensitive client, partner, and staff communications or financial information
• Committed to providing the highest level of service to clients and colleagues
• Willingness to travel internationally, occasionally, as needed

Preferred:

• Experience using Costpoint for financial reporting is a plus
• Ability to confidently engage with staff at all levels to define needs and expectations, collaborate on projects, and communicate results; supervisory experience strongly preferred
• Helping projects with a Grants under Contract (GUC) component, including FAA grants and international grantees, preferred
• Supporting Time and Materials (T&M) contract operations (experience with buy-ins and/or on demand tasks), preferred