Associate, Program Management

ABOUT THE COMPANY

The Open Society Foundations work to build vibrant and inclusive democracies whose governments are accountable and open to the participation of all people. We are active in more than 120 countries, making us the world’s largest private funder of independent groups working for justice, democratic governance, and human rights.

JOB SUMMARY

Key external relationships Higher education partners, CEU and other grantees The ideal candidate Educated to a degree-level (or equivalent). Substantial relevant experience in non-governmental organizations, universities, think tanks, arts and culture organizations, philanthropy, development, consulting, and/or the public sector.  Understanding of the field of higher education and key trends and developments. Experience working at or with higher education institutions.  Excellent strategic and analytical skills. Complex project management experience. The candidate must be willing to be flexible as their areas of work may expand/change in the future depending on the skills and experience of the successful candidate, as well as the needs of the program.  Grant making experience will be an advantage. Experience in more than one geographic region will be a strong asset

RESPONSIBILITIES

Effectively manage the grant making processes related to the higher education team’s objectives. This responsibility includes day-to-day liaison with grantees about proposal development and submission, providing feedback and reviewing budgets, overseeing grant record preparation, ensuring timely processing of grants, payments and reports, and undertaking periodic reviews of progress with grantees, including site visits and attendance of program meetings. Build a strong understanding of the organizational grant making rules and policies. Help design grant selection processes and projects.  Work collaboratively with other members within the team and with colleagues across OSF to ensure the team is effectively leveraging OSF’s capabilities to reach the agreed outcome.  Communicate with and build collaborative relationships with grantees and partners. Provide guidance on OSF processes and procedures. Provide expertise, both internally and externally, to support the development of grantee organizations and projects.  Assist in the construction, maintenance, and assessment of grant making, sharing responsibility for design with manager. Provide support for internal and external initiatives and events with the Administration Officer, including support in conceptualizing events, identifying speakers, developing event agenda, and working with operations colleagues to manage event logistics. Manage and oversee consultant contracts, as needed. Contribute to planning and development of annual goals and budgets. Perform other tasks and take on other responsibilities, as required by the Director, Higher Education. 

REQUIRED SKILLS

Programme management, Project implementation, Project preparation and planning, Project management

REQUIRED EDUCATION

Diploma, Associate's degree