Program Operations Associate, Eurasia Program

Program Operations Associate, Eurasia Program. New York. Posting Date: 08/25/2020. Deadline: 09/17/2020

Are you a resourceful self-starter who enjoys tackling operational challenges and hopes to grow within a program operations position? The Eurasia Program is seeking a full-time Program Operations Associate (POA) based in New York to provide a wide range of operational support for the program, from budget tracking to meeting logistics to contracting. The POA will report to the Operations Manager and will be an integral part of the program's Operations team, as well as work closely with our programmatic staff to help ensure that all program activities can move forward smoothly and efficiently.

The Eurasia Program (EP) works to deepen civil society, uphold human rights, and maintain space for independent debate and discussion in Eastern Europe, the South Caucasus, and Central Asia. The program is advanced through grant making, advocacy and research, regional initiatives, and close engagement with local Open Society foundations. We believe that a vital civil society is fundamental to the promotion of democratic governance and government accountability. Our staff are located across three hub offices - Berlin, London, New York.

As a Program Operations Associate at Open Society you will:

• Support program staff in the grant-making process, which may include help with system and process troubleshooting, basic desk research on organizations, application review, preparing grants for compliance, and ensuring that reporting deadlines are met and grant closure completed in a timely manner;
• Liaise with program staff, Legal department colleagues and Finance colleagues, to process and monitor consultant and vendor contracts and payments;
• Support the budget planning and budget tracking processes, including overseeing budget tracking with a number of the program's portfolio teams, and working with the Operations Manager to ensure timely, correct and full spend-down of the budget;
• Coordinate and oversee logistics for meetings and workshops, including booking travel and accommodation, researching and contracting vendors, coordinating all event details, assisting with agenda development and participant communication, and providing support at and post meeting as needed;
• Assist with day-to-day operational needs, such as upkeep of program resources and documents, arranging translation, ordering supplies, updating the program calendar, taking meeting notes, among other tasks;
• Act as a thought partner to the Operations Manager and contribute to efficient program operations by identifying gaps and needs, suggesting ideas for improvement, and effectively communicating with colleagues on processes and deadlines.

What we are looking for:

• 3-5 years of complex administrative/operational experience, ideally in a fast-paced, global context;
• Demonstrated experience and desire to make operations run smoothly and efficiently, as well as eagerness to learn and grow within a program operations position;
• Experience working with and balancing budgets, creating and using Excel spreadsheets, and organizing, analyzing and visualizing data;
• Experience with meeting logistics and coordination;
• Ability to build and maintain relationships with a wide range of people from diverse backgrounds, as well as sensitivity to cultural communication differences;
• Interest in human rights issues and the Eurasia region;
• Commitment to the Open Society Foundation's values of diversity, equity and inclusion.

Desirable (but not required):

• Proficiency in data management and visualization platforms and databases (e.g. Salesforce, NetSuite, Foundation Maps, etc.);
• Experience with contract negotiation and processing;
• Russian language proficiency.

What we offer:

• Ample opportunities to learn and grow, from annual professional development allowances to onsite trainings and brown bag lunches with visiting experts.
• Top-notch benefits and perksdesigned for your well-being and a healthy work-life balance. With some variability according to location, this includes generous time off, flexible work arrangements, employer-paid health insurance, generous retirement savings plan, progressive paid parental leave, reproductive and family planning support, sabbatical opportunities, and much more .
• A commitment to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace that enables everyone to bring their full self to work and make a positive impact on the world.

See what a day in the life of a Program Administrative Specialist at Open Society is like .

If this sounds like the position you have been looking for, please submit your cover letter and a resume; We look forward to learning more about you.

Please note, this position is not eligible for work authorization sponsorship.

Competitive rates of pay apply.

We aim to build an inclusive workforce that is reflective of the populations we support, and actively seek applications from those who are marginalized and underrepresented. We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations to applicants and colleagues with disabilities.