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Junior Program Officer Jobs in Washington (NOW HIRING)

IREX

Program Officer

Washington, DC · On-site

$57K - $72K/yr

The Opportunity The Program Officer provides operational leadership and hands-on support for the ... Guide and coach junior staff, delegate work with clear priorities, and help ensure quality and ...

IREX

Program Officer

Washington, DC

$57K - $72K/yr

The Opportunity The Program Officer provides operational leadership and hands-on support for the ... Guide and coach junior staff, delegate work with clear priorities, and help ensure quality and ...

Pae

DARPA Junior Action Officer

Arlington, VA

The Action Officer will provide direct, high-level support to a DARPA Program Director managing a portfolio of exceptionally high-dollar, high-visibility research and development programs. This role ...

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Junior Program Officer information

See Washington salary details

$37.9K

$113.7K

$176.1K

How much do junior program officer jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 31, 2026, the average yearly pay for junior program officer in Washington is $113,673.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $81,000.00 and $149,500.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a junior program officer?

A Junior Program Officer is an entry-level professional who assists with the planning, implementation, and monitoring of projects and programs within an organization, often in non-profit, governmental, or international development sectors. Their responsibilities typically include supporting senior staff, preparing reports, coordinating activities, and ensuring that program objectives are met. Junior Program Officers also help with administrative tasks, communicate with stakeholders, and may conduct research or data analysis. This role is ideal for recent graduates or those starting their careers in program management or development work.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a junior program officer, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Junior Program Officer, you typically need a bachelor’s degree in a relevant field, strong analytical abilities, and project coordination skills. Familiarity with project management software, data analysis tools, and reporting systems is commonly required. Strong communication, organization, and teamwork skills help you effectively support program delivery and stakeholder engagement. These competencies are crucial for ensuring program objectives are met efficiently and for contributing positively to organizational goals.

What are some typical challenges a junior program officer might face when managing multiple projects simultaneously?

As a Junior Program Officer, managing multiple projects can present challenges such as balancing competing deadlines, coordinating with diverse stakeholders, and adapting to shifting priorities. Effective time management and strong organizational skills are essential to keep tasks on track and ensure clear communication with team members and partners. Seeking guidance from more experienced colleagues and leveraging project management tools can help mitigate these challenges and contribute to successful program outcomes.

What are the most commonly searched types of Program Officer jobs in Washington?

The most popular types of Program Officer jobs in Washington are:

What are popular job titles related to Junior Program Officer jobs in Washington?

For Junior Program Officer jobs in Washington, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Junior Program Officer jobs in Washington look for?

The top searched job categories for Junior Program Officer jobs in Washington are:

What cities in Washington are hiring for Junior Program Officer jobs?

Cities in Washington with the most Junior Program Officer job openings:

Junior Program Officer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Junior Program Officer job openings in Washington as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 78% Full Time, 18% Part Time, 1% Temporary, and 2% Contract. Highlights an 96% Physical, 1% Hybrid, and 3% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $113,673 per year, or $54.7 per hour.

Program Officer

IREX

Washington, DC • On-site

$57K - $72K/yr

Full-time

Posted 11 days ago

Job description

The Opportunity
The Program Officer provides operational leadership and hands-on support for the Mandela Washington Fellowship Operations team. In this role, you will manage and strengthen critical Fellowship processes, including Fellow selection, travel, visas, procurement, vendor management, finance, participant communications, and data management. You will help maintain accurate program systems and records, coordinate complex logistics before, during, and after program activities, and guide junior team members to ensure high-quality, timely deliverables. This role is ideal for an organized, solutions-oriented professional who brings strong judgment, attention to detail, and a commitment to responsive partner and participant support.
We're looking for our next team member-could it be you?
What You'll Do
  • Program Operations & Administration: Support day-to-day and cycle-based Fellowship operations, ensuring timely, accurate, and thoughtful completion of deliverables. Manage operational details related to Fellow selection, travel, visas, participant information, program systems, procurement, vendors, and event logistics. Maintain accurate records and strengthen program systems to support efficient implementation across the team.
  • Participant, Partner & Stakeholder Engagement: Serve as a reliable point of contact for participants, partners, vendors, and other stakeholders through clear, professional, and responsive communication. Manage program inboxes and contact information, prepare and edit internal and external communications, and provide guidance on project deliverables, policies, and logistics.
  • Finance, Procurement & Grant Support: Support financial administration, procurement, and compliance processes, including payment requests, vendor records, contracts, transaction reconciliation, cost-share tracking, participant taxes, and budget inputs. Help identify risks or discrepancies and coordinate with program leadership to address issues in alignment with IREX and U.S. Government requirements.
  • Team Collaboration & Continuous Improvement: Guide and coach junior staff, delegate work with clear priorities, and help ensure quality and accountability across outputs. Support workflow improvements that reduce duplication, improve coordination, and build shared knowledge across the Operations and Fellowship team and other program contributors.
  • Growth & New Business Support: Contribute to proposal development and partner engagement as needed, including drafting text, gathering supporting materials, supporting budget processes, and helping maintain relationships with external stakeholders and partner institutions.
Our Culture is Our People
At IREX, our culture is built on our people-and on how we work together to create meaningful impact every day. We look for colleagues who bring purpose, intellectual curiosity, collaborative problem solving, and a results driven, bias for action to help strengthen communities and advance our mission.
Successful candidates build trust across differences, move ideas into action, seek new perspectives, embrace change, and represent IREX with authenticity and professionalism. We value people who bring strong expertise and a generous team spirit to work that advances our mission.
Salary Range: $57,200 - $72,000
What You'll Bring
Skills & Experience:
  • Ability to work independently and collaboratively while maintaining professionalism, positivity, flexibility, and sound judgment amid shifting priorities.
  • Demonstrated ability to plan strategically, anticipate challenges, generate solutions, manage multiple priorities, and meet deadlines with a high degree of accuracy and attention to detail.
  • Experience managing complex international and domestic travel logistics, including flights, ground transportation, visas, disability accommodations, and related participant support.
  • Experience with data management, including cleaning and auditing data, synthesizing information from multiple sources, maintaining data integrity, managing records, and summarizing findings accurately.
  • Demonstrated knowledge of procurement procedures, financial tracking, budget management, vendor oversight, and compliance-focused records management.
  • Strong writing, editing, presentation, and oral communication skills, including the ability to produce near-final draft communications and documents.
  • Experience mentoring, coaching, or guiding junior staff or young professionals preferred.
  • Experience with SEVIS and J-1 visa regulations, including experience as an Alternate Responsible Officer, preferred.
  • Familiarity with U.S. Government grants and regulations, specifically U.S. Department of State grants and regulations, preferred.

Requirements:
  • Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience.
  • Three to five years of relevant progressive experience working with complex projects in program operations, international education, international development, a university, a nonprofit, or a similar organization, or equivalent experience.
  • Experience managing participant or stakeholder communications and difficult situations with professionalism, tact, diplomacy, and strong customer service across diverse audiences.
  • Experience with Salesforce or a comparable CRM or database; experience with SharePoint, Mailchimp, Alchemer, Canvas, Submittable, or comparable systems strongly preferred.
  • High-level proficiency in Microsoft Office products, especially Excel, including formulas, conditional formatting, and data validation.
  • Availability to support program activities in the evenings and on weekends, when needed based on the program cycle.

You must have unrestricted authorization to work in the United States.
What We Offer
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.
If you are excited by IREX's mission and see yourself contributing to this work, we encourage you to apply-even if your experience does not align with every preferred qualification. We value a range of backgrounds and experiences and are especially interested in candidates who bring curiosity, initiative, strong collaboration skills, and a commitment to meaningful global impact.
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.
NO PHONE CALLS PLEASE
Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.

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