Program Associate, Europe and Eurasia At Freedom House

The Program Associate will join our Europe and Eurasia team to provide programmatic and administrative support to Freedom House’s work on one or more countries in the region. This is an excellent opportunity for a highly-motivated rising democracy support professional who seeks to build their program management, project design, and analysis skills by working on complex projects in constantly changing environments. This position is based in Washington, DC and reports to a Program Officer for Europe and Eurasia. The hiring date for this position is contingent of the receipt of project funding and is expected to occur by or around October 1, 2022.

Note: Freedom House is gradually returning to in-person work, and this position is expected to work out of the office on a regular hybrid schedule.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in political science, international relations, public affairs, nonprofit management, or related field. Master’s degree preferred.
• At least one year of professional experience in a large nonprofit or international development company, or a similar combination of education, training, and professional background.
• Professional or academic experience in/on the Eurasia region. Experience living in or working in Eurasian countries preferred.
• Strong ability to communicate effectively and professionally in English and Russian, both verbally and in writing, is an absolute requirement. Fluency in other Eurasian languages is a plus.
• Demonstrated knowledge of human rights principles and mechanisms. Appreciation of and commitment to supporting democratic transformations is a must.
• Knowledge of basic accounting principles and familiarity with grant-related compliance requirements.
• Mastery of MS Office Suite, specifically Excel and Word. High degree of comfort with spreadsheets and data analysis required; experience working with budgets and accounting data highly desired.
• Impeccable grammar and proven copy-editing skills, including visual document formatting.
• Experience coordinating travel logistics for multiple travelers at a time, organizing meetings, and arranging public events.
• High degree of comfort in regular networking, creating new and nurturing established relationships with multiple stakeholders.
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision in a fast-paced environment, take on responsibility, and meet all goals and deadlines.
• Meticulous attention to detail, ability to plan and organize work and track progress both of individual tasks and team efforts.
• Proactive, self-starter attitude and ability to deal with difficult situations maturely.
• Committment to gradual professional growth and readiness to invest time and effort into expanding own capacity as well as contribution to team efforts.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities

• Take the lead on the day-to-day implementation of specific project activities and tasks, as assigned.
• Work closely with other team members and field staff on the implementation of complex, multi-stakeholder initiatives.
• Coordinate activity implementation with field offices, local partners, and contracted vendors.
• Serve as the primary POC for subgrantees on financial reporting and compliance. Conduct and document contract procurement.
• Conduct desk research for policy analyses, assessments, project proposals, budget narratives, and news updates.
• Draft regular narrative reports on project activities for donors. Liaise with other program staff and program partners to obtain the necessary information.
• Assist in the development and updating of regional and country-specific program strategies.
• Closely monitor project expenditures and liaise with other program staff and Finance Department to resolve discrepancies.
• Draft activity and project budgets; conduct cost-price analyses for proposed expenditures in the U.S. and in the field.
• Prepare expense reports and payment requests in a timely fashion; track their processing.
• Schedule and arrange meetings and events, and liaise with internal and external contacts accordingly.
• Coordinate travel plans including flight and hotel research and booking, travel authorizations, visa applications, COVID testing, etc.
• Conduct media monitoring in English and local languages for news pertinent to the Eurasia region and contribute to a regular internal news digest.
• Create, maintain, and update databases of contacts and vendors.
• Participate in cross-team initiatives and internal learning and evaluation exercises.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

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.

Disclaimer: This job description is only a summary of the typical functions of the job. It is not an exhaustive or comprehensive list of all possible job responsibilities, tasks and duties. The responsibilities, tasks, and duties of the jobholder may differ from those outlined in the job description and that other duties, as assigned, may be part of the job. Freedom House may add, change, or remove essential and other duties at any time.

Qualified and Interested Applicants

We invite qualified candidates to complete an online application and submit a resume and a cover letter with the desired salary (only candidates who send salary requirements will be considered for the position).

Only candidates who have been selected for an interview will be contacted.

Only candidates authorized to work in the U.S. without any restrictions need apply.

EOE M/F/D/V