2310 - Special Assistant, Programs

The National Endowment for Democracy (NED) is a 501(c)3 grantmaking foundation that receives an annual Congressional appropriation in excess of $310 million and is governed by a private, bipartisan Board of Directors. This unusual arrangement positions NED to play 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 Special Assistant, Programs who is a mission-oriented team player, and who would be excited to join a fast-paced Programs team. This position is based in Washington, D.C.

Position Summary:

The Special Assistant works under the supervision of the Vice President for Programs/Director, Programs to support the VP office and to manage and coordinate initiatives across the Programs department.  Responsibilities include coordinating among regional teams and ensuring consistent application of standards and policies, supporting knowledge-sharing among staff and across teams and departments, and implementing systems to support program staff needs within a dynamic and growing grant-making program.

Responsibilities: 

Responsible for assisting the Vice President for Programs/Director, Programs with the operations and administration of seven programs teams. This includes:

• Coordination across NED departments to facilitate projects and initiatives that require the cooperation of diverse sets of stakeholders.
• The Special Assistant works closely with all levels of staff to ensure that day-to-day operations and special projects are supported and completed efficiently.
• Production of interdepartmental communication.
• Facilitation of forums to promote cross-regional staff discussion and consultation.
• Facilitation of the adoption of best practices and standards within the Programs department.
• Serving as a liaison for Programs with other NED departments on public affairs, board communications, planning, budgeting, proposal review processes, grant data and data systems, and other processes and systems.
• Provision of administrative, analytical, and editing support for the Vice President and the Director, Programs.
• Maintenance of calendars and contacts.
• Other responsibilities and projects as assigned.

Qualifications:

• Undergraduate Degree Required or equivalent relevant experience; Graduate Degree/advanced studies Preferred.
• Proficiency with MS Office, including PowerPoint and Excel.
• Minimum 2 years of domestic or international democracy-related experience.
• Experience in grant-making, with demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects with a high level of detail.
• Demonstrated interest in global trends in democratic development and civil society issues.
• Strong written and oral communication skills.
• Attention to detail and the ability to multi-task.
• Excellent computer skills, including Microsoft Office suite, databases and other applications.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, with demonstrated ability to interact effectively with all levels of staff.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, international office environment.
• Authorized to work in the United States.

To Apply:

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.