Sr. Risk Managment Program Officer

Key Responsibilities

Risk Assessment & Analysis

• Advise on and serve as the technical expert on risk management, intelligence, and national security issues affecting WHA/AC programs.
• Oversee and manage the bureau's Terrorism Risk Assessment (TRA) and Bureau risk mitigation policies, procedures, and records management.
• Provide guidance to WHA/AC staff in identifying and implementing risk mitigation measures to address assessed risks.
• Support Program Officers (POs) and Grant Officer Representatives (GORs) to draft risk-based assessments.
• Provide analytical research, drafting, documentation, coordination, and case-processing support for the office's foreign assistance risk management activities.
• Assist in reviewing proposed programs, program modifications, implementation issues, partner reporting, and related materials to identify and document terrorism-financing, sanctions, compliance, program integrity, operational, and other relevant risks for federal review.
• Review partner reporting, incident reporting, third-party monitoring outputs, and other relevant materials as needed to identify risk indicators, emerging issues, and changes in operating conditions; prepare summaries or draft analysis for federal personnel.
• Coordinate with MEL advisors, program staff, grants personnel, and other stakeholders to collect relevant information and support preparation of risk assessments, trackers, summaries, and related written products.
• Draft risk assessment inputs, memoranda, summaries, briefing materials, trackers, and supporting documentation in accordance with office procedures, templates, and federal direction.
• Support federal personnel by preparing background materials and draft issue summaries related to sanctions, licensing, compliance, and related risk matters, as directed.

Counterterrorism Vetting Operations

• Assist on vetting processes, providing intelligence and analytic support to WHA/AC and bureau leadership.
• Review and analyze potential derogatory information in coordination with WHA/AC leadership from Risk Analysis Management (RAM) office searches.
• Prepare vetting case recommendations and present to WHA/AC leadership and the Senior Bureau Official (SBO) for final approval in accordance with WHA/AC Risk Management SOP.
• Assist on vetting recommendations in consultation with INR and other stakeholders as necessary.
• Coordinate with the Office of Risk Analysis Management (RAM) on all vetting-related matters.

Training & Compliance

• Provide vetting training to applicants, awardees, and WHA/AC staff to ensure understanding of vetting requirements and proper handling of Personally Identifiable Information (PII).
• Train implementing partners on proper identification of Key Individuals subject to vetting.
• Work with Grants Officers (GOs) and Grants Officer Representatives (GORs) to review and approve individuals (Key Individuals or Recipients) that implementing partners have identified as being subject to vetting.

Policy Development & Coordination

• Provide vetting and risk mitigation guidance and support to WHA/AC and other bureau offices as requested.
• Review and recommend updates to risk mitigation policies and procedures during annual reviews.
• Coordinate clearances for appropriate offices (INR, L, desks, posts, etc.).
• Advise on Exception to Policy (ETP) requests and vetting order modifications.
• Determine whether cases elevated merit consideration from the DAS/SBO to overcome relevant derogatory information.

Documentation & Records Management

• Maintain organized, accurate, and audit-ready records, files, trackers, and supporting documentation consistent with office procedures and documentation standards.

Secondary Responsibilities

Program Officer Support

When not engaged in risk mitigation activities, the contractor will provide the following program officer support to WHA/AC throughout the grants management lifecycle:

• Plan and develop foreign assistance programs aligned with U.S. foreign policy objectives and Integrated Country Strategies.
• Support identification of program goals, objectives, and performance indicators through research and analysis.
• Analyze past performance of applicant institutions with prior grants using program monitoring and feedback.
• Draft and coordinate Notices of Funding Opportunity (NOFOs) for public posting on Grants.gov.
• Facilitate objective merit review panels and coordinate with various sections or agencies for review input.
• Support Grants Officer (GO) and Grants Officer Representative (GOR) in application review and recipient selection decisions.
• Assist GO with award preparation, documentation, and coordination with implementing partners on award terms and conditions.
• Support negotiation of program scope, budget, and deliverables, ensuring required vetting and risk mitigation measures are incorporated.
• Facilitate award kick-off meetings and orientations.
• Monitor award implementation, including programmatic, technical, and financial aspects through reports, audits, and site visits.
• Review program reports and deliverables, ensuring compliance with award terms and conditions.
• Track program milestones, deliverables, and performance indicators.
• Provide technical guidance to implementing partners on program design and implementation matters.
• Address programmatic challenges, facilitate problem-solving, and coordinate with posts, desks, and regional offices.
• Prepare program summaries, briefing materials, and status reports for leadership.
• Maintain program files and documentation in accordance with records management requirements.
• Support GO and GOR in closeout activities, verifying completion of all deliverables and performance objectives.
• Review and approve final program reports and assist with documentation of lessons learned and best practices.
• Support de-obligation of remaining funds and ensure proper archiving of award files.

Required Qualifications

• Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information (TS/SCI) security clearance.
• At least 5 years of relevant experience in risk management, compliance, foreign assistance, monitoring, program integrity, grants management, or a related field.
• Working knowledge of foreign assistance risk policy and compliance principles associated with diversion, fraud, loss, theft, terrorism-financing, sanctions, and broader implementation challenges in international assistance programs.
• Strong analytical written and oral communication skills, with the ability to prepare clear, concise, accurate, and defensible written products.
• Ability to provide clear guidance on complex policy and legal matters.
• Strong project management and organizational skills.
• Familiarity with counterterrorism name-check vetting, due diligence, compliance review, case processing, or similar screening functions.

Preferred Qualifications

• Background in intelligence analysis or counterterrorism.
• Familiarity with Western Hemisphere regional security issues.
• Experience with foreign assistance grants management throughout the full grant’s lifecycle.
• Experience drafting program impact assessments and risk-based assessments.
• Ability and experience managing multiple competing priorities.
• Experience conducting site visits and program monitoring in challenging environments.
• Knowledge of Grants.gov and other federal assistance systems.
• Understanding of federal assistance regulations (2 CFR) and Department policies (2 FAM 050, 14 FAM 247, 4 FAM 600).