Project Management Specialist, Food Security & Agriculture at RTI Research Triangle Institute in Durham, North Carolina

Job Description:

The Food Security and Agriculture (FS&Ag) Division within RTI's International Development Group is seeking a Project Management Specialist to support our work in Food Security & Agriculture. The successful candidate will provide mid-level project management and operational support and technical assistance in all aspects of Home Office project implementation. They will support several projects in the division, focusing primarily on agricultural projects in West Africa, but may be assigned to support other projects and business development efforts as needed.

Essential Duties: 

• Provide day-to-day operational support to projects and project management teams that ensure compliance with RTI and client requirements.


• Develop and maintain project management schedules, project work plans, and other general project management resources.


• Lead budget formulation, monitoring and reporting support, including tracking key financial metrics like budgets, obligations, and forecasts


• Lead cost performance monitoring and reporting, including expenditures, invoices, advances, and accruals


• Ensure accurate and compliant record keeping and administration performance, including tasks such as conducting/managing file desk reviews and spot checks.


• Provide general project management reporting to project management teams. 


• Liaise and coordinate support services from business partners as appropriate.


• Monitor and lead correction process to ensure project documentation, deliverables and data are maintained consistently in accordance with policies and standards.


• Lead user of the relevant project SharePoint sites, provide training and assistance to project teams, ensure compliance with pre-defined document filing standards, manage the access rights matrix and troubleshoot any access issues.


• Support business and proposal development needs of the assigned program as directed by the Portfolio Manager.


• Provide technical assistance support to projects as defined by the Project Manager.


• Provide input, review and/or submit client communications as required.


• Support conference planning, logistics and reports, as appropriate.


• Liaise with technical specialists in coordination of technical development and support to projects. 


• Support business and proposal development needs of the assigned program as directed by the Portfolio Manager.


• Perform other program and project support duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications: 

• Bachelor’s degree in agriculture, international relations, economics, political science, business, or related field, and 4 years of related work experience; or Master’s degree in agriculture, international relations, economics, political science, business, or related field, and 2 years related work experience.


• Proficiency in French.


• Interest in agriculture, food security, nutrition, digital technologies or similar areas in an international context. 


• Advanced knowledge in project management in international development, experience with USAID-funded activities is required.


• Ability to travel to conflict zones in addition to other domestic and international travel as assigned.

Preferred Qualifications: 

• 4+ years of experience managing USAID contracts and cooperative agreements.


• Advanced proficiency in administrative and operational support skills and abilities, experience working with budgets exceeding $10 million annually.


• Knowledge and experience with food security, agriculture, economic growth, value chains, West Africa, data analysis, and/or similar technical area preferred.


• Proficiency in additional languages.