Deadline for Applications: Open Until Filled
Job description
The Open Society Foundations are a major nongovernmental supporter of efforts to improve the economic and social inclusion of Roma in Central and South Eastern Europe. Over the past two decades, our Roma-related programs have worked on a wide range of issues, including equal access to quality education, women’s empowerment and gender equity, public health, civic and political participation, media access and the development of Roma media, promoting tolerance, cultural diversity, and challenging anti-Roma prejudice.
The Roma Initiatives Office provides support to civil society through three major programs: Barvalipe—richness or pride in the Romani language—which supports the emergence of a confident new generation of Roma advocates capable of leading Roma organizations or working in EU institutions, international organizations, and national public service; Zoralipe—strength or power—which supports the institutional growth of Roma organizations; and Paruvipe—change—which supports advocacy campaigns aimed at influencing public decision-making and service delivery.Job Profile
The Roma Initiatives Office is recruiting for an experienced administrator to join its team in Berlin.
This is a full performance administrative/operational role at the Roma Initiatives Office of the Open Society Foundations. The Program Administrative Specialist performs duties requiring skills specific to the Roma Initiatives Office’s operations and processes that advance the work of the program and the organization. Work on assigned projects, processes, and areas of responsibility are carried out with considerable independence.
In addition to knowledge of Open Society Foundations–specific matters, the role calls for specialized knowledge of the required subject matter and/or technical skills. This role is responsible not only for completing work in assigned areas with limited supervision, but also for identifying problems and resolving them with guidance from a supervisor as needed. The Program Administrative Specialist has a high level of responsibility for establishing and maintaining effective and constructive working relationships both internally and externally and may also be responsible for projects of some complexity.
Essential Duties And Responsibilities Will Include
- Providing advanced administrative support for Roma Initiatives Office functions by performing operational work that helps achieve a specific program’s goals/plans, including managing most issues independently and identifying new administrative/operational needs and developing/implementing solutions
- Coordination with relevant Open Society Foundations administrative units
- Processing travel and related expenses for Roma Initiatives Office staff
- Staying abreast of relevant policies and compliance requirements and assisting staff with understanding, operationalizing, and adhering to relevant policies and guidelines. May train staff on administrative processes/workflows
- Assisting in complex event-planning and managing related travel, logistics, and budgets including liaising with vendors (e.g., event planners, translators, graphic designers) and negotiating contract terms and conditions
- May manage administrative issues related to the work of retained consultants (and their logistical support)
- Coordinating budgets, including planning, tracking, and variance monitoring and reporting
- Ad-hoc responsibilities may include taking on other significant operational responsibilities or projects, such as overseeing translation and communications-related projects.
Candidate Profile
- Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field of study or equivalent experience/education
- 3-5 years of progressively responsible experience in a situation relevant to the duties of this role is typically required to develop the skills required for this role.
- Excellent knowledge of local German rules and procedures, systems, and working culture
- Excellent written and spoken communication in German and in English
- Knowledge of the Romani language and other languages of countries where the Roma Initiatives Office works is an advantage.
- Administrative experience at a large and complex organization is preferred.
- Demonstrable high proficiency with office technology and IT solutions, including the Microsoft Office suite. Must be comfortable learning new proprietary software systems.
- Demonstrable proficiency in managing data in a complex environment
- Demonstrable proficiency in using data management and visualization platforms and databases (e.g., Salesforce, NetSuite, Foundation Maps)
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 adjustments so that colleagues with disabilities are able to fulfill the essential functions of the job.
For more information, and to apply, click here.