Director, Equity (m/f/d)

Open Society Foundations’ (OSF) Global Programs seeks a Director, Equity (m/f/d) to form part of the Global Programs’ inaugural senior leadership team and support the design and implementation of its work. 

Reporting to the Vice-President, Global Programs, the location of this position is flexible, and could be based anywhere that OSF has an office.  The Director, Equity will work in close concert with Global Program Directors, Regional Directors, and other colleagues at the global level, to design, implement and support fully integrated, impact-driven OSF-wide programs.

The Open Society Foundations 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.

Organized around the broad areas of Justice and Intersectionality, Equity, and Expression, the Global Programs will also host a set of time-bound, impact focused Initiatives, and a new concentration on Climate Justice.  The Global Programs’ work on Justice will focus on securing democratic freedoms, challenging discrimination, ensuring accountability for human rights abuses, and protecting activists.  The Global Programs’ work on Equity will advance a just financial recovery, quality public services for all, fiscal justice through effective tax and anti-corruption frameworks, corporate accountability, effective and humane drug policies, and new models for refugee protection.   The Global Programs’ work on Expression will seek to ensure accountability of media and tech platform power, foster vibrant public debate and education, counter misinformation and disinformation, and safeguard freedom of expression, including in culture and academia.  On Climate Justice, the Global Programs’ work will support regional strategies, particularly on resilience and adaption in favor of marginalized communities, and influence global norms and standards, particularly on climate financing.

As Director, Equity you will:

• Provide a bold and comprehensive vision for the Global Programs’ work on tackling inequity through systems change;
• Advance a strategy design for the Global Programs’ work on Equity that seeks to redress structural and economic inequality undermining rights protections, public services, and the full inclusion of all people in the communities in which they live and work;
• Ensure high-quality, integrated programming and execution that focuses on impact and connects work through grant-making, advocacy, engagement and convening;
• Create an enabling working environment for staff, maintain open and professional relations with colleagues, promote a strong team spirit and provide guidance, oversight and resources to enable staff to perform successfully;
• Act as the Global Programs’ principal external representative in the Equity area with international financial institutions and in multilateral spaces;
• Steward the use of program resources judiciously; ensure the Global Programs’ budget is well managed.

What we are looking for:

• Personal and professional alignment to the core mission and values of OSF and in excess of 15 years’ strategic leadership experience in a field connected to the advancement of economic rights and justice;
•  Recognized expertise in addressing economic inequality beyond conventional approaches;
• Deep understanding of the dynamics of inequality in the global South with strong technical expertise in macroeconomics, with a political economy lens;
• Comprehensive understanding of the interrelation between political and corporate actors’ behavior and disenfranchisement of marginalized groups’ rights;
• Deep knowledge of advocacy targets and evidence of successful advocacy with international financial institutions; multilateral spaces addressing Sustainable Development Goals; the corporate sector and other actors;
• Demonstrated experience of effective coordination and leadership within a global, complex, matrixed organizational structure;
• Excellent writing, analytical, interpersonal, organizational and communication skills with sensitivity to cultural communication differences;
• Ability to perform in an advisory role to senior management, including the President of OSF and Global Board;
• Proven experience in the development and nurturing of geographically dispersed teams, instinctive understanding of when to delegate or lead, empowers and enables staff to incorporate their perspectives;
• Experience in planning and managing large-scale budgets, maintaining high standards of fiscal governance;
• Willingness to undertake frequent travel (when COVID-19 related policy and restrictions allow);
• Commitment to continuous learning and growth in the areas of diversity, equity, inclusion, antiracism and social justice;
• Commitment to listening and working with humility; ways of working that are respectful to all people; and that support space and voice for all diverse perspectives in our workplace.

Desirable (but not required):

• Fluency in additional languages besides English;
• Strong networks within international financial institutions;
• Lived experience in the global South.

What we offer:

• Ample opportunities to learn and grow, from annual professional development allowances to onsite trainings and learning conversations with visiting experts.
• Top-notch benefits and perks designed for your well-being and a healthy work-life balance. With some variability according to location, this includes generous time off, flexible work arrangements, employer-paid health insurance, generous retirement savings plan, progressive 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.

If this sounds like the position you have been looking for, please submit your cover letter and CV; we look forward to learning more about you.

Competitive rates of pay apply.

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