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Programme Officer - Information Programme

Employer
Open Society Foundations
Location
London
Salary
From £57,000 per annum
Closing date
10 Nov 2019

Job Details

Do you want to help make the world a better place by confronting the most significant threats to open society through change in information technology? We are currently seeking a Programme Officer based in London. The Programme supports the field to understand the impacts of technological change, and to take risks with inventive ways to engage with these changes. The work is built around three pillars: a resilient public sphere, rights in the digital environment, and access to knowledge.

The Open Society Foundations (OSF) work to build vibrant and inclusive democracies whose governments are accountable and open to the participation of all people. We are active in more than 120 countries, making us the world’s largest private funder of independent groups working for justice, democratic governance, and human rights.

The Information Programme confronts the most significant threats and opportunities for open society that are spawned by change in information technology. These technologies transform the ways that governments and corporations exercise power, and the ways citizens communicate and mobilise to keep that power accountable. For more information about our programmes, please visit our website.

As a Programme Officer (PO) at Open Society, you will:

  • Work to confront the threats to open society created by information technology; in close collaboration with other POs, you will manage the programme’s work to confront disinformation, protect free expression, and advance a resilient public sphere;
  • Implement the strategy of the assigned area of work, using a range of tools including grant making, fellowships, litigation and programme related investments;
  • Evolve the strategy of the assigned area of work, lead regular internal reviews, including with the programme’s Advisory Board, and present the programme’s work to both internal and external audiences;
  • Manage relationship with grantees and other social change partners and make funding decisions with considerable autonomy within an approved budget and strategy;
  • Build collaborative relationships outside OSF (e.g., with existing grantees, prospective grantees, experts in the community, etc.) as well as across the OSF network to advance rights and justice in the quantified society;
  • Monitor fields of interest to the Information Programme and OSF and participate in the development of the Information programme’s overall strategy.

What we are looking for:

  • Demonstrated success in advancing social change strategies, including the ability to adopt those strategies in response to an evolving situation;
  • Substantial years of experience in a leading role at an NGO, government agency, or research institution focused on the interplay between technology, rights, and justice, and understanding of the structure and workings of both formal and informal organisations, networks, and movements within varied contexts;
  • Mastery of the key issues in the area of technology, rights, and justice, including familiarity with current controversies and thinking in the field;
  • Recognition of the power differential inherent in the funder-grantee relationship, and an ability to handle this relationship with humility and respect (prior experience in philanthropy or grant making is not required);
  • Project management skills, including the ability to direct others to gather evidence and research to support a key decision or judgment;
  • Excellent written and spoken communication skills in English.

What we offer:

  • Ample opportunities to learn and grow, from annual professional development allowances to onsite trainings and brown bag lunches with visiting experts;
  • 25 days’ paid holiday, flexible work arrangements, private medical coverage, a generous retirement savings plan, up to one year of paid parental leave, reproductive and family planning support, sabbatical opportunities, and much more;
  • A commitment to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace that enables everyone to bring their full self to work and make a positive impact on the world.

We feel our salaries are competitive for our sector. The salary for this position starts at a minimum of £57,000. Your offer will be based on your level of experience.

If this sounds like the position you have been looking for, please apply on our website. We look forward to learning more about you.

Closing date: 10 November 2019.

We aim to build an inclusive workforce that is reflective of the populations we support, and actively seek applications from those who are marginalised and underrepresented. We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations to applicants and colleagues with disabilities.

Company

Open Society Foundations

Website: https://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/

The Open Society Foundations work to build vibrant and tolerant societies whose governments are accountable and open to criticism, whose laws and policies are open to debate and correction, and whose political institutions are open to the participation of all people. We seek to strengthen justice and the rule of law; broaden respect for human rights, including the rights of minorities; encourage pluralism and a robust diversity of opinion; deepen democratic practice and participation; expand economic equity; support effective governance; and invest in individuals, public and private organizations, and social movements that advance these goals.

We are a global network of foundations committed to local knowledge and national expertise. Our network includes national foundations, regional foundations, and other geographic programs operating in more than one hundred countries. At the same time, many programs with global reach operate from our four headquarters in Europe and the United States, including programs on digital information, documentary photography, drug policy, early childhood, education, fellowships, fiscal governance, higher education, human rights, international migration, justice, public health, scholarships, think tanks, and women’s rights. In addition to making grants to organizations and individuals, the Open Society Foundations engage in policy advocacy, legal advocacy and litigation, program-related investing, and public communications, as well as providing direct assistance to governments. Most programs and foundations in the network are governed or advised by their own boards.

The Open Society Foundations are the global philanthropies of George Soros, who, as chairman, plays an active role in the work of the foundations.

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