Associate, Trade and Enterprise

Associate, Trade and Enterprise 

Improving Economies for Stronger Communities (IESC) is a leading U.S. nonprofit organization that catalyzes private sector growth and creates economic opportunity for people and communities across the economically developing world. Since our founding in 1964, we have delivered lasting solutions across 139 countries. 

IESC is a valued partner to people and communities throughout the economically developing world. We share proven business skills and experience with entrepreneurs, jobseekers, businesses, farmers, cooperatives, and governments. We also offer resources—human, technological, financial—that sustainably build capacity and empower communities. Our long legacy of strengthening developing economies is matched by our vision for the next generation: a world with economic opportunity for all, where people and communities thrive. 

Our major funders today are the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), among others. 

We are currently recruiting an Associate to support the Trade and Enterprise Practice Area. The Associate, Trade and Enterprise will support IESC’s sub-agreement implementation of the USDA-Food for Progress funded Cambodia HortSafe project. HortSafe is a five-year $15M project implemented by Venture 37, with IESC leading efforts to raise awareness and compliance with food safety standards among tourism industry actors. HortSafe will strengthen Cambodia’s food systems and increase productivity in fresh fruit and vegetable value chains in key horticultural production and tourism geographies across the country through the implementation of four key Activities:

1. Capacity Building – Government institutions to strengthen food safety standards and control systems;
2. Capacity Building – Enhance laboratory technical capacity in testing, inspection, and certification;
3. Training – Improve post-harvest handling and processing; and
4. Capacity Building – Increase food safety awareness and food compliance. 

It is anticipated that the Associate, Trade and Enterprise will support HortSafe and one other project in Trade and Enterprise’s portfolio. 

The Associate, Trade and Enterprise will also periodically support new business efforts and practice area tasks as needed. This position is based in the Washington, DC home office of IESC, reports to the senior manager, Trade and Enterprise and is a full-time (40 hours per week) position. 

Duties and Responsibilities

• Provide support for day-to-day project operations.
• Support field office team with all operational and technical requests.
• Review and edit project reports and deliverables and deliverable inputs from local team members.
• Provide support for project sub partners and contracts, monitor monthly invoices and issue contract modifications, as necessary.
• Assist with startup and closeout activities for projects, which may include travel to field offices.
• Manage project documentation including reports, financials, and contact information and maintain files in SharePoint.
• Support the monitoring of project expenditures and projections.
• Review and reconcile monthly expense reports from the field offices and expense reports and ensure compliance with IESC policies and U.S. government and USDA regulations.
• Update and manage the recording of project property.
• Coordinate review and revision of project manuals on annual schedule.
• Support development and management of closeout plans.
• Support project startup activities as needed.
• Attend industry events related to the subject matter or region of a project to network and learn information that could be valuable to project activities.
• Support new business efforts, including cost data collection, budget, and cost narrative development.
• Support practice area knowledge management and talent acquisition as requested.
• Other tasks as assigned.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree with 1 to 2 years of related experience.
• Fluency in English required. Fluency in Spanish preferred.
• Previous international work experience preferred.
• Experience with financial and operational management.
• Self-starter, detail-oriented, thorough, and well organized with the ability to prioritize among competing requests.
• Effective communication skills and cross-cultural competency.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.

The salary range for this position is $45,500 to $58,000.  IESC has developed a salary range based on market survey data.  New employee salaries are typically established within this range based on qualifications, internal equity and the amount budgeted for this role.      

Our organization is committed to promoting an inclusive workplace that values every individual and their diverse backgrounds and experiences.   IESC’s employee-led diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility (DEIA) committee guides IESC’s efforts to become an even more diverse, equitable, and inclusive organization. The committee creates strategic accountability for DEIA related results, provides governance and oversight on DEIA efforts, and promotes organization-wide communication on progress.    

IESC is proud to be an equal opportunity employer and is committed to achieving a diverse workforce in which all applicants and employees receive equal treatment regardless of their personal characteristics. IESC is committed to providing employment opportunities for all persons, regardless of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity and transgender status), national origin, disability, age, veteran's status, sexual orientation, genetic information, marital status, parental status, political affiliation, or any other category protected by applicable law.