Associate Program Manager, Culture and Art at Open Society Initiative for Eastern Africa

As an Associate Program Manager within Culture and Art you will:

• Support the Soros Arts Fellowship (SAF), a global program supporting socially-engaged artists, by managing SAF program administration, operations, grant administration, budgeting, and event planning under the direction of the Team Manager;
• Manage logistics and arrangements for SAF internal and external events, including convenings, interviews, selection committee meetings, public or internal programs (talks, lectures, performances, etc.), cohort calls and virtual events;
• Coordinate all SAF communication collateral with OSF Communications and identify and suggest press opportunities/comms support for fellows.
• Coordinate SAF selection processes and meetings, develop and manage operational systems and procedures for grants;
• Support and track grantee progress within several Culture and Art programs
• Work on assigned projects with dedicated administrative duties that include planning, research, reporting, related operations and engagement with OSF systems and platforms;
• Responsible for full project design within SAF administration and operations, with the expectation to exercise full discretion and effectively manage time, budget and stakeholders and the broader OSF network;
• Manage knowledge and information on SAF grants and programmatic initiatives focused on advancing cultural and arts strategies globally;
• Contribute to the preparation of documents, presentations and coordination of social justice, arts activism and social change efforts and the collective thinking, influence, and collaborative work of colleagues within Culture and Art, Expression and Global Programs and the broader OSF network;
• Contributes to the design and implementation of appropriate qualitative and quantitative monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) methods, tools, and approaches including by identifying relevant outcomes, milestones/indicators, and reflection points and advising relevant program staff at the outset of strategies and projects. Designs data collection tools and uses them to gather information to support evaluation work.
• Collaborate with the overall Culture and Art Team to reach goals and outcomes.
• Curate programmatic, research and related organizational capacities to increase efficiency and external impact of the overall program. The role requires collaborative work through a variety of approaches including monitoring culture and art trends and assessing cultural interventions that reflects the need of the social justice narrative ‘ecosystem’ and work within Global Programs, Expression;

What We Are Looking For

• People with a vision for how art and culture can challenge power and advance healthy societies.
• Five to seven years of experience working in program administration and operations and/or project management, ideally in a global organization.
• Experience working in a creative field at the intersection of art, culture, and social change (desirable).
• Excellent organizational, analytical, interpersonal, and proactive problem-solving skills, including demonstrated experience and desire to make operations run smoothly and efficiently.
• Superior time management and ability to work independently in fast-paced environments, managing and prioritizing multiple tasks and competing demands.
• Strong oral and written communications skills, including the ability to be diplomatic and handle confidential information with discretion.
• Working knowledge or familiarity of the unique needs of artists and arts organizations, especially in challenging economic, social, and political environments a plus.
• Knowledge of the cultural landscape of one or more of the following regions: Africa, Middle East and North Africa, Eurasia, Asia Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean.
• Working knowledge or familiarity with monitoring and/or assessing programs and budgets.

Candidates Must

• Have a demonstrated commitment to supporting and/or presenting the work of marginalized or underrepresented artists.
• Excellent organizational, analytical, project management, time management, interpersonal, and proactive problem-solving skills, strong experience with program administration, operations, and event planning. Be diplomatic and respectful when dealing with difficult situations. Have a high level of cultural competence and sensitivity.
• Have the ability to handle sensitive and confidential information.
• Be active listeners and creative problem solvers.
• Possess an open and flexible mindset; be self-aware, nimble, and willing to question one’s assumptions and adapt one’s approach to each unique circumstance and local context.
• Ability to support the complexity of working in closing spaces.
• Ability to effectively communicate with others verbally and in writing in a clear, concise, and compelling manner.
• Professional experience and aptitude of working at the intersection of social justice, artistic and cultural advancement, protecting democratic values, and multi-issue area fields.
• Commitment to continuous learning and growth in the areas of diversity, equity, inclusion, antiracism, and social justice.
• Commitment to listening and working with humility and ways of working that are respectful to all people and that support space and voice for all diverse perspectives in our workplace.
• Willingness to relocate to one of our hub or regional offices (pending visa approval) and to undertake extensive travel.