Regional Director

About Us

The National Democratic Institute is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization working to support and strengthen democratic institutions worldwide through citizen participation, openness, and accountability in government. Help support democracy worldwide by joining our team!

About the Role

NDI is hiring a Regional Director to oversee the design, development, implementation, and evaluation of its democracy-strengthening programs in the Southern & East Africa region. The Regional Director will lead the Institute's efforts in addressing key challenges to democratic development in the region, including malign external authoritarian influence; domestic corruption and illiberalism; the exclusion and marginalization of women, youth, and other communities; the growing role of digital technology in political, economic and social affairs; and global shocks, such as pandemics, climate change and food insecurity. The Regional Director will be part of a team of senior leaders at the Institute who work closely with the Executive Office and others in providing guidance on the Institute's global policies and operations, including supporting and promoting a diverse and equitable workplace that reflects NDI's values. The position reports to the Chief Programs Officer and is based in the Institute's headquarters in Washington, DC. Regular travel throughout the Southern & East Africa region is required.

Your Purpose and Impact:

• Leads team in representing NDI's core values -- accountability, transparency, equity, inclusion, pluralism, civic participation, and rule of law -- in its work with colleagues and partners.

• Creates and leads the high-level design of NDI's regional strategy for a portfolio composed of multiple large-scale, multi-year single-country projects and several regional projects addressing political party development, vibrant multi-party systems, government transparency and accountability; effective and responsive political representation; electoral reform and integrity; inclusive and equitable citizen engagement in politics; information integrity; and defending fundamental freedoms in closed and closing societies. See more details on our website www.ndi.org.

• Anticipates and analyzes trends and events in political, social, and economic developments and gauges their impact on current and future programs.

• Cultivates and maintains relationships with NDI partners working in and on Southern & East Africa, including donor and diplomatic communities, senior civic and political leaders from across the political spectrum, government leaders, democracy activists, and representatives of the media, think tanks, and academia.

• Represents NDI's institutional interests and acts as a thought partner and thought leader in engagements with partners, donors, supporters, and members of the foreign policy community, as well as at professional conferences, thematic events, and other gatherings.

• Maintains an understanding of changing donor and NDI policies and procedures and provides oversight to ensure compliance with NDI and donor regulations and relevant laws.

• Contributes to the communication of NDI's mission, technical expertise, innovations, and programmatic impact.

• Leads a multicultural team located in Washington, DC, and across the Southern & East Africa region in strategic planning, creative program design, and effective project implementation and assessment.

• Recruits, cultivates, and manages a diverse team in DC and country offices, including oversight of performance appraisals and support for staff professional development.

• Provides leadership and oversight to in-country field teams, ensuring accountability in the execution of program activities and management of operations based on established institutional procedures, local laws, donor regulations, and best practices.

• Establishes and implements communication systems (staff meetings, reporting protocols, knowledge management systems, etc) to ensure effective workflow and productivity, as well as team cohesion.

• Promotes and ensures a professional and respectful workplace environment, reflective of NDI's values, in DC and country offices.

• Leads overall regional fundraising strategy and supervises complex relations and negotiations with donors.

• Monitors and oversees the department's overall annual budget and spending strategy to ensure proper stewardship, including review of financial status reports and ensuring compliance with budget management tasks and processes for appropriate fiscal management.

Minimum Qualifications:

• At least twenty years of relevant experience in a progressive leadership role, in an international affairs organization or related environment.

• Bachelor's degree, preferably in international relations or a related subject, or equivalent experience. Master's degree preferred.

• Experience leading large, multi-country, donor-funded programs.

• Deep knowledge of the Southern & East Africa region and understanding of comparative political and governance systems.

• Excellent managerial skills, including experience in leading and inspiring multicultural teams.

• Exceptional diplomatic and interpersonal skills, and integrity.

• Competence in substantive areas of NDI programming, such as political party strengthening, civic engagement, legislative strengthening, electoral integrity, public consultation, information integrity, public opinion research, gender equity, and inclusion of marginalized groups.

• Excellent communication skills, both written and oral, with the ability to translate complex information into meaningful and understandable language.

• Exceptional analytical skills for interpreting complex programmatic and political issues.

• Demonstrated ability to manage uncertainty and conflict, as well as maintain composure and demonstrate control in difficult or complex situations.

• Ability to adapt to changing political circumstances and respond to needs articulated by local partners and program stakeholders.

• Proven capacity to maintain a focus on priorities while managing a broad set of responsibilities in a fast-paced environment..

• Budgeting and accounting skills and knowledge of grant funding procedures.

• Working knowledge of USG and African donor organization funding policies and regulations.

• Proficiency with Google Suite tools.

• Ability to travel frequently to international locations.

• Fluency in English; proficiency in one or more languages spoken in Southern & East Africa desirable.

What We Offer:

We offer an environment committed to promoting diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging as a core part of our culture. We strive to foster empowerment and belonging as these values are central to our mission and to our impact. We believe that diversity in thought helps us solve the complex problems we face around the globe.

We offer a comprehensive benefits package which includes health, dental, vision, a generous PTO policy, flexible schedules, and a 10% employer contribution to the retirement pension.

This position offers an anticipated annual range of approximately $167,200 - $217,400.

Additional Information:

While there may be flexibility for remote/hybrid work environment and to comply with tax and legal obligations, successful candidates must be residents of MD, DC, or VA, or relocate prior to the start of employment at NDI.

Candidates must be legally eligible to work in the U.S. NDI does not provide sponsorship.

NDI is an equal opportunity employer (EEO). As such, NDI makes employment decisions and provides equal employment opportunity without regard to an applicant's or employee's race, religion, color, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, or gender identity), national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other basis protected by federal, state and local laws. As an equal opportunity employer, NDI encourages individuals with disabilities, including disabled veterans or veterans with service-connected disabilities, to apply.

If you need reasonable accommodation in the application or hiring process, please notify NDI's Human Resources department at Human_Resources_team@ndi.org. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.