Senior Program Officer Open Society Foundations New York , NY, United States

Senior Program Officer

Start Date: As soon as possible

Program: Public Health Program

Office: Open Society Institute–New York

Location: New York
The Open Society Foundations work to build vibrant and tolerant societies whose governments are accountable and open to the participation of all people.

We seek to strengthen the rule of law; respect for human rights, minorities, and a diversity of opinions; democratically elected governments; and a civil society that helps keep government power in check.

We help to shape public policies that assure greater fairness in political, legal, and economic systems and safeguard fundamental rights.

We implement initiatives to advance justice, education, public health, and independent media.

We build alliances across borders and continents on issues such as corruption and freedom of information.

Working in every part of the world, the Open Society Foundations place a high priority on protecting and improving the lives of people in marginalized communities.

The Open Society Public Health Program (PHP) aims to build societies committed to inclusion, human rights and justice, in which health-related laws, policies, and practices are based on evidence and reflect these values. The program works to advance the health and human rights of marginalized people by building the capacity of civil society leaders and organizations, and advocating for greater accountability and transparency in health policy and practice. The PHP engages in five core strategies to advance its mission and goals: grantmaking, capacity building, advocacy, strategic convening, as well as mobilizing and leveraging funding. The PHP works in Central and Eastern Europe, Southern and Eastern Africa, Central and Southeast Asia, and China. For more information please visit our website:www.soros.org/health.

The Accountability and Monitoring in Health Initiative (AMHI), one of ten initiatives within the PHP, seeks to strengthen meaningful and sustained engagement by affected communities in the development, implementation, and monitoring of health budgets, policies, programs and practices; promote government accountability to citizens; and foster an informed and open dialogue about the governance of public health systems, provision of health services, and advancement of health and rights.  AMHI’s applied budget-related work includes supporting the following efforts: Roma organizations in Macedonia to monitor government policy and budget commitments to promote childhood immunizations among Roma communities; support to a coalition of civil society, clinicians, academics and people living with HIV to advocate for effective use of HIV and broader health budgets in South Africa; district level monitoring of HIV and TB services and budgets by organizations in Zimbabwe and South Africa; monitoring funds from the European Union in Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania, and Slovakia to promote their use in deinstitutionalization of people with intellectual disabilities in accordance with human rights commitments.

AMHI undertakes many of its efforts in collaboration with other initiatives within the PHP and OSF foundations around the world.

OSF is seeking a full-time Senior Program Officer to be based in New York and will be supervised by the AMHI Director.

Purpose of Position

Strategy development and grantmaking for assigned program and for developing the connections between the assigned program and the broader priorities of OSI. Work is carried out independently.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

Essential duties and responsibilities include the following. OSI may add, change, or remove essential and other duties at any time.

Program-Related:

• Work with the Director to provide strategic leadership and oversight of AMHI’s applied budget work;
• Identify, develop and implement applied budget and community monitoring activities in collaboration with AMHI, other PHP projects and Soros National Foundations;
• Work with the Director to ensure close collaboration with other program directors and staff, and convene cross-program working groups as needed to advance research and development, and respond to grant-making opportunities in a timely manner;
• Develop and oversee strategies for capacity building, program and institutional development of key partners and grantees;
• Supervise program officers and administrative support staff, when relevant;
• Supervise consultants and technical assistance providers working in program-related activities;
• Support the Director in program decisions, as needed;
• Participate in the development, planning and organization of program-related events;
• Maintain current knowledge about  the fields of applied budget work, social accountability and community monitoring through research, attendance of conferences and/or meetings;
• Write and edit program materials and guidelines, including for capacity building;
• Synthesize key developments and findings in the field for use buy program staff, grantees and partners;
• Perform occasional special assignments, including participation with other OSI programs and foundation task forces and working groups;
• Build and establish strategic relationships with other philanthropic partners and NGO’s.

Grants:

• In conjunction with the Director and other staff/consultants, develop grantmaking strategies, priorities, and guidelines;
• Maintain ongoing, active relationships with grantees;
• Review and assess letters of inquiry and make funding recommendations and declinations to the Director;
• Invite grant proposals from selected funding applicants;
• Work with applicants to develop and finalize grant proposals; Review grant proposals and participate in the preparation of written grant recommendations as part of grant dockets preparation process;
• Perform site visits of prospective and current grantee organizations;
• Ensure that grantees submit narrative and financial reports as required under the terms of the contract;
• Interact with grantees and other field professionals and participate in program- and field-related meetings and convenings;
• Document and provide ongoing assessment and evaluation of AMHI’s applied budget work grant portfolio.

Capacity Building

• Build and manage relationships with other OSI entities, donors, and leaders in the economic governance field who may be resources to AMHI and its grantees;
• Provide capacity building support to grantees in designing and developing their budget monitoring and advocacy projects;
• Work with grantees to define on-going organizational and project-level capacity building and technical assistance needs;
• Identify, develop, and manage relationships with an active group of technical assistance providers, consultants, and mentors, to support the needs of grantees;
• Identify and develop peer exchange and horizontal learning opportunities for grantees and technical assistance consultants.

Learning, documentation and advocacy

• Facilitate learning between AMHI and other PHP and OSF colleagues about applied budget work;
• Coordinate and edit documentation of promising and proven practices in applied budget work;
• Disseminate information on best practices at national, regional and international levels;
• Assist grantees and partners in presenting the results of their work;
• Organize events to discuss and publicize issues relevant to PHW’s work;
• Represent AMHI in meetings and other fora.

Administrative:

• Manage financial and budget reports to track grant and program spending;
• Assist in the planning and developing of annual activity plan and budget;

Other:

• Travel is required;
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Education / Experience

Bachelor’s degree (BA) from a four-year college or university and seven to ten years of relevant experience and/or training; or equivalent combination of education and experience.  

• Graduate degree preferred;
• Experience in grant making, project management, including managing consultants and developing and managing project budgets;
• NGO experience essential;
• Strong background with programs advancing social justice through community organizing, legal advocacy, research, or policy reform work.

Skills Required

• Demonstrated management skills in not-for-profit organizations, foundations and/or government agencies, particularly in complex organizations;
• Excellent computer skills, proficient in Microsoft Office;
• Leadership expertise in identifying best practices and improvement of internal systems;
• Flexibility and willingness to work simultaneously on a wide range of tasks and projects;
• Experience in managing multiple priorities under pressure and accomplish short- and long- term deadlines with a heavy workload;
• Demonstrated experience in budget, technical and financial management functions;
• Outstanding written and verbal communication skills;
• Proven ability to build and maintain relationships with a wide array of people with diverse backgrounds throughout a complex organization;
• Proven leadership qualities with delivering superior results;
• Professionally competent to make administrative, procedural decisions and judgments on sensitive and confidential issues;
• Effectively interact with staff on all levels;
• Identify and resolve sensitive matters and situations;
• Professional, diplomatic demeanor with the ability to represent a global organization and interact with colleagues from diverse backgrounds;
• Strong interpersonal skills and demonstrated expertise in handling all personnel related issues and information in a confidential manner.

Program Specific Requirements

• Complex and extensive understanding of the field and related recognition by stakeholders;
• High level of strategic thinking;
• Strong independence to operate in grant making portfolio and advocacy activities;
• The ability to confidently and powerfully represent the initiative internally and externally, in high-level meetings;
• Degree in a social science e.g. economics, international policy, public policy or public health;
• Experience focusing on advocacy in national and international settings including experience using results of civil society research and monitoring efforts;
• Understanding with civil society applied budget work, including national budget research and analysis, capacity building, training and/or grantmaking;
• Experience supporting capacity development or strengthening of community and/or advocacy organizations;
• An understanding of civil society approaches for conducting advocacy with the results of budget research and analysis;
• Understanding of policy-making and budgetary processes in a range of countries;
• An understanding of the health and human rights issues faced by the Public Health Program’s focus populations, including: people living with HIV/AIDS, TB; injecting drug users; people with intellectual disabilities; Roma; the dying; sex workers; and lesbian, gay bisexual and transgender persons;
• Familiarity with Russian language a plus;
• Experience working internationally, particularly in Central and Eastern Europe, Central Asia, sub-Saharan Africa, East Africa or Latin America.

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 outlining your experience and qualifications related to applied budget work and advocacy with salary requirements. Include the code SPO-PHP AMHI in the subject line.

To Apply:

Application Deadline: November 9, 2012

Email:humanresources@opensocietyfoundations.org

Include job code in subject line: SPO-PHP AMHI
Mail:
Open Society Foundations
Human Resources – Code SPO-PHP AMHI
400 West 59th Street
New York, New York 10019
Fax:1.646.557.2672