Position available

Program Officer (Impact and Learning)

Transparency and Accountability Initiative

Open Society Foundation London

June 2013

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 Transparency and Accountability Initiative (T/AI) is a donor collaborative that aims to expand the impact, scale and coordination of funding and activity in the transparency and accountability field. T/AI is hosted by OSF.

T/AI’s membership is currently made up of eight leading funders that includes private foundations, a leading bilateral donor and regranting NGOs: Ford Foundation, Hivos, International Budget Partnership, Omidyar Network, Open Society Foundations, Revenue Watch Institute, United Kingdom Department for International Development and the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation. Other funders support one of the specific workstreams. T/AI is always keen to engage with other funders interested in transparency and accountability.

Purpose of position: The Transparency and Accountability program (T/AI) is seeking a Program Officer to lead its Impact and Learning workstream. This aims to support more effective T/A initiatives by, (a) enabling T/A funders and practitioners to deepen and use learning about where, when and how interventions succeed, and (b) by strengthening connections and collaboration between funders, practioners and researchers. Work is carried out independently/under general supervision.

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

• Provide strategic and results-orientated leadership to the Transparency and Accountability Initiative’s Impact and Learning workstream in order to achieve our overall aims;
• Support TALEARN, T/AI’s Community of Practice (COP) on Impact and learning in Transparency and Accountability;
• Supporting learning, research and exchanges on key topics;
• Supporting a stronger basis for Learning and M&E amongst funders;
• Continue support to the longitudinal research projects T/A brokered in phase II;
• Spot and develop new ideas that will add significant value to impact and learning development in the T/A field;
• Develop additional funder/partner interest, specifically to engage with the working group when new funding and collaboration opportunities arise;
• Prepare, run and follow up on regular Impact and Learning Working Group meetings of T/AI members
• Liaise, collaborate and engage with the Initiative’s other working groups
• Write strategy/position papers that provide direction on policy issues impacting the field and/or offer suggestions about strategic program development for funders and grantees;
• Assist in the planning and developing of annual budget;
• Provide regular reports to meet internal reporting needs for members and funders;
• Manage financial and budget reports to track grant and program spending.

Other:

• Travel will be required;
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Education/Experience:

• Bachelor's degree and several years’ relevant experience and/or training; or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Masters degree in a relevant field, PhD strongly preferred.

Skills required:

• Proven ability to facilitate communication and complex processes across multi-stakeholder groups (especially between funders, researchers and practitioners) and nationalities.
• Knowledge of and experience in evaluation and research methodologies including quantitative, qualitative, mixed and participatory methods, field experiments and randomised evaluations. Experience in commissioning research;
• Knowledge of the state of evidence in the governance, transparency and accountability field;
• Experience of developing and implementing approaches to improve the application of learning. Experience and understanding of running international networks and/or communities of practice would be a plus;
• Proven ability to think strategically, innovate, learn fast and deliver outcomes;
• Effectively manage work in a fast-paced environment, troubleshoot and follow projects through to completion, with strict deadlines and without loss of attention to detail, budget and reporting;
• Excellent written, verbal, organizational, analytical and interpersonal skills;
• Exercise good listening and communication skills with sensitivity to cultural communication differences;
• Effectively work as a team member and independently, with a high-level of self-motivation and ability to set and meet goals;
• Show discretion and ability to handle confidential issues; Knowledge of key organizations and networks active in the field;
• Pleasant, diplomatic manner and disposition in interacting with colleagues and the general public.

Start date: 1 September 2013

Duration: 18 months fixed term contract with the possibility of extension

Working hours: full time position, 40 hours per week

Compensation: Salary commensurate with qualifications and experience. Excellent benefits package.

To Apply: Please email a cover letter and CV to recruitment-nsp@opensocietyfoundations.org before 31st July 2013. Include in subject line your name, surname and job code PO-IL

No phone calls, please. The Open Society Foundations is an Equal Opportunity Employer.