Vice President-Programs (VP-P): Front Office

Position Summary

The Vice President for Programs is responsible for overall strategic oversight of NDI programming, ensuring its alignment with and advancement of NDI’s vision, mission, and values, including its commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. The incumbent will work with the President to implement NDI strategy through its programming, ensure integrated and efficient decision-making and accountability among NDI teams on program-related matters, and will serve as a member of NDI’s Executive Team.

Essential Accountabilities/Responsibilities
 

• Oversee NDI’s global programming, ensuring that design, implementation and execution are aligned with the Institute’s strategic goals, as well as its vision, mission, and values. Ensure integration and collaboration across all programs to leverage teamwork, maximization of resources, sharing of best practices, institutional learning, and delivery of top quality, value-added outcomes for the benefit of NDI’s partners.
• Ensure cross-team collaboration with the Design, Measurement, Evaluation, and Learning (DMEL) team to develop and ensure maintenance of effective systems and processes to support the facilitation, collection and sharing of knowledge and learning opportunities generated from across various program teams.
• Conduct required/effective staff management/leadership responsibilities, ensuring a culture of mutual respect, collaboration, high performance, continuous improvement, and execution of all activities in compliance with applicable laws and regulations, as well as in accordance with NDI’s established values, policies, standards and procedures.
• Maintain and foster relationships with current and potential partners, funders/donors, and U.S. and foreign governmental officials, policy and diplomatic communities, and other key stakeholders in accordance with NDI’s established values, policies, standards, and procedures.
• Engage with NDI’s Executive Team, Board, and organization as a whole to communicate effectively to internal and external audiences about NDI’s global programmatic work and impact, including through op-eds, press releases, briefings, policy papers, etc.
• Engage with other Executive Team leadership in the development and alignment of NDI’s overall strategy, goals and objectives, as well in the overall management of the organization, including activities and processes related to budgeting, prioritizing, and addressing policy and process matters. Ensure integration and collaboration across the organization to support implementation and rollout plans for operational processes, internal infrastructure, reporting systems, and policies to foster growth and efficiencies.
• Represent the Institute and/or make presentations for NDI at various forums and events and develop and maintain a network for obtaining and maintaining a knowledge and understanding of key developments and best practices which have or may have a potential impact on NDI’s programmatic work. Ensure identification and sharing of critical issues and opportunities and provide analysis and recommendations to ensure NDI’s level of readiness and/or response, as appropriate.

Peripheral Accountabilities/Responsibilities
 

• Perform other duties as required.

Parameters

Incumbent has supervisory accountability for the regional and functional team leaders, and will work closely with and interface regularly with the President, Executive Team and NDI Board. The incumbent also will have significant interactions internally with other departmental/team management and staff, as well as externally with key NDI partners/stakeholders.

Required Qualifications

Education and Experience
 

• Bachelor’s degree in international development, or a related field, or equivalent relevant work experience. Master’s or higher degree in a similar discipline is highly desired.
• Fifteen years of progressive leadership experience, five of which in senior management roles, preferably including work with a non-profit, NGO or similar organization with global staff in multiple countries, and focused on international/ democratic development, social justice, civil society or other such mission-focused work.
• Two years of relevant international field work, preferably with empowering citizens, including marginalized populations, and democratic institutions in one or more countries in which NDI operates, is highly desired.
• Superior leadership experience managing program operations, including strategic planning, knowledge and skills transfer and experience sharing, budgeting, and financial management, is required, as well as demonstrated experience supervising seasoned management staff. Prior experience working with a Board of Directors is highly desired. 
• Demonstrated experience leading, participating in, and executing strategic and operational planning and strategies to ensure program clarity around performance expectations, both at the organization and individual levels; alignment with the organization’s vision, mission, and values; and, integration of relevant market and stakeholder information.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
 

• Demonstrated passion for and commitment to the mission of making democracy work through strengthening citizen empowerment and openness and accountability of government and political institutions.
• Exceptional knowledge of international development, and democracy and governance practices, institutions, and issues, including best practices and norms for programmatic work in these areas that address closing and closed political spaces, conflict-sensitive environments, complex transitional settings, and emerging challenges.
• Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, in program and staff development and the ability to model and reinforce behaviors that value and respect diverse individuals and perspectives and encourage contributions by all team members.
• Keen business acumen, as well as demonstrated in-depth knowledge of and experience in the development and execution of complex competitive proposal development, operational and management processes, e.g., program and project planning and management, budgeting, financial management, as well as related process improvement, business development, and change management strategies.
• Excellent organizational, facilitation, negotiation, and analytical skills, as well as a demonstrated propensity to be creative, proactive, and self -motivated in the execution and completion of assigned accountabilities.
• Demonstrated successful experience in negotiating, co-creating and otherwise facilitating cooperation among peer organizations in consortiums, associations, communities of practice and other endeavors.
• Superior communication skills, both oral and written, with the ability to develop/deliver presentations to varied audiences in various settings and plan, lead and facilitate group meetings and project teams. Must be able to translate and present complex information into a meaningful, understandable, and credible context for business decisions.
• A high level of confidence, integrity, cultural sensitivity, and exceptional interpersonal skills, as well as a professional executive presence, for effectively engaging and interacting with and influencing others, including key stakeholders and decision makers internal and external to NDI, as well as for building/fostering relationships and meeting public speaking/presentation requirements. Must demonstrate high standards of tact, diplomacy, and discretion.
• Demonstrated ability to establish credibility and be decisive and results-oriented while fostering a culture of inclusion and equity in balancing varying considerations/priorities, as well as the ability to demonstrate sound judgment, political savvy, and critical thinking relative to complex problem solving/resolution at both the strategic and tactical levels.
• Ability to manage uncertainty and conflict, as well as maintain composure and demonstrate control in difficult or complex situations.
• Highly effective leadership skills relative to staff development, management, and retention and achieving results through fostering the initiative and abilities of others.
• Technical proficiency in the use of Microsoft Office, i.e., WORD, Outlook, etc. Previous experience with Google Suite is a plus.
• Fluency in English is required. The ability to speak other languages is a plus.

Certifications/Licenses

None required.

Work Environment

This position generally works in an office environment, and has significant travel requirements as well as required attendance at external events and activities. Work outside normal business hours, evenings and weekends is required for meeting these and other position requirements.

Required business travel, including international, is anticipated to be approximately 30% and include successive overnight and occasional weekend travel. An active passport is required.

Physical Requirements, 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.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee:
 

• Will primarily work in an office environment and be required to sit or stand at a desk for prolonged periods and work at a computer and attend meetings in person and online.
• Is frequently required to talk and hear, read, and comprehend information and data.
• Is occasionally required to walk; use hands and fingers to operate, handle or feel objects, tools, or controls; and reach/lift with the hands and arms.

Note:  This job description is an overview of the functions and requirements for this position.  It is not intended to be an exhaustive list encompassing every duty and requirement.  Other duties may be assigned as deemed necessary by the supervisor.

Comments

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. 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 condition.

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

 

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