The National Endowment for Democracy (NED) is a 501(c)3 grantmaking foundation that receives an annual Congressional appropriation in excess of $310 million and is governed by a private, bipartisan Board of Directors. This unusual arrangement positions NED to play a unique role as America’s leading foundation for freedom, empowering the institution to be nimble, innovative, and risk-taking in support of democratic activists, civil society organizations, independent media, and the NED family core institutes (the International Republican Institute, the National Democratic Institute, the Center for International Private Enterprise, and the Solidarity Center). We seek a Principal for Europe and Eurasia in the Grants Administration team. This position is based in Washington, D.C.

This is an opportunity to join an ambitious institution and team committed to the cause of our time. The ideal candidate will be energized by the idea of being part of an expanding team supporting our brave partners on the frontlines of the fight for freedom and democracy around the world.

Position Summary:

The mission of the Grants Administration department is to provide effective and efficient grants management, guiding grantees through the grant lifecycle to support their successful implementation of projects, in support of NED’s mission. The department strives to promote consistent implementation of policy and procedure, flexibility, responsiveness, innovation, and collaboration in the administration of NED’s grantmaking program.

The Principals are the second-level supervisors of the department. They supervise and mentor all lower level staff in addition to having responsibilities regarding the overall department management. They demonstrate a high level of professional judgment, expert knowledge level, and solid supervisory and leadership skills. Principals work closely with their peer colleagues in Regional Program and Compliance to provide effective and collaborative due diligence and oversight of grant programs and consistent application of grant policy and procedure. They make up the Grants Leadership Team along with and under the supervision of the Senior Director.

Responsibilities:

• Provide leadership and management to the Europe/Eurasia Grants sub-department.
• Directly supervise Level 6 and lower staff, ensuring consistent application of grant policy, procedure, and judgment in line with the mission of NED and department.
• Ensure even quality of proposal risk assessment throughout the sub-department.
• Sign grant amendments, special condition memos, and other documents as described in procedures.
• Supervise resolution of grantee Single Program and financial audits.
• Develop section budget, approve expenditures, and monitor spending against the budget.
• Coordinate with peer colleagues to ensure consistency and sharing of experiences.
• Facilitate collaboration between grantmaking departments and regions to enhance productive relationships, share knowledge, and promote consistent approaches to problem-solving.
• Establish and maintain effective relationships with counterpart Regional Program, Compliance, and GRC Directors and staff to ensure smooth working relationships and productive communications among sections.
• Hire new and effective grants staff in a timely manner.
• Evaluate and mentor staff to identify training needs.
• Conduct performance reviews of direct reports.
• Interpret, recommend and implement policies and procedures, facilitating effective compliance while providing maximum operational flexibility.
• Streamline grants management operations for the assigned section to ensure that all functions are completed in a timely fashion.
• Develop, or assist in developing, policies and procedures related to grant administration.
• Develop and deliver training for grantmaking staff, and supervise development of trainings by lower level staff.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field (public administration, nonprofit administration, international studies, etc.) is required; a Master’s degree is preferred but not required.
• 11+ years of experience in a nonprofit organization or foundation with emphasis on grants and/or contract administration.
• Demonstrated knowledge of Federal grant regulations; Expert knowledge of relevant OMB circulars.
• Knowledge of the Europe and Eurasia regions is preferred.
• Basic level or higher Russian or Eastern European language preferred.
• International experience and familiarity with issues relevant to NED’s operation and mission are preferred.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, especially Word and Excel; knowledge of grants management systems and other relational databases helpful.
• Self-starter and team player with strong leadership and management skills, preferably in a multicultural environment.
• Facility to coach lower-level managers to develop effective management styles and mechanisms
• Ability to analyze abstract ideas, particularly related to workflow processes and compliance requirements, and to propose possible solutions and approaches.
• Ability to use professional judgment to resolve problems reasonably and fairly.
• Highly organized and efficient; able to prioritize work based on minimal direction and multiple competing priorities.
• Detail-oriented and extremely conscientious about accuracy and timeliness in recordkeeping and follow-through.
• Demonstrated commitment to NED’s mission and desire to be part of a diverse team.
• Strong verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills; ability to liaise with staff at all levels, and ability to lead discussions and meetings.
• Authorized to work in the United States.

To Apply:

Applications must include a cover letter, resume, desired salary, and contact information for three professional references, of which one should be a supervisor. Please, no phone call inquiries.

The NED is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, non-disqualifying physical or mental disability, national origin, veteran status, or any other legally protected characteristics covered by applicable law. The NED is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodation for all qualified individuals and bases all employment decisions on qualifications, merit, and business need. The NED believes that diversity and inclusion amongst our team members are critical to our success as an organization operating globally and seek to recruit, develop, and retain the most talented people from a diverse candidate pool.

For more information, please visit our website at http://www.ned.org/careers or careers@ned.org.