Program Coordinator

The Open Society Foundations currently seek a program coordinator for the Office of the Western Balkans (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, and Slovenia).

Open Society Foundations

The Open Society Foundations work to build vibrant and tolerant societies whose governments are accountable and open to criticism, whose laws and policies are open to debate and correction, and whose political institutions are open to the participation of all people. We seek to strengthen justice and the rule of law; broaden respect for human rights, including the rights of minorities; encourage pluralism and a robust diversity of opinion; deepen democratic practice and participation; expand economic equity; support effective governance; and invest in individuals, public and private organizations, and social movements that advance these goals.

We are a global network of foundations committed to local knowledge and national expertise. Our network includes national foundations, regional foundations, and other geographic programs operating in more than one hundred countries. At the same time, many programs with global reach operate from our four headquarters in Europe and the United States, including programs on digital information, documentary photography, drug policy, early childhood, education, fellowships, fiscal governance, higher education, human rights, international migration, justice, public health, scholarships, think tanks, and women's rights. In addition to making grants to organizations and individuals, the Open Society Foundations engage in policy advocacy, legal advocacy and litigation, program-related investing, and public communications, as well as providing direct assistance to governments. Most programs and foundations in the network are governed or advised by their own boards.

The Open Society Foundations are the global philanthropies of George Soros, who, as chairman, plays an active role in the work of the foundations. 

Job Profile

The candidate should have a strong interest in the Western Balkans. He/she must be able to speak, write, engage in Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian; knowledge of other languages of the region (Albanian, Macedonian, Slovenian) will be a plus. He/she should have knowledge of political, social, and historical aspects of the Balkans. He/she must have ability to translate relevant documents from Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian into English and vice versa in both Latin and Cyrillic alphabets.

The purpose of the position is to provide administrative and programmatic support to the Office of the Western Balkans in New York as part of the Open Society Initiative for Europe (OSIFE) geographic unit. The national foundations in the Western Balkans are in the following countries: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Macedonia, Serbia, and the Open Society engagement in Montenegro. Work is carried out independently and under general supervision.

Essential duties and responsibilities include the following.

Program-Related

• Provide general administrative support to the Office of the Western Balkans;
• Draft/edit internal correspondence, meeting agendas, and other materials;
• Liaise with national foundations in the Balkans; facilitate the coordination between national foundations, OSIFE and other Open Society entities including thematic programs and other offices in Europe and Washington, D.C.;
• Keep current on political and other developments in the countries of the Western Balkans; follow and monitor key political events in the media, both foreign and local (i.e., elections in the Western Balkans, crisis situations, outstanding developments, etc.);
• Prepare issues of the Western Balkan Dispatch and updates concerning key political and social events for distribution among Open Society and other interested parties;
• Provide assistance with translation from/to the languages of the region;
• Assist with logistics and travel arrangements;
• Assist with drafting and compiling briefing materials for senior management, OSIFE, and other parts of Open Society;
• Work closely with OSIFE admin office and budget, finance, and accounting departments; prepare/review expense reports; collaborate with service providers for assistance as needed;
• Assist in preparing office's administrative budget;
• Assist in troubleshooting national foundations' strategic, programmatic, administrative, management, personnel, and other issues;
• Conduct research using web tools and provide information on specific issues, organizations, or individuals;
• Perform special assignments, including in collaboration with OSIFE and other programs and working groups;
• Travel to Europe and to the region is required.

Grants

• Manage the funding grants for the five national foundations under department's purview;
• Provide internal review and give feedback to thematic programs on project proposals received from the Western Balkan region;
• Manage project grants to organizations all across Europe, perform organizational due diligence, draft and review project proposals.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree from a four-year college or university and three to five years of relevant experience and/or training, or equivalent combination of education and experience;
• Experience in philanthropic organizations and/or not-for-profits preferred;
• Degree in relevant studies—international relations, political science, human rights, etc.;
• Experience with databases preferred;
• Proven ability to work efficiently in a fast-paced environment, to troubleshoot and follow projects through to completion, consistently on schedule, without loss of attention to detail and budget;
• Excellent written, verbal, organizational, analytical, and interpersonal skills;
• Excellent computer skills, proficient in Microsoft Office, Excel, and Power Point;
• Excellent listening and communication skills, with sensitivity to cultural communication differences;
• Shows discretion and ability to handle confidential issues;
• High level of self-motivation and at ease working independently when necessary;
• Poised and works well under pressure, attentive to detail, and works well under pressure, often simultaneously on a wide range of tasks and projects;
• Flexibility and willingness to work simultaneously on a wide range of tasks and projects and ability to prioritize tasks;
• Pleasant, diplomatic manner and disposition in interacting with senior management, co-workers, and the general public.

Work Environment and Physical Demands

Essential functions are typically performed in an office setting with a low level of noise. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Compensation

Commensurate with experience. Excellent benefits package.

Application Instructions

Please email resume and cover letter with salary requirements by June 27, 2014, to: humanresources@opensocietyfoundations.org. Include job code in the subject line: PC-WB.