Freedom House Senior Program Associate - Africa

Freedom House promotes the spread of freedom and democracy around the world through research, effective advocacy, and programs that support frontline activists.  We are a leader in identifying threats to freedom through our highly regarded analytic reports, including Freedom in the World, Freedom of the Press, Freedom on the Net, Nations in Transit, and Countries at the Crossroads.  With 13 field offices and two U.S. offices, we support the right of every individual to be free.
Position Summary
The Senior Program Associate will provide programmatic support including finance, logistical, administrative, research, writing and data analysis assistance to Africa programs. This position is based in Washington DC and reports to the Director for Africa programs. Funding for this program runs through September 2013 and employment thereafter is contingent upon future funding.
Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in political science, international relations, or related field
• Minimum of eighteen months of directly related experience
• Strong ability to communicate effectively in English and French, both verbally and in writing
• Strong knowledge of human rights principles and mechanisms, and understanding of democracy promotion
• Experience living and/or working in Africa, and strong knowledge of regional politics, history and culture
• Ability to acquire and apply knowledge of  Africa region to achieve program goals
• Mastery of MS Office Suite, specifically Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook
• Knowledge of basic accounting principles and grant-related compliance requirements
• Strong ability to conduct research using varied sources and present findings verbally and in writing
• Strong ability to plan, organize, prioritize work, and multi task to meet tight deadlines
• Strong ability to apply interpersonal skills, and successfully work in a multicultural environment
• Ability to collaborate with others and successfully work as an effective team member
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision and to meet all goals and deadlines
• Ability to accept and complete administrative tasks with a positive and proactive attitude
• Ability to maintain the highest degree of confidentiality regarding all aspects of work at all times

Some Duties and Responsibilities

• Draft contracts, MOUs, LOAs, and other contractual documents, and ensure that the objectives and terms of agreements are met for partner and vendors
• Draft press releases, briefings, and quarterly project reports
• Assist with developing and implementing advocacy strategy, events and delegation
• Lead procurement process for program expenditures in line with supervisor’s instructions
• Liaise between HQ finance and field finance personal to facilitate problem resolution
• Monitor budget for compliance
• Assist with financial and administrative backstopping
• Prepare expense reports for program expenditure in compliance with FH and donor requirements
• Assist with travel plans including flight and hotel research and booking, travel authorization, visa, applications, etc.
• Provide general office support and a variety of related tasks to other work teams as directed
• Other related duties as assigned

We offer great benefits including:

• 100% employer-paid dental insurance
• 100% employer-paid health insurance; or generously subsidized depending on plan and coverage
• 100% employer paid life insurance and accidental death and dismemberment
• 100% employer paid short-term disability and long-term disability insurance
• 403(b) Retirement Plan with generous matching funds with 2 year 100% vesting schedule
• Flexible Spending Accounts for medical and dependent care reimbursable expenses
• Transportation pre-tax payroll deduction for metro, and garage parking in DC
• Generous paid vacation leave, sick leave, personal leave, and holidays
• Tuition Reimbursement for graduate studies
• And much more……

Qualified and Interested applicants
We invite qualified candidates to send a resume, and cover letter with salary history and desired salary (only candidates who send salary requirements will be considered for the position) to: recruiting@freedomhouse.org or fax at (202) 822-3893, Attention: HR Dept., referencing 2012-101 SPA Africa. Only candidates who have been selected for an interview will be contacted.
Only candidates authorized to work in the U.S. without any restrictions need apply.
EOE M/F/D/V