Higher Education Institution (HEI) Development Officer at IREX – Washington, District of Columbia

Higher Education Institution (HEI) Development Officer

Location: Amman, Jordan

Group/Practice/Unit: Global Impact Hub

Who We Are

For more than 50 years, IREX has delivered results in complex environments. We solve problems through partnership, bridge divides where interests conflict, and develop leaders committed to impact. The youth we empower build stronger economies. The educators we support improve learning for countless students. The critical thinking skills we advance help people make informed decisions about their futures. We approach our work through three horizon goals: leaders bridge divides; learners succeed in the world of work; and people thrive in a technology-, AI-, and data-driven world.

Job Summary

Higher Education for Innovation and Growth (HEIG) is a five-year USAID-funded activity in Jordan. This activity aims to strengthen the core functions of higher education institutions (HEIs) and support effective and sustainable collaboration among HEIs, industry, and government stakeholders to improve teaching and learning, research, and innovation.

Based in Amman, and under the supervision of the Performance Improvement Senior Manager, the HEI Development Officer will be responsible for organizing and administering the program’s day to day technical activities such as university selection, provision of resources and technical assistance to universities, convenings of working groups, workshops, trainings and events in close coordination with the technical team. They will be responsible for maintaining productive relationships with HEIG’s university partners.

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Knowledge & Skills:

Provides technical support and inputs to an assigned program(s) or project. Responsible for contributing, creating, and guiding the work associated with project outputs, including but not limited to program design, required products, gathering, drafting, and creating workflow plans, budgets, internal/external reports, presentations, and other documents/deliverables as identified. Responsible for the development of written communications by drafting, approving, and sending correspondence.

• Support the Performance Improvement Senior Manager in the effective support and management of HEIs and participants.
• Support partner universities in the co-development and implementation of Performance Improvement Action Plans (PIAPs), ensuring alignment with HEIG objectives and national higher education priorities.
• Track PIAP implementation milestones and provide follow-up coordination with HEI focal points to ensure timely progress and documentation of institutional improvements.
• Coordinate and support capacity strengthening interventions for partner universities, including workshops, peer-learning exchanges, mentoring, and technical assistance related to governance, research management, industry partnerships, and workforce alignment.
• Support the technical team in all aspects of program implementation to ensure timely and accurate completion of deliverables, including university selection and provision of resources and technical assistance to universities across core functions (teaching and learning, research and knowledge transfer).
• Contribute to and manage the production of program deliverables, including reports, technical products, training materials, handbooks, templates, and guides, including content development, formatting, and proofreading.
• Provide input into the development of external materials and strategic planning sessions.
• Support the technical team and partners in the production of accurate and nuanced technical assessments.
• Ensure that all assigned programmatic and administrative deliverables are achieved by the established deadlines.
• Assist with project activities, including establishing relevant systems for work planning, tracking progress, processes, etc.
• Contribute to program monitoring, evaluation, learning, and data management efforts.
• Provide administrative support including budget tracking, preparation of consultant scopes of work and contracts.
• Track and analyze work plan activity, progress toward project objectives and track and analyze project indicator data.
• Support HEIG exchange participants identification and selection process.
• Support exchange participants through the pre-arrival administrative process.
• Travel throughout Jordan, as appropriate.
• Other administrative and programmatic duties, as assigned

Relational Communication

Interact with key stakeholders, partners, and/or fellow IREX employees. Responsible for drafting and sending correspondence with stakeholders. Guidance and/or approval before engaging stakeholders may be required, in some cases.

• With guidance from the Performance Improvement Senior Manager, maintain day-to-day communication with HEIs and ensure delivery of relevant information and deliverables as required.
• Under the supervision of the Performance Improvement Senior Manager, liaise with key stakeholders and support university core functions.
• Support network development through and serve as an active connector for the program’s eventual network of participants, HEIs, and other stakeholders, as appropriate.
• Contribute to the program’s communications efforts, including success stories, and program reports.

Partner Engagement

Supports and coordinates country partner outreach as requested. Gathers market intelligence specific to the area of responsibility. Supports one or more areas of the renewal process of the program, including, but not limited to, proposal design, writing, and/or review.

• Support the identification of HEIs in alignment with HEIG outcomes.
• Collaborate with HEIs and consortium partner staff to leverage resources and expertise for program success.

Budget, Financial and Project Compliance

At the direction of project leadership, independently and accurately performs financial administration tasks (check requests, sub-award approval level, etc.). Makes independent decisions about the type of information needed to populate a given document, consistent with policies. May have the authority to sign for approval for smaller amounts as defined by the project.

• Track program expenditures and monitor program budgets for participants or grant recipients.
• Assist with financial tracking, procurement, payment processing, and reconciliation.
• Support the execution of all types of agreements with HEIs, ensuring compliance and quality deliverables.

Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field (e.g., innovation, economics, education, international development, management information systems, or related fields).
• At least 3 years of experience working in a non-profit organization and/or managing international education programs, preferably with a focus on research development, private sector engagement, workforce development, professional training/development, and higher education.
• Experience maintaining positive relationships with external stakeholders and partners.
• Experience creating, managing, and monitoring program work plans and budgets.
• Experience supporting university – private sector engagement preferred.
• Experience supporting capacity-strengthening efforts in higher education settings preferred.
• Experience supporting and managing sub-awards preferred.
• Experience working with monitoring and evaluation systems preferred.

Skills

• Excellent communication and organizational skills with demonstrated cross-cultural
• Professionalism in written correspondence and report writing, excellent presentation and oral communication skills in Arabic and English
• Ability to work in a positive, solutions-oriented way independently and collaboratively with others on a team.
• Research skills preferred, especially rapid desk reviews, facilitation of capacity assessments, and conducting interviews.
• Strong computer skills and proven track record in the advanced use of modern communications tools, internet, email, social media, and teleconferences
• Detail-oriented with the ability to multitask and adjust priorities in a fast-paced working environment to adhere to strict deadlines.
• Must demonstrate valid proof of unrestricted work authorization in

Additional Perks:

At IREX, you’ll work alongside committed, passionate, and collaborative colleagues who are united by a shared mission—making it a truly rewarding place to work. We offer learning, development, and growth opportunities, along with a comprehensive benefits package designed to support your overall well-being.

Please note: While we aim to offer competitive compensation, not all candidates will be eligible for the upper end of the salary range.

Disability Specifications

IREX will make reasonable accommodations in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments of 2008.

Equal Opportunity Employer

IREX seeks to attract the best-qualified candidates who support IREX’s mission and who respect and promote excellence through diversity. IREX is committed to equal opportunity and follows recruitment and selection practices that comply with all applicable employment laws. To this end, IREX recruits, hires, trains, and promotes individuals based on merit and experience.

We conduct background checks on all successful candidates.

This position is not eligible for Immigration Sponsorship.

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