Program Manager: Gender, Women and Democracy

Program Manager: Gender, Women, and Democracy
Candidates must be legally eligible and authorized to work in the U.S. NDI does not provide sponsorship.  

Position Summary

The National Democratic Institute for International Affairs (NDI) seeks a Program Manager for the Gender, Women and Democracy (GWD) team. The postholder is expected to be able to: provide technical advice on gender, women and democracy to NDI’s  regional program teams; plan, design, implement, and manage one or more designated programs, which are generally complex and have a significant budget; develop and manage partnerships within the Institute and beyond it, to support NDI’s program implementation, advocacy on norms or thought leadership initiatives.  

GWD contributes to the planning, designing and implementation of regional, country and global programs related to overcoming the barriers to women’s political participation as a pathway to gender equality and women’s empowerment.  GWD also develops tools and approaches for gender-transformative democracy programming, informed by NDI’s theory of change, and its commitment to gender analysis and gender mainstreaming. 

Essential Accountabilities

• Conduct all aspects of program management, ensuring the effective and efficient execution of the established program work plans, including established actions, outcomes, and timelines. Monitor progress, identify problems and barriers and make recommendations to management for necessary adjustments to ensure successful, quality outcomes.
• Facilitate collaboration with team leadership, other team members, and as required across other teams to coordinate gender-intentional programmatic activities, including the development of gender-specific program concepts and content for proposals, ensuring alignment with broader institutional strategies and gender and inclusion approaches. These include the full integration of Do No Harm, conflict sensitive and accountability principles.  
• Identify, document and share feedback on successful gender mainstreamed processes/programs, as well as areas where improvements can be made for the establishment/execution of future programs.
• Lead the development of detailed work plans to ensure achievement of assigned program(s) objective(s) and expected outcomes, including the establishment of actions to be taken, the required resources (time, funding, staffing, etc.), a schedule/timeline for the actions required, and specific measures/metrics for evaluation at completion.
• Conduct relevant gender-informed analysis, assessments and evaluations to determine potential impacts on gender relations and equity of programmatic work related to program-specific initiatives, plans, and/or problems. This might require travel to program countries and sites. 
• Advise on and review as necessary the use of gender-disaggregated data and metrics associated with program progress. Draw conclusions and present findings in a concise and understandable manner with related recommendations for any proposed actions to be taken. 
• Serve as a resource and provide general guidance to Project Assistants, Program Associations, and Program Officers on programmatic procedures, tasks and assignments.
• Draft, or review/edit drafts prepared by Program Associates and/or Program Officers, related to assigned communications such as board memos, briefing memos, reports (e.g. quarterly) or portions thereof, work plans, proposals, and presentations.  Ensure that these are drafted in adherence to specific guidance, justice and equity principles. Finalize for submission by quality assuring drafts for use of proper and accurate formatting, spelling, and grammar usage as well as inclusion of required content.   
• Manage and monitor budgets, grants and expenditures for assigned programs, with particular focus on those with greater complexity, e.g. involving multiple grants, teams, and field offices. Maintain budget-related notes/documentation and ensure completion of reconciliations and proper application of allowable costs according to restrictions, structures, and established mechanisms/processes. Work to ensure adherence to budget limitations and anticipate/address overages, implementing solutions to budget variances with input/agreement from higher-level team members as necessary. Provide guidance to lower level staff related to budget preparation, tracking, and reconciliations.
• Establish, foster and maintain relationships with field staff, funding agency representatives, and overseas partners to ensure successful program implementation and execution and to articulate new funding proposals and concepts. Brief and/or collaborate to provide briefings to specific country political, civic and business leaders, donor organizations and members of the international community about NDI activities and positively influence and gain needed action for programmatic success. 
• Act as a liaison with selected members of NGO, funding and Washington policymaking communities, as required, and negotiate with key program contacts, political leaders, donors and others to obtain relevant funding and establish program parameters and deliverables.
• Provide support for local and regional program conferences, workshops and meetings, leading the organization of cross-functional workshops as required. Represent NDI at selected external events/meetings to assist with NDI’s public outreach. 
• Establish and maintain a network of potential international training resources, volunteers, and field representatives and engage/select those appropriate to meet specific needs, including through the creation and dissemination of  gender mainstreaming program guidance tools and handbooks. 
• Adhere to NDI’s organizational values, standards of conduct, policies and processes, and any other established expectations for NDI employees, including those related to performance, i.e. goals and position description accountabilities/responsibilities such as those presented herein. 

Peripheral Accountabilities/Responsibilities (Non-essential)

• Support onboarding and training for Project Assistants, Program Associates and Program Officers, as required. Participate in interview processes, as needed.
• Act as a back-up for other team members as needed. 
• Participate in cross-functional initiatives as needed.
• Actively seek and engage in professional development opportunities to enhance knowledge in project/program management, and maintain a general working knowledge of relevant program trends and issues occurring external to NDI.
• Perform other duties as required.

Parameters

• Incumbent operates under general direction, works in accordance with established procedures and objectives.
• Incumbent serves as a resource and provides guidance to lower-level staff.
• Incumbent regularly interacts with staff at all levels within NDI.
• Incumbent regularly interacts with NDI partners, funders, and other stakeholders, including international development organizations, civic organizations, NDI’’s network of volunteers, trainers, and experts, political leaders and other key program contacts.

Required Qualifications

Education

• Bachelor’s degree, preferably in Gender Studies, International Relations, Political Science, Women, Peace and Security or a related field, or equivalent experience working with gender-focused or women’s rights organizations.
• Graduate degree in Gender Studies or Women Peace and Security is preferred.  

Experience

• Five years of relevant work experience in international-development,women’s and girls’ rights and empowerment, feminist movements, community organizing, political campaigns, or legislative affairs, or a similar field, including experience in program strategy and design. An advanced degree or work towards one in a relevant discipline may be substituted for required years of experience on a one-for-one basis.
• Prior relevant international field work experience performed in-country is highly desired.

KSAs 

• Advanced knowledge and competence in gender, women’s rights and inclusion or women, peace and security and one or more of NDI’s international development disciplines, e.g. political campaigns, elections, community organizing, technology innovation, etc. 
• Knowledge of budget development/management and accounting processes along with math skills and the ability to perform accurate calculations and understand quantitative information.
• Strong analytical and judgment skills for identifying problems, drawing conclusions, determining options for resolution, and recommending next steps. 
• Negotiation skills and the ability to be innovative and creative in finding ways to resolve issues and secure necessary support and resources for achieving programmatic goals. 
• Excellent interpersonal skills and cultural sensitivity to interact effectively and diplomatically with individuals at all levels of the organization, as well as externally both domestically and internationally with NDI partners, funders, and other stakeholders, as well as with U.S. and foreign government personnel.
• Strong oral and written communication skills, including the ability to communicate effectively and project a professional image when giving and taking information in writing, in person, and through various communication media. The ability to present to varying sized audiences in a manner that influences and drives understanding is highly desired.
• An attention-to-detail, with a propensity to complete work accurately and with a focus on quality.
• Action-oriented with a high level of initiative and an advanced level of proficiency in the ability to multi-task and prioritize; manage time, perform project management, problem-solving, and organizational skills; and flexibility to adapt and respond to shifting priorities.
• Capacity to work effectively both independently and as a member of a team.
• Ability to apply discretion and maintain confidential information.
• Ability to travel internationally.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office to include Word, Excel and PowerPoint; knowledge of/proficiency in Google Suite tools preferred. Basic database skills are desired.
• Fluency in Arabic or French or Spanish is highly desired.

Work Environment 

This position generally is performed in an office environment and may be suitable for partial telework. 

Occasional evening and weekend work may be required, as well as attendance at external events.

Some international travel is required in this role, approximately 5% to international meetings or forums and 20% to NDI field locations. These locations often are in remote locations and may require significant time and varying modes of travel. Designated locations also may at times be considered less secure and with greater risk to NDI employees.

Physical Requirements

• Sitting/mobility—to work at a desk and move around work areas.
• Speaking/hearing—to engage orally in conversation with others and conduct presentations.
• Seeing—to effectively use a computer screen and for reading and interpreting printed materials, memos and other paperwork.
• Reaching/handling—to input information into computer systems and retrieve and work with appropriate paperwork, equipment and supplies.

ADA Notation:

The physical demands and work environment that have been described are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this position.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. NDI encourages applicants with disabilities to apply.

Comments: 

This is a union position to be represented by the Office and Professional Employees International Union (OPEIU) Local 2.

Candidates must be legally eligible and authorized to work in the U.S. NDI does not provide sponsorship.  

As a result of COVID19, this position will start in a remote capacity. However, when the office re-opens, this position will be based in our Washington, DC office and the expectation is that you would be based locally by October 2021 to fulfill this obligation. NDI does not cover relocation costs for this position.

NDI welcomes and supports a diverse, inclusive work environment. As such, our commitment is to promote equal employment opportunities (EEO) for all applicants seeking employment and NDI employees. NDI makes employment decisions based on organizational needs, job requirements, and individual qualifications without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, personal appearance, military status, gender identity or expression, genetic information, political affiliation, educational status, unemployment status, place of residence or business, source of income, or reproductive health decision making.  Additionally, harassment or discrimination based on these characteristics will not be tolerated at NDI. To perform the essential functions of this position, reasonable accommodations are available to qualified individuals with disabilities and qualified individuals who have limitations due to pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, or medical-related conditions.

To apply for this position, please visit the NDI website at: www.ndi.org/careers.

 

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