Director, Independent Media and Information Space (Job # 2359)

National Endowment for Democracy (NED)

Washington, D.C.

The National Endowment for Democracy (NED) is a 501(c)3, bipartisan organization that serves as America’s leading foundation for freedom, providing support for democratic activists, civil society organizations, and independent media throughout the world, as well as the NED core institutes:  the National Democratic Institute (NDI), the International Republican Institute (IRI), the Solidarity Center, and the Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE). Through nearly $300 million in grants annually to 1,800 partners in over 100 countries, NED is at the heart of supporting a global infrastructure for democracy. 

As the challenges to democracy sharpen, NED is adapting. Kleptocracy is a global challenge that requires a response that takes the international nature of the problem into account. In kleptocratic systems, the instruments of the state are directed to shielding and enabling the corrupt activities of a small number of dominant power-holders, and independent groups or institutions are unable to hold these power-holders to account. Moreover, kleptocracies are projecting influence beyond their national borders, often working to help bolster fellow kleptocratic autocrats and creating spillover effects that have a deeply corrosive impact on democratic standards and development, including in the countries where kleptocrats invest their ill-gotten wealth. The mechanics of transnational kleptocracy have become more sophisticated in the era of globalization, and it is now one of the major bulwarks of authoritarian systems. 

That’s why we’re seeking a Director, Kleptocracy to lead NED’s institutional strategy and integrated approach to grantmaking initiatives in this field, and help the NED family innovate in this complex fast-changing sphere.

Position Summary:

NED’s Director of Kleptocracy will lead the development of NED’s strategy, grantmaking, learning, and reporting in this thematic area. Reporting to the Vice President of Programs, the Director will be part of the Program leadership team, partner closely with the Global program team, collaborate across the organization, and provide briefings to NED leadership, board members, and Congress. This new position reflects the institution’s strong commitment to being a leading driver of efforts to strengthen efforts to address transnational kleptocracy. 

To be considered, candidates must have demonstrable experience in international democracy and human rights programming, and deep subject matter expertise in kleptocracy and grand corruption, including international mechanisms, policies, and means of enforcement as well as project methodology and evaluation. Strong relationships across the financial, government, donor, policy, and implementer sectors are critical. The role demands strong interpersonal skills and an entrepreneurial spirit to navigate a new position at NED and to work effectively in the broader anti-corruption community. The position is based in Washington, DC, with frequent domestic and international travel.

Responsibilities:

Strategy: The Director will be responsible for developing an institutional strategy to address the rapid growth of kleptocratic regimes that are driving political development in countries around the world. Working in close collaboration with other departments, including NED’s seven regional program teams and Democracy Support Activity (DSA) peers at the International Forum for Democratic Studies (Forum), the Center for International Media Assistance (CIMA), and the World Movement for Democracy (WMD), the Director will weave together multiple strands of work to ensure NED’s efforts on combatting transnational kleptocracy are impactful, targeted, and forward-leaning. The Director will be responsible for identifying:  areas of engagement where NED is particularly well-placed to have an impact; programming that links locally-driven priorities with international developments; and kleptocracy-related projects that are critical to the advancement of NED’s mission. The Director will also lead NED’s effort to develop a coherent approach across the NED family, including the four core institutes (NDI, IRI, Solidarity Center, and CIPE).

Grantmaking: The Director will serve as the lead on grantmaking related to kleptocracy. The Director will oversee the Strategic Cooperation Funds committed to combatting transnational kleptocracy, leading a deliberative process engaging stakeholders across NED. The Director will also provide oversight and serve as a resource to the regional and global programs for all grantmaking that relates to combatting transnational kleptocracy.

Learning: In cooperation with the Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) team, the Director will be responsible for fostering institutional learning on this cross-cutting issue. The Director will design and implement an internal learning agenda that works across NED, including the Program department and DSAs, to advance institutional learning to ensure a depth and breadth of expertise, and that subject matter expertise is brought to bear in the consideration of grant proposals. The Director will also work with the MEL team to develop benchmarks upon which progress can be evaluated. The Director will also be responsible for working with regional Program peers to evaluate and assess programs.

Coordination and Networking: The Director will ensure coordination across the entire organization—including NED’s four core institutes—in the development, vetting, and implementation of programs. The Director will work with peers across the institution to network with partners, share programmatic strategies and tactics, and develop a coordinated approach. The Director will also liaise with counterparts in the nonprofit and commercial media sectors, governments, and other donors. 

Reporting and Representation: The Director will be responsible for reporting on, analyzing, and representing NED’s work on combatting transnational kleptocracy. This will require deep familiarity with the Program departments grants, as well as the work of the Forum and CIMA, including the relevant reports and articles published by the Forum, CIMA, and Journal of Democracy. The Director will also be responsible for representing and briefing NED’s work on combatting transnational kleptocracy before the executive leadership team, Board of Directors, and external actors, such as Congress, the Executive Branch, and media. 

Supervisory and Administrative: The level of responsibility and independence in assigned tasks will increase with experience. Other duties as assigned, may include supervisory responsibility.

Qualifications:

• BA in relevant field required; MA or PhD preferred.
• 11+ years of professional experience.
• Experience with international democracy and human rights programming, either as an implementer or grant-maker.
• Deep knowledge of the kleptocracy field, including international financial mechanisms, country and international-level policy interventions, project methodology and evaluation, and kleptocratic networks.
• International, field-based experience.
• Understanding of related policy issues and political dynamics.
• Ability to incorporate and synthesize a broad range of highly technical information and translate it into understandable and actionable information for colleagues and external audiences.
• Strong relationships and networks in field.
• Project and staff management experience.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Highly organized.
• Strong interpersonal skills.
• Entrepreneurial mindset and abilities.
• Able to work independently – identify opportunities and challenges and propose strategies and solutions.
• Ability to coordinate and engage with a diverse professional staff and wide range of departments, including Programs, Democracy Support Activities (e.g., Forum, CIMA), Communications and Public Engagement, Government Relations, and Information Technology.
• Ability to establish and cultivate positive working relationships with internal and external colleagues.
• Demonstrated ability to work in a fast-paced, high stress environment.
• The position requires regular domestic and international travel.
• Authorized to work in the United States.

To Apply:

Applications must include a cover letter, resume, desired salary, and contact information for three professional references, of which one should be a supervisor. Please, no phone call inquiries.

Located in Washington, D.C., the salary range for this role is $ 103,000 -164,250 USD, plus benefits. The final offer for a successful candidate will be determined by a combination of factors, including, but not limited to, skill set, level of experience, education, and market considerations.

At NED, we recognize that our most important asset is our people. We value the diversity of skills and perspectives our team brings to our work. We believe an inclusive and supportive work environment fosters a culture of respect and appreciation for all individuals. NED is committed to creating a workplace that allows everyone to be their authentic selves and make meaningful contributions to our organization, our grantees, and our world.

NED strives to create a work experience that supports the well-being and healthy work-life balance of our employees. Our comprehensive benefits package offers health insurance (includes no copay for mental health services), a generous retirement savings plan, paid parental, vacation, and sick leave, a hybrid workplace model, flexible work schedules, and wellness initiatives to ensure a positive work-life balance.

NED is dedicated to creating an environment of respect and collaboration where everyone is encouraged to participate and take ownership of their work. We offer flexible work schedules and, for most positions, the opportunity for weekly telework days. This hybrid approach allows our employees to balance their work and personal lives while still participating in the collaborative process at the heart of our mission.

The NED is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, non-disqualifying physical or mental disability, national origin, veteran status, or any other legally protected characteristics covered by applicable law. The NED is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodation for all qualified individuals and bases all employment decisions on qualifications, merit, and business need. The NED believes that diversity and inclusion among our team members are critical to our success as an organization operating globally and seek to recruit, develop, and retain the most talented people from a diverse candidate pool.

For more information, please visit our website at www.ned.org  or careers@ned.org.

Qualifications:

-   BA in relevant field required; MA or PhD preferred

-   11+ years of professional experience

-   Experience with international democracy and human rights programming, either as an implementer or grant-maker

-   Deep knowledge of the information space field, including independent media, audience analytics, enabling environments, policy and regulation, social media, and media sustainability

-   International, field-based experience

-   Understanding of related policy issues and political dynamics

 -   Ability to incorporate and synthesize a broad range of highly technical information and translate it into understandable and actionable information for colleagues and external audiences

-   Strong relationships and networks in the field of independent media and information space

-   Fluent on trends in audience analytics, business models and the use of social media

-   Deep understanding of cyber threats; use of a wide range of social media platforms; and ICT security protocols and tools

-   Project and staff management experience

-   Excellent written and oral communication skills

-   Highly organized

-   Strong interpersonal skills

-   Entrepreneurial mindset and abilities

-   Able to work independently – identify opportunities and challenges and propose strategies and solutions

-   Ability to coordinate and engage with a diverse professional staff and wide range of departments, including Programs, Democracy Support Activities (e.g., Forum, CIMA), Communications and Public Engagement, Government Relations, and Information Technology

-   Ability to establish and cultivate positive working relationships with internal and external colleagues

-   Demonstrated ability to work in a fast-paced, high stress environment

-   The position requires regular domestic and international travel

-   Authorized to work in the United States