Unit Manager – Culture and Arts, Middle East and North Africa (MENA) At Open Society Foundations

Unit Manager – Culture and Arts, Middle East and North Africa (MENA)

Amman/Berlin/Brussels/London/Tunis

Competitive rates of pay + excellent benefits

Do you want to help make the world a better place with your expertise in develop programming pertaining to arts and culture, media and information? We’re seeking a Unit Manager, Culture and Arts based in London, Tunis, Amman, Brussels or Berlin responsible for developing our culture and ideas work in the MENA region through grant making, advocacy, and the use of other tools, as well as the management of a small team of Program Officers and support staff.

The Open Society Foundations work to build vibrant and inclusive democracies whose governments are accountable and open to the participation of all people. We are active in more than 120 countries, making us the world’s largest private funder of independent groups working for justice, democratic governance, and human rights.

The Middle East and North Africa Program is the central regional program working on all MENA issues, headquartered in Amman. The regional program also has a sub-regional office in Tunis, with staff located in Amman, Tunis, New York, London and Washington, DC, supports a diverse group of local civil society organizations, research centres, universities, and media organizations across the Middle East.

As a Unit Manager Culture and Arts at Open Society you will:

• Develop programming pertaining to arts and culture, media and information, and the broader world of ideas including upcoming strategy revisions
• Build out the Culture and Ideas team and incorporate existing portfolios of grantees into future programming as appropriate and identify new partnerships
• Provide day to day management to the Culture and Ideas team according to OSF’s principles of people management
• In collaboration with the MENA Program’s leadership team, provide input into the Program’s overall strategic direction
• Inform the MENA Program and OSF’s wider thinking and programming pertaining to t to arts and culture, media and information, and the broader world of ideas

What we are looking for:

• At least 10 years’ experience in, and nuanced understanding of, at least one field related to the broad world of culture, media and knowledge production in the MENA region
• Experience working on at least 4 of the following areas in or on the MENA region: freedom of expression, media development, cultural policy, think tanks, journalism, digital rights
• Experience working in the MENA region in an NGO, government agency, cultural organization, media outlet, academia or more generally in the wider field of arts, journalism or research
• Experience of designing interventions to change or shift the shared ‘story’ about a particular issue or community, to help achieve policy objectives. Campaigns, advocacy, policy research, grant making and working collaboratively with partners and allies to develop new skills and build new areas of work
• Excellent writing skills and ability to communicate concisely and effectively
• Management experience in leading small teams, adapting to changing environments and priorities, and setting long-term strategy
• Commitment to continuous learning and growth in the areas of diversity, equity, inclusion, antiracism and social justice
• Commitment to listening and working with humility; ways of working that are respectful to all people; and that support space and voice for all diverse perspectives in our workplace
• Fluency in English and Arabic; knowledge of French, Farsi and/or Hebrew a plus

What we offer:

• Ample opportunities to learn and grow, from annual professional development allowances to onsite trainings and learning conversations with visiting experts
• Top-notch benefits and perks designed 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

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

Closing date: 11 July 2022.

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.