[CivilSoc] POSITION AVAILABLE - REGIONAL COORDINATOR FOR FORMER SOVIET UNION

[Martha Larson]

POSITION AVAILABLE - REGIONAL COORDINATOR FOR FORMER SOVIET UNION
OSI DEMOCRACY COALITION PROJECT 
DATE:  NOVEMBER 2001
		The Open Society Institute (OSI) is a private operating and
grantmaking foundation that develops and implements a range of programs in civil
society, education, media, public health and human and women's rights, as well as
social, legal, and economic reform. OSI is at the center of an informal network of
foundations and organizations active in more than 50 countries worldwide that
supports a range of programs. Established in 1993 by investor and philanthropist
George Soros, OSI is based in New York City and operates network-wide programs,
grant-making activities in the United States, and other international initiatives.
OSI provides support and assistance to Soros foundations in Central and Eastern
Europe and the former Soviet Union, Guatemala, Haiti, Mongolia, South, Southern and
West Africa. 
		The OSI Democracy Coalition Project was established in 2001 to
support in targeted countries around the world nongovernmental organizations and
coalitions committed to strengthening open democratic societies in their own
countries and abroad. Building on the work of the Open Society Institute's network
of foundations and grantees, and in partnership with other donors, the Project will
work with its NGO partners to promote an activist democratic reform agenda around
the general themes of citizen access to information, accountability, and
strengthening civil society, and tailored to the domestic situation in each target
country.  The NGO partners supported by the Project will also press their
governments to adopt foreign policies that promote democracy, for example, by
democratizing international institutions and strengthening the Community of
Democracies initiative launched in June 2000 in Warsaw.  The Project will
facilitate the creation of an international federation of these groups, which will
collectively press for democratic reforms on the international stage. 
		The Regional Coordinator for Former Soviet Union will serve as the
Project's field-based representative for investigative, grant-making, programmatic
and evaluation activities in the region covering Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, the
Caucasus and Central Asia.  The Regional Coordinator will be based in Kyiv or
Moscow or some other suitable major  city in the region. Working under the
supervision of the Co-Directors of the Democracy Coalition Project based in
Washington, DC, the Regional Coordinator will be available on a full-time basis and
support the Project team by performing the following tasks:
Responsibilities:
**Work directly with civil society leaders in target countries to raise awareness
of Project's goals and to explore options for forging national coalitions to
promote further democratization at home and abroad.
**Facilitate coalition-building among civil society stakeholders in target
countries around key issues of democratization outlined above and tailored to
domestic political circumstances in each country.
**Manage key aspects of grant-making process, including identifying appropriate
host partners, making recommendations to Project staff on funding decisions,
overseeing implementation of grants and evaluating their results.
**Keep abreast of political developments in each target country, sub-regionally and
regionally and prepare regular reports to Project team and international advisory
board.
**Network regularly with domestic and international NGO representatives, government
officials, media, judicial officials, political party representatives, donors,
academics, experts and other relevant parties.
**Travel regularly to target countries to initiate and monitor Project work.
Qualifications:
**Graduate or undergraduate degree in law, international affairs, political
science, sociology, government or other relevant field;
**5-7 years prior experience in political or social organizing, government,
legislative or legal affairs, or democracy and human rights advocacy work in the
former Soviet Union region.
**Direct experience living and working in the region.
**Well-organized self-starter interested in working independently in the field
while maintaining close contact with Project team.
**Excellent interpersonal, oral and written communication, and organizational
skills;
**Strong writing and research abilities; 
**High level of computer literacy, including Microsoft Word/Outlook 2000, web
searching, Lexis-Nexis.
**Willingness to travel regularly within the region and to Washington.
**Fluency in Russian and English; German would be helpful.
**Applications welcomed from qualified individuals living in the region.
Compensation: Salary commensurate with experience, full benefits + 4 weeks
vacation.
Start Date: November, 2001.
To apply:  Send resume and cover letter to:
Via e-mail:				
OSI Democracy Coalition Project 	
Attn: Martha Larson
Mlarson@sorosny.org
Via fax:
(202) 530-0128		
Please note in the cover letter how you learned about the position.
No telephone inquiries, please.
The Open Society Institute is an Equal Opportunity Employer.