The Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC) is the leading professional association for infection preventionists (IPs) with more than 15,000 members. APIC, located in Crystal City/Arlington, VA, is seeking a Program Specialist to assist with proposal development and support project planning and execution. This is a part-time (20 hours per week), temporary, remote position. APIC employees enjoy an inclusive workplace environment.

POSITION SUMMARY

Reporting to the Associate Director of Grants & Business Development, the Program Specialist is responsible for the coordination and administration of APIC’s grant- and contract-funded projects. In coordination with the Associate Director, this position assists in proposal development and budget and workplan creation. The Program Specialist supports project planning, execution, and monitoring, ensuring that clearly defined project goals, schedules, and budgets are met.

The Program Specialist is responsible for facilitating, tracking, and implementing processes throughout all project lifecycles, including maintaining budgets and workplans. This position will coordinate operational related aspects of the department’s project(s) while managing deadlines and monitoring the progress of the project against key performance indicators on a routine basis. The Program Specialist will coordinate effective and efficient execution of all aspects of contract- and grant-funded projects, assuring that project deliverables are completed on time and within budget. This position has significant interaction with members, vendors, and APIC staff and requires collaborative work with internal and external stakeholders, ensuring all parties are kept informed of changes or updates to project deliverables or timelines.

The Program Specialist exemplifies APIC’s staff core values of Ownership, Unity, and Commitment.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Program Coordination (50%)

Work with the Associate Director to develop and track project plans to include specific workplans identifying and sequencing activities needed to successfully complete projects.
Assist in defining project scope, goals, and deliverables and project tasks and resource requirements, including staff, time, money, equipment, etc.
Assist in development of project staffing plans.
Plan and schedule project timelines.
Develop schedules for project completion that effectively allocate resources to activities.
Review project schedules with management and any other staff that will be affected by the project activities, revising schedules as required.
Advise key stakeholders on all aspects of project lifecycle, changes, and or anticipated risks.
Collaborate with the Associate Director and the Finance Department to develop and track project budgets.
Regularly review and use data from budget versus actuals to inform key budget decisions.
Assist in determining objectives and measures upon which each project will be evaluated at its completion.
Assist in conducting project evaluations and assessment of results.
Prepare and submit project status reports on contract specific timelines.
Ensure key data are incorporated into workplan updates on a routine basis.

Program Execution (40%)

Coordinate execution of multiple projects according to project plans.
Collaborate with the Associate Director to recruit, hire, and coordinate activities of staff required to execute projects (contractors, SMEs, etc.).
Draft and coordinate execution of contracts/subcontracts with project support staff, e.g., SMEs, consultants, faculty, coordinators, etc.
Coordinate project logistics, including any project travel.
Collaborate with the customer to ensure projects are within scope and budget.
Support project accounting by:

Tracking team/consultant/contractor hours and expenses on a weekly basis.
Coordinating and tracking project budgets, reporting actual cash flow and variance to management on a regular basis.
Determining appropriate revenue recognition, ensuring timely and accurate invoicing, and monitoring receivables.
Assuring project legal documents are appropriately completed, signed, and filed.
Analyzing project profitability, revenue, margins, bill rates, and utilization.

Review, track, and ensure timely submission of all project deliverables to client, on time, within budget, and at the required level of quality.
Facilitate team and client meetings.
Work with the Finance Department using database techniques to process payments and create invoices.
Ensure that all project documents are complete, current, and filed appropriately.

Communication and Customer Service (10%)

Effectively communicate relevant project information to all team members and supervisor.
Resolve and/or escalate issues in a timely fashion.
Communicate difficult/sensitive information tactfully.
Contribute to writing and/or editing of web content, marketing copy, and contract/grant communications.
Develop professional relationships with APIC members and carefully navigate internal and external relationships.
Develop and maintain professional relationships with APIC government and clients to facilitate deliverables and avoid potential problems.
Minimize APIC’s exposure and risk on projects, by proactively raising concerns with next level of supervision.

SKILLS & ABILITIES

Exceptional attention to detail and organizational skills
Ability to exercise good judgment in a variety of situations
Strong written and verbal communication
Ability to maintain a realistic balance among multiple priorities, work under pressure to handle a wide variety of activities in a fast-paced environment, and respond to inquiries within a timely manner
Excellent program/project coordination skills
Ability to communicate information in a clear and concise manner with individuals at all levels
Ability to assess problem situations to identify causes, gather and process relevant information, generate possible solutions, and make recommendations and/or resolve the problem
Ability to set well-defined and realistic goals, take initiative, and monitor progress
Ability to work and communicate with clients and customers to satisfy their expectations with a commitment to quality service
Ability to work individually and as part of a team to achieve goals

REQUIRED EDUCATION AND/OR EXPERIENCE

Bachelor’s degree in a related field
Minimum of two years of program/project coordination experience, preferably in a public health, healthcare, or non-profit setting
Experience supporting federal grant or contract projects, preferably related to public health or healthcare
Knowledge and proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook
Experience in database management
Knowledge of or ability to write content and edit for the web
Knowledge of budgeting, financial reports, and understanding of business development principles

HOW TO APPLY

If you believe you meet the requirements, please submit a resume to the following job link (or copy/paste link to a new window):
https://workforcenow.adp.com/mascsr/default/mdf/recruitment/recruitment.html?cid=75f132ac-ed9b-4550-b6cb-bb942832fe39&ccId=19000101_000001&lang=en_US

Additional inquiries and questions can be emailed to Beth Cessna at jobs@cessnasearch.com or contact 202-232-1765.

About The Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC)

The Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC) is the leading professional association for infection preventionists (IPs) with more than 15,000 members. APIC’s mission is to advance the science and practice of infection prevention and control.

At APIC, inclusion, equity, and diversity are fundamental to its culture. From hiring practices through the entire team experience, APIC embraces and celebrates the unique experiences, perspectives, and cultural backgrounds that each employee brings to the organization. APIC strives to foster a culture where its team feels respected, valued, and recognized. The APIC team works together to help promote and sustain an inclusive workplace.

APIC is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer.

ABOUT CESSNA & ASSOCIATES, LLC

Cessna & Associates, LLC is a boutique HR consultancy partnering with mission driven, non-profit organizations. Our goal is to identify the best potential candidates that the market has to offer.

The Power of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Fuels Success
Cessna & Associates embraces and celebrates the strength that diversity brings to our organization. Just as we are deliberate in our own pursuit of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives, our efforts support our clients' DEI success. We drive every search with an unyielding focus to create an even playing field for all candidates and assess their ability to be "culture adds," not merely "fits" for our clients. Our team builds and nurtures this rich tapestry of diversity for ourselves and for our clients.