U.S. Programs

New York or Washington DC

 Closes July 20, 2018

The Immigration Team in U.S. Programs embraces a values-based approach to its work, rooted in shared open society values of liberty, equality, and justice, and focused on what we each have in common. We fight to improve the circumstances of the most vulnerable immigrant populations, explicitly support the empowerment of immigrant communities, and support work to build bridges and allies to foster stronger, resilient, and open communities. We operationalize this strategic framework  through focused grantmaking, advocacy, and partnerships in support of the following goals: 1) garnering increased public support for immigrants and refugees as central to our vitality as a nation and rooted in shared open society values of liberty, justice, democracy, and equality; 2) strengthening the immigrant/refugee rights movements’ ability to counter harsh enforcement, keep families together, and build power; and 3) preserving U.S. leadership on refugee and asylum issues domestically and internationally.

Job Profile

The Team Manager will be a key member of the Equality Team’s senior management and will report to the Equality Team Director to ensure standards of excellence across the program. This post requires experience working with civil society organizations, government officials, and non-traditional allies in both formal and informal contexts.

The Team Manager role includes substantive programmatic leadership and strategic development with management of team processes related to grantmaking and supervision of staff. This Team Manager position currently works with the Equality Team Director as programmatic lead for U.S. immigration, asylum, and refugee grantmaking. Substantive programmatic responsibilities may shift over the course of the next year as we integrate more deliberately and collaboratively with staff from the Open Society DC Advocacy Office.  This position will supervise two program staff, however, supervisory responsibilities may shift or grow over time.

The Team Manager will be responsible for promoting a healthy organizational culture that prioritizes teamwork, staff development, and self-reflection in order to keep improving the way we work, with accountability at all levels.

Essential duties and responsibilities include the following:

Programmatic 

• responsible for portfolio development and all grantmaking activities and other activities related to immigration portfolios
• operate autonomously to develop and implement portfolio level strategy, including making decisions related to authorizing/declining grants within an approved budget
• contribute substantively to development of the Equality Team’s program strategy through research, evaluation of ongoing work, and scoping of new possibilities
• serve as the Equality Team’s focal point for immigration grantmaking practice, providing advice and guidance to peers and supervisees, keeping abreast of developments and resources within the network for grantmaking practice, and assisting in the oversight of peer review processes for grants
• build relationships within and outside OSF that advance grantmaking and other social change efforts  (e.g., existing grantees, prospective grantees, experts in the field, peer donors)
• manage projects that include staff within/outside OSF which may be regional or global in nature
•  build collaborative relationships across OSF’s geographic and thematic entities widely as well as externally to further programmatic goals

Management 

• directly supervise work of a program officer and administrative staff in support of program activities; take on supervision of additional team members, as needed
• communicate clear expectations, set performance objectives, and provide regular and timely performance feedback. This includes providing constructive feedback and counsel on appropriate career paths and professional development for staff
• mentor and provide substantive guidance, feedback, and support to staff members under his/her supervision in establishing program priorities and in designing and carrying out projects or initiatives
• assist the Equality Team Director in designing team processes—including, managing overall workflow and staffing various priority activities
• maintain broad overview of work across the Equality Team’s issue areas in order to draw connections and make linkages between them
• ensure effective deployment of time, monetary resources, and staff in execution of projects
• perform an advisory role to the Equality Team and U.S. Programs senior management, USP’s advisory board, and other entities, as needed

Candidate Profile

• 7-10 years of meaningful work experience in public policy, international relations, or a related field (preferably with a mix of service in either the public or nonprofit sectors)
• 5 years of staff management experience, preferably in diverse teams
• ability to articulate a deep understanding of and provide a strategic vision for change based on experience and/or knowledge and is able to use that understanding to develop and implement a strategy for achieving the vision
• demonstrated success in advancing social change strategies, including planning and implementing modifications in response to an evolving situation
• ability to exercise measured and appropriate judgment, rooted in analysis and often under circumstances in which insufficient information is available and/or the circumstances are highly volatile
• prior grantmaking experience, including demonstrated ability to manage grantee relationships, assess organizational health, and assist grantees with organizational development issues; sensitivity to power dynamics in the grantmaker—grantee relationship, and ability to make sound informed judgments
• comprehensive, specialized knowledge in the immigration field
• demonstrated mastery of standards for protection of migrant and refugee rights, including labor protections, as well as ability to use practical tools, such as legal and advocacy strategies, to operationalize rights guarantees; ability to develop creative strategies for advancing rights protections beyond traditional methods
• leading complex initiatives and managing  elements of strategic projects
• creating new and innovative practices for accomplishing programmatic goals

Application instructions:  Please include a cover letter and resume, and upload here as one document when submitting an application.

We are strengthened by the diversity of our colleagues across the Open Society Foundations. We welcome applications from people of all cultures, backgrounds, and experiences, and are committed to providing reasonable accommodations so that colleagues with disabilities are able to fulfil the essential functions of the job.