Jobs and Internships

Unless otherwise noted, all positions listed below are with the National Endowment for Democracy. Please read the descriptions and follow the instructions when applying.

The National Endowment for Democracy (NED) is a congressionally funded, private, nonprofit grant making organization that works to support freedom around the world. Read more about the NED.

Full-time positions

Internships

Program Officer, West Africa (Non-Francophone)
Posted: May 18, 2012

The National Endowment for Democracy (NED), a congressionally funded, private, nonprofit grant making organization that works to support freedom around the world, is seeking a Program Officer for West Africa. The position is based in Washington, D.C.

Position Summary

The Program Officer will coordinate and administer organization-wide monitoring and evaluation of democracy promotion programs.

Responsibilities

  • Provide strategic and programmatic guidance to NED grantees in the assigned region/country, including assisting them with program development and design, offering creative solutions to political and technical challenges, providing administrative advice, facilitating contact with like-minded organizations in the country and the region; among others.
  • Monitor political developments in the assigned region/country to inform NED strategies and programming, including reading various US- and regional-based publications, meeting with regional political analysts and other partners, and generally keeping abreast of the changing political environment to provide timely and relevant analysis to NED senior staff, board and others as necessary.
  • Act as deputy director and/or provide team leadership and oversight when director is on travel or as necessary. Assist with team budgeting, planning, staffing and strategic discussions.
  • Oversee the implementation of NED approved projects, including reading quarterly reports, providing feedback on implemented activities, maintaining continuous communication over the grant cycle, and conducting regular field visits.
  • Evaluate the effectiveness and the institutional growth of NED grantees and the overall grants portfolio in target countries. Make recommendations on renewed and new funding in target countries and the region in general. Track spending levels for target countries, and evaluate and make recommendations for future spending in the region.
  • Travel to the region to monitor existing grantees, identify new funding opportunities for NED, and gain an on the-ground perspective on the political situation. The visits include on-site meetings with all or most NED grantees both in the capital and rural areas, meetings with core institutes, potential civil society partners, other donors active in the country, political analysts and opinion-makers, among others.
  • Supervise and mentor junior staff in project management, NED processes and procedures, and overall team workflow. Participate in and contribute to staff’s performance reviews. Supervise intern when appropriate. Participate and when necessary lead hiring process, including reviewing resumes, conducting interviews and contributing to creative thinking about how to approach the distribution of work and responsibilities within the team.
  • Think creatively on how to improve team effectiveness, either by setting up new in-team processes, improving grantee reporting guidelines, communicating with other teams inside NED, etc.
  • Liaise with other NED teams, participate in various working groups, and other efforts to improve NED’s overall functioning and effectiveness.

Qualifications

  • Master’s level education in International Affairs, History, Political Science or related discipline.
  • Significant prior experience in democracy-related and nonprofit work.
  • Significant experience in Nigeria and other West African countries.
  • Experience in financial monitoring and reporting, as well as knowledge of program evaluation techniques.
  • An interest in democratic development that is evidenced through coursework or previous employment.
  • Commitment to democracy work in developing countries.
  • Excellent written and oral communication skills in English. Ability in West African languages preferred. Ability to edit manuscripts and make presentations.
  • Excellent interpersonal skills in a multi-ethnic, multi-national environment.
  • Solid analytical skills. High degree of organization and initiative.
  • Proficient in the use of MS Office.

To Apply

Applications must include a cover letter, resume, salary history and requirements, and contact information for three references. Please send to jobs@ned.org, with your name and Program Officer, West Africa NF – Job #1219 in the subject line. The NED is an Equal Opportunity Employer. For more information, please visit our website at www.ned.org. Please no phone calls.

Program Assistant, East and Southern Africa
Posted: May 2, 2012

The National Endowment for Democracy (NED) is a congressionally funded, private, nonprofit grant making organization that works to support freedom around the world, and is seeking a Program Assistant to provide administrative support to the Africa Programs staff. The position is based in Washington, D.C.

Position Summary

The Program Assistant will provide day-to-day administrative and programmatic support to the Africa Programs staff.

Responsibilities

  • Assist Senior Director and staff with general administrative duties.
  • Provide support for considering and awarding grants to nongovernmental organizations working on democracy building programs in the assigned region/country.
  • Maintain contact with applicants and respond to inquiries.
  • Maintain the program team calendar.
  • Update program contacts and maintain files.
  • Organize events for visiting grantees.
  • Attend and report on relevant conferences, meetings, and other events.
  • Research information about potential grantees and current political developments in the assigned region/country.
  • Assist with writing of project summaries and drafting budgets.

Qualifications

  • Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs, Political Science, International Development or a relevant field.
  • Minimum of 1 year of work experience in an office environment.
  • Knowledge of major political and social issues in East and Southern Africa preferred.
  • Strong interpersonal, written and oral communication skills in English required.
  • High degree of organization, attention to detail, initiative, and the ability to multi-task.
  • Proficiency in Microsoft Office is required, experience navigating databases preferred.
  • Demonstrated ability to work in a team.
  • Authorization to work in the United States.

To Apply

Applications must include a cover letter, resume, salary history and requirements, and contact information for three references. Please send to jobs@ned.org, with your name and Program Assistant, ES Africa – Job #1217 in the subject line. The NED is an Equal Opportunity Employer. For more information, please visit our website at www.ned.org. Please no phone calls.

Public Affairs Coordinator
Posted: April 27, 2012

The National Endowment for Democracy (NED), a congressionally funded, private, nonprofit, grant making organization that works to support freedom around the world, is seeking a Public Affairs Coordinator. The position is based in Washington, D.C.

Position Summary

The Public Affairs Coordinator provides support to the Director of Public Affairs (PA) in all PA functions, including event planning, execution and follow-up, internal and external communications, contact management, and media relations.

Responsibilities

  • Support public events by serving as point person for all public events (other than Forum/CIMA) to ensure that events are properly supported at every stage, including concept, invitations, catering, AV, setup and logistics, outreach and publicity, follow-up. Position would coordinate closely with counterparts in Forum and CIMA to offer any needed cooperation, support or guidance.
  • Maintain NED contact database and coordinate with various workgroups across NED to insure that high quality, targeted lists are easily available for invitations, mailings, media, etc.
  • Assist in general media relations, maintain press lists, draft statements and press releases, update journalists/media about NED events, monitor daily press clippings and post to intranet and website as needed.
  • Draft content for NED website, social media, and newsletter.
  • Provide assistance in making sure that NED staff are kept up-to-date on all outside activities, including media interviews, congressional testimony, press mentions, etc.
  • Provide assistance in drafting communications with the NED Board of Directors to keep them abreast of such activities.

Qualifications

  • Bachelor’s degree in communications, international relations/political science preferred
  • 2-3 years of work experience: event planning, communications, and database management highly desirable
  • Excellent interpersonal, written and oral communications skills
  • Detail oriented, highly organized, able to handle and prioritize multiple work flows
  • Experience with non-profit/international affairs organizations desirable
  • Proficient in MS Office suite, Raisers Edge database and/or other contact management tools, social media platforms.

To Apply

Applications must include a cover letter, resume, salary history and requirements, and contact information for three references. Please send to jobs@ned.org, with your name and Public Affairs Coordinator – Job #1216 in the subject line. The NED is an Equal Opportunity Employer. For more information, please visit our website at www.ned.org. Please no phone calls.

Program Officer, West Africa
Posted: April 12, 2012

The National Endowment for Democracy (NED) is a congressionally funded, private, nonprofit grant making organization that works to support freedom around the world, and is seeking a Program Officer for West Africa. The position is based in Washington, D.C.

Position Summary:

The Program Officer will coordinate and administer organization-wide monitoring and evaluation of democracy promotion programs.

Responsibilities:

  • Provide strategic and programmatic guidance to NED grantees in West Africa, including assisting them with program development and design, offering creative solutions to political and technical challenges, providing administrative advice, facilitating contact with like-minded organizations in the country and the region; among others.
  • Monitor political developments in West Africa to inform NED strategies and programming, including reading various US- and regional-based publications, meeting with regional political analysts and other partners, and generally keeping abreast of the changing political environment to provide timely and relevant analysis to NED senior staff, board and others as necessary.
  • Act as deputy director and/or provide team leadership and oversight when director is on travel or as necessary. Assist with team budgeting, planning, staffing and strategic discussions.
  • Oversee the implementation of NED approved projects, including reading quarterly reports, providing feedback on implemented activities, maintaining continuous communication over the grant cycle, and conducting regular field visits.
  • Evaluate the effectiveness and the institutional growth of NED grantees and the overall grants portfolio in target countries. Make recommendations on renewed and new funding in target countries and the region in general. Track spending levels for target countries, and evaluate and make recommendations for future spending in the region.
  • Travel to the region to monitor existing grantees, identify new funding opportunities for NED, and gain an on the-ground perspective on the political situation. The visits include on-site meetings with all or most NED grantees both in the capital and rural areas, meetings with core institutes, potential civil society partners, other donors active in the country, political analysts and opinion-makers, among others.
  • Supervise and mentor junior staff in project management, NED processes and procedures, and overall team workflow. Participate in and contribute to staff’s performance reviews. Supervise intern when appropriate. Participate and when necessary lead hiring process, including reviewing resumes, conducting interviews and contributing to creative thinking about how to approach the distribution of work and responsibilities within the team.
  • Think creatively on how to improve team effectiveness, either by setting up new in-team processes, improving grantee reporting guidelines, communicating with other teams inside NED, etc.
  • Liaise with other NED teams, participate in various working groups, and other efforts to improve NED’s overall functioning and effectiveness.

Qualifications:

  • Master’s level education in International Affairs, History, Political Science or related discipline.
  • Significant prior experience in democracy-related and nonprofit work.
  • Experience in financial monitoring and reporting, as well as knowledge of program evaluation techniques.
  • An interest in democratic development that is evidenced through coursework or previous employment.
  • Commitment to democracy work in developing countries.
  • Excellent written and oral communication skills in English and French and the ability to edit manuscripts and make presentations.
  • Excellent interpersonal skills in a multi-ethnic, multi-national environment.
  • Solid analytical skills.
  • High degree of organization and initiative.
  • Proficient in the use of MS Office.

­To Apply:

Applications must include a cover letter, resume, salary history and requirements, and contact information for three references. Please send to jobs@ned.org, with your name and Program Officer, West Africa – Job #1208 in the subject line. The NED is an Equal Opportunity Employer. For more information, please visit our website at www.ned.org. Please no phone calls.

Grants Administrator, Middle East & Africa
Posted: March 23, 2012

NED seeks a Grants Administrator based in Washington, DC. This position reports to the Manager, Grants Administration.

Position Summary:
The Grants Administrator for this region/country will administer the assigned portfolio of grants from pre-award stage of proposal to the close-out of the Grant. Beginning with corresponding with grantees, drafting grants, receiving reports and payments and ending with the close-out procedures. Monitor the progress and delivery of Financial & Narrative reports and requesting payments. Assist the Audit Department in solving Questions Cost issues after invoice review process.

Responsibilities:

  • Under the general supervision of the Manager, Grants Administration, provide cradle-to-grave management of assigned grants portfolio, including review of proposals, grant negotiation, award, compliance monitoring, administration and closeout.
  • Participate in review of proposals to identify potential technical issues in new awards; ensure that any compliance issues arising under prior awards to renewal grantees are adequately addressed before a new grant is issued.
  • Negotiate, draft and issue new grant awards and amendments as required over the life of assigned grants; prepare other correspondence as required.
  • Ensure that grants awarded are in compliance with US Government or other donor regulations and/or other special requirements, if any.
  • Review grantee financial and narrative reports to identify and resolve budget, compliance and/or other problems; in cooperation with NED’s Internal Audit and/or appropriate program staff, investigate and resolve invoice reviews, audit and/or other issues as required.
  • Promptly review and process grantee requests for payment.
  • Obtain required closeout information from grantees and otherwise facilitate grant closeout process.
  • Ensure that assigned fields of grants database are timely updated.
  • Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

  • Bachelor’s degree in relevant field (business, international studies, or area studies relevant to assigned portfolio, etc.);
  • At least three years of experience in non-profit grants/contracts operations;
  • Familiarity with Federal grant regulations, international activities/issues relevant to NED’s operation environment;
  • Professional competency in language relevant to assigned grants portfolio is useful; Arabic language preferred, and/or French desired
  • Familiarity with or interest in the Middle East and/or Africa;
  • Attention to detail and ability to multi-task;
  • Ability to work with minimal supervision;
  • Flexibility to be a team player and self starter, comfortable in a supporting role and in working independent, preferably in a multicultural environment;
  • Strong oral and written communication skills;
  • Proficiency in Microsoft Office, especially Word and Excel; knowledge of MicroEdge Gifts or other relational database helpful; and
  • Qualified to work in the US.

To Apply: Applications must include a cover letter, resume, salary history and requirements, and contact information for three references. Please send to jobs@ned.org, with your name and Grants Administrator, MENA - Job #1204 in the subject line.

Program Officer, MENA
Posted: February 29, 2012

The National Endowment for Democracy (NED), a congressionally funded, private, nonprofit grant making organization that works to support democracy around the world, seeks a Program Officer for the MENA team. This position is based in Washington, DC.

Position Summary:

The Program Officer will work with MENA staff to provide programmatic and administrative support to NED’s Middle East and North Africa grants program, develop the Endowment’s strategy for the region, set programmatic priorities, monitor and evaluate projects, and track program budgets.

Responsibilities:

  • Evaluate project proposals and progress reports in specific countries;
  • Draft summaries of proposals to present at quarterly Board of Directors’ meetings;
  • Maintain regular communication with potential and existing grantees;
  • Monitor the work of grantees, including regular field visits;
  • Track political developments in the region and inform NED’s strategy for Middle Eastern and North African regions;
  • Attend relevant internal and external meetings;
  • Build and maintain relationships with like-minded organizations, including other donors, NED partners and regional organizations.
  • Organize and participate in events to highlight specific democracy-related issues.
  • Travel to MENA countries to develop program and monitor projects.

Qualifications:

  • Master’s degree in International Affairs, Political Science, International Development or related discipline;
  • At least 5 years of extensive experience in democracy-related projects and programs; 
  • In-depth understanding of political issues and trends in MENA region;
  • Excellent interpersonal, written and oral communication skills in English and Arabic languages, French is preferred;
  • Minimum of 2 years living, working or traveling in 3 or more MENA countries;
  • High degree of organization and initiative;
  • Experience with financial management and reporting;

To Apply: 

Applications must include a cover letter, resume, salary history and requirements, and contact information for three references. Please send to jobs@ned.org, with your name and Program Officer, MENA – Job #1205 in the subject line. The NED is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Please no phone calls.

Intern, Journal of Democracy
Posted: May 3, 2012

The National Endowment for Democracy (NED), a congressionally funded, private, nonprofit grant making organization that works to support freedom around the world, is seeking an Intern for the Journal of Democracy. The position is based in Washington, D.C.

Position Summary

The Journal of Democracy is seeking one part-time intern for May-June. Successful candidates will be advanced undergraduate or graduate students with an interest in international politics and democracy. Journal internships provide students an excellent opportunity to improve their knowledge of democratization and international affairs and to develop and improve their research, writing, and computer skills.

Responsibilities

  • Research and fact-checking for Journal-related materials
  • Assisting with administrative tasks
  • Light proofreading of Journal-related materials
  • Database entry for the Journal’s manuscript and contact databases
  • Other related tasks, as needed

Qualifications

We are seeking a student with strong research, writing, editing, communication, and organizational skills. Although there is no required academic major, most interns have majored in political science, international relations, or modern history. Applicants should have a strong interest in democracy and international affairs. Students with foreign-language skills are particularly encouraged to apply.

Travel Reimbursement

This position is unpaid; however, a travel reimbursement of $10 per day is available to offset expenses.

Time Commitment

Monday-Friday/20 hours per week.

Anticipated Start/End Date

Mid-May to mid-June 2012.

To Apply

Applications must include a cover letter, resume, and contact information for two references. Please send to jobs@ned.org, with your name and Intern, JOD – Job #1218 in the subject line. The NED is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Please no phone calls. For more information, please visit our website at www.ned.org.

Intern, Finance Department
Posted: February 29, 2012

The National Endowment for Democracy (NED) is a congressionally funded, private, nonprofit grant making organization that works to support freedom around the world is seeking an Intern for its Finance Department. The position is based in Washington, D.C. 

Position Summary:

The Finance Department at the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) is seeking a highly motivated individual to serve as an intern. The unpaid internship provides excellent opportunities to gain entry to intermediate level in grants and transactional accounting including financial data analysis. The intern will also interact with the program and grants staff in gathering information on special projects.

Responsibilities:

  • Assist with compiling and analyzing data for the preparation of account analysis and reconciliation, month-end and year-end closing, 990 tax return, and federal quarterly financial reporting.
  • Help maintain financial records.
  • Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

  • Must be enrolled at an accredited 4-year college or university, with concentration and strong interest in accounting.
  • Possess excellent written and verbal communications skills.
  • Maintain a strong work ethic and a sharp attention to detail.
  • Basic knowledge of Excel helpful.
  • Foreign language skills are a plus, though not required.

Travel Reimbursement:
This position is unpaid; however, a travel reimbursement of $10 per day is available to offset expenses.

Time Commitment:
A minimum of 2 days per week.

Anticipated Start/End Date:
Start and end dates are flexible, however dates should coincide with a typical semester.

To Apply:
Applications must include a cover letter, resume, and contact information for three references. Please send to jobs@ned.org, with your name and Job # 1206 - Intern Finance in the subject line. The NED is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Please no phone calls. For more information, please visit our website at www.ned.org.