Offer: Senior Program Officer, International Women’s Program, Open Society Foundation-New York
by Breese | August 22, 2011 at 11:03 AM | Opportunities
Open Society Institute. New York, NY, USA.
Application deadline: September 15, 2011.
Description:
The Open Society Foundations work to build vibrant and tolerant democracies whose governments are accountable to their citizens. To achieve this mission, the Foundations seek to shape public policies that assure greater fairness in political, legal, and economic systems and safeguard fundamental rights. On a local level, the Open Society Foundations implement a range of initiatives to advance justice, education, public health, and independent media. At the same time, we build alliances across borders and continents on issues such as corruption and freedom of information. The Foundations place a high priority on protecting and improving the lives of people in marginalized communities.
Investor and philanthropist George Soros established the Open Society Foundations, starting in 1984, to help countries make the transition from communism. Our activities have grown to encompass the United States and more than 70 countries in Europe, Asia, Africa and Latin America. Each foundation relies on the expertise of boards composed of eminent citizens who determine individual agendas based on local priorities.
The Open Society International Women’s Program (IWP) seeks to promote the advancement of women’s rights and gender equality in law and practice. The mission of IWP is to use grant-making and programmatic efforts to promote and protect the rights of women and girls in priority areas around the globe where the principles of good governance and respect for the rule of law are absent or destroyed because of conflict. IWP focuses its support around three main objectives:
Reducing discrimination and violence against women
Strengthening women’s access to justice
Increasing women’s role as decision-makers and leaders
Reporting to the Director of IWP, the Senior Program Officer (SPO) will be responsible for providing and coordinating the technical inputs to facilitate the successful achievement of IWP’s core objectives. Additionally, the SPO will be responsible to leading IWP’s advocacy work to this end. The SPO will work in close cooperation with the regional Program Officers, other foundation, NGO and UN partners.
Responsibilities:
Conducting technical review site visits of IWP grantees focusing on VAW
Providing appropriate technical feedback and support to grantees to enhance quality programming and implementation
Assessing and reviewing IWP’s country-based portfolios on VAW to ensure IWP’s grant making is effective and appropriately targeted
Advocating with UN and government partners in improved prevention, response and resource support to VAW programming
Providing and/or identifying appropriate technical support on VAW programming areas as requested by OSF foundations and other internal partners especially related to justice initiatives
Identifying issue experts and building technical resource base that can contribute to OSF work on VAW
Mapping national, regional and international networks, coalitions and partners focused on VAW programming
Identifying new partners and catalyzing initiatives focused on prevention
Liaising with governments, donors, UN agencies, NGOs and other partners working on similar objectives
Qualifications:
Proven technical expertise in violence against women programming including sexual violence; experience with justice related programming preferred
Substantive experience in designing, managing and monitoring VAW related projects
Experience in designing and leading training programs and creating training materials
Familiarity working with conflict-affected and displaced populations
Demonstrated understanding of grant making processes and procedures
Experience working with and building capacity of small NGOs in conflict-affected countries
Experience in advocacy with the UN or governments
Excellent written and oral communication skills in English and preferably Spanish
Ability to work under pressure and on a range of tasks
Strong organizational and analytical skills
Graduate degree in gender studies, political science, international relations or other relevant subject
Substantive knowledge on one or more of IWP’s priority countries or regions preferred
Ability to travel frequently
At least ten years of experience working in a related field with an ngo, foundation or international organization
Start date: November 2011
To Apply:
Please email resume and cover letter with salary requirements before September 15, 2011, to: humanresources@sorosny.org. Include job code in subject line: SPO-IWP
OR
Open Society Foundations
Human Resources – Code SPO-IWP
400 West 59th Street
New York, New York 10019
FAX: 646.557.2672
No phone calls, please. The Open Society Foundations are an Equal Opportunity Employer.
