Program Officer, National Security Education Languages Programs

SUMMARY:
Based in Washington DC, the Program Officer will be responsible primarily for the administration and operations of overseas programs for Chinese-language learners and for Turkish-language learners and for the administration of assessments for Flagship language programs. The Program Office will also provide support for series of workshops for language instructors and for other activities as needed.

The Program Officer will work closely with a dedicated team of staff members, who administer National Security Education Language Programs, including the Russian Overseas Flagship, and Flagship Language Initiatives for Hindi, Urdu, Swahili, French and Indonesian. This position has responsibilities for the Turkish Flagship Language Initiative (TURFLI), which entails a semester in Baku, Azerbaijan, and for the Project Global Officer- Taiwan program, which is an intensive summer program in Taipei. The position also entails collaborating routinely with staff in American Councils’ Assessment department to coordinate testing for participants in and applicants to all National Security Education Flagship Language programs. Key responsibilities include assisting with a variety of program logistics and the handling of regular administrative tasks. The position will require strong organizational skills, a high degree of accuracy and timeliness, the ability to handle multiple tasks and to work independently, as well as a capacity to communicate effectively with diverse groups of people.

RESPONSIBILITIES:
Overseas Programs TUFLI and Project Go Taiwan

Respond promptly to student inquiries.

Facilitate webinars with students to review application requirements for the programs.

Process applications and securely handle student documents and databases.

Help obtain visas for students and staff going overseas.

Assist with pre-departure orientations for students.

Support instructors use of CANVAS for their classes.

Process and keep well-organized records of invoices and payments by check and wires.

Arrange travel overseas and in the U.S. for students.

Assessment for Flagship Language Programs

Coordinate language assessments for participants in and applicants to the six Flagship Language Capstone programs (Arabic, Chinese, Korean, Persian, Portuguese, and Russian) and the six Flagship Language Initiative programs (Hindi, Urdu, Indonesian, Turkish, Swahili and French).

Schedule Oral Proficiency Interviews for the students, monitor and trouble-shoot the testing, collate results in a report, and keep track of invoices and payments.

Flagship Teacher Training Workshops and Modules

Provide support for five workshops for teachers of Flagship languages and for the production and vide recording of five teaching modules.

Assist with website updates (see https://www.svtt.americancouncils.org )

Help with logistics for workshops, including arrangements for travel, lodging, space rental, payments to consultants, etc.

Coordinate and support teleconferencing for virtual workshops, using Zoom.

Assist, if necessary, with visas for foreign instructors and participants.

Other Responsibilities

Provide general support for Flagship staff based in Washington, DC, and other duties as necessary.

Qualifications

BA or higher degree in fields related to international education is required.

Strong writing and speaking skills in English are necessary.

Proficiency in Turkish or Chinese (Mandarin) language are a plus but not required.

Experience with international education or service abroad is desired,

Solid organizational skills and multi-tasking ability, good problem-solving skills

Strong attention to detail

Effective interpersonal skills

Strong computing skills, including Zoom (teleconferencing), SquareSpace (for website upgrades), CANVAS (learning management system), Microsoft Word and Excel

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY – American Councils is committed to taking affirmative steps to enhance employment opportunities for minorities, women, veterans, and people with disabilities, and strives to ensure that meaningful employment and promotional opportunities are maintained for everyone. American Councils’ commitment to equal employment opportunity is based not only on federal requirements, but also on a longstanding commitment to maintaining a diverse workforce reflective of the communities in which we operate.

PAY TRANSPARENCY NONDISCRIMINATION PROVISION

The contractor will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor’s legal duty to furnish information.