The National Endowment for Democracy (NED), is a private, nonprofit grantmaking foundation dedicated to the growth and strengthening of democratic institutions around the globe. With an annual appropriation from Congress, NED makes more than 2,000 grants to support the projects of nongovernmental groups abroad who are working for democratic goals in more than 100 countries. Governed by an independent Board of Directors, NED holds a unique role as America’s leading foundation for freedom, empowering the institution to be nimble, innovative, and risk-taking in support of democratic activists, civil society organizations, independent media, and the NED family core institutes (the International Republican Institute, the National Democratic Institute, the Center for International Private Enterprise, and the Solidarity Center). We seek a motivated, energetic, organized, and resourceful Assistant Program Officer/Program Officer who is a mission-oriented team player, and who would be excited to join a growing and fast-paced Europe, Regional Programs team. This position is based in Washington, D.C.

Position Summary:

The Assistant Program Officer (APO) or Program Officer (PO) will work with the regional director and senior program staff to manage the Endowment’s grant programs in Eastern Europe, with emphasis on Moldova and Ukraine, as well as other countries in Eastern Europe as needed.

Responsibilities:

Oversee the implementation of NED-approved projects and evaluate the effectiveness and the institutional growth of NED grantees by analyzing narrative reports, providing feedback on implemented activities, maintaining continuous communication over the grant cycle, and conducting regular field visits.
Work closely and flexibly with a diverse range of civil society groups and media organizations that focus on government accountability, human rights, rule of law, conflict resolution, civic education, and other areas.
Produce written materials and presentations to provide funding recommendations to NED leadership.
Monitor political developments in Eastern Europe to inform NED strategies and programming.
Build and maintain relationships with like-minded organizations, including other donors, NED partners, and regional organizations.
Travel to assess the operating environment, political situation and civil society needs; monitor existing grantees; and, identify new partnership opportunities. The visits include meetings with NED grantees, core Institutes, meetings with potential civil society partners, other donors, and political analysts and opinion-makers.
Think creatively about how to improve team effectiveness, including suggestions for new team processes, improving grantee-reporting guidelines, communicating with other teams at NED.
Work collaboratively with other members of the Europe team to achieve shared goals.
Liaise with other NED teams; participate in various working groups and other initiatives to improve NED’s thematic expertise and effectiveness.
The level of responsibility and independence in assigned tasks will increase with experience.

Qualifications:

Knowledge/Experience:

Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs, Political Science, International Development, or a related discipline; Master’s degree preferred.
Demonstrated experience in the nonprofit sector or donor organization.
Work experience in democracy-related projects and programs required for:
2+ years of experience for APO and 4+ years of experience for PO.
1+ years of relevant field experience in Moldova or Ukraine is required for APO; 2+ years of relevant field experience in Moldova or Ukraine is required for PO.
Significant experience in nonprofit work.
Knowledge and experience in financial monitoring and reporting.
Knowledge and experience in grant management processes.
Other Qualifications:

In-depth understanding of political issues and trends in Europe.
Familiarity with civil society issues and knowledge of civil society organizations and individual activists in the region.
Excellent written and oral communication skills in English.
Professional fluency in Ukrainian or Russian is required.
Ability to travel to Europe.
Authorized to work in the United States.
Competencies:

Excellent written and oral communications skills.
Exceptional analytical and interpersonal skills.
Ability to maintain professionalism under pressure.
High degree of organization and initiative.
Demonstrated ability to work as a team player, including coordination and facilitation skills.
This position is part of the NED Bargaining Unit.

To Apply:

Apply Online. Applications must include a cover letter, resume, desired salary, and contact information for three professional references, of which one should be a supervisor. Please, no phone call inquiries.

The NED is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, non-disqualifying physical or mental disability, national origin, veteran status, or any other legally protected characteristics covered by applicable law. The NED is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodation for all qualified individuals and bases all employment decisions on qualifications, merit, and business need. The NED believes that diversity and inclusion amongst our team members are critical to our success as an organization operating globally and seek to recruit, develop, and retain the most talented people from a diverse candidate pool.

For more information, please visit our website at http://www.ned.org/careers or careers@ned.org.