Managing Director, Programs (Middle East & North Africa). Amman. Posting Date: 02/16/2026. Deadline: 03/05/2026
Role Title: Managing Director, Programs (Middle East & North Africa)
Contract Type:DefinedDuration–5years
Reporting To: VicePresident,Programs
Program/Department/Unit Name: Programs
Location: Amman
Team Name: Programs
What is an Opportunity in the OSF context?
Within our programmatic model, OSF allocates resources flexibly and nimbly to an Opportunity, based on the quality of ideas, the strategy and their potential for impact in promoting open societies around the world. Strategies, staffing, and budgets are organized around these powerful, rigorously planned opportunities. Opportunities are multi-year programs with a specific timeframe, budget and measured impact.
Role Purpose
The Managing Director is a generalist manager who oversees the delivery of a portfolio of several geographic and global Opportunities; timebound programs designed to solve complex problems central to our strategic direction. Each of the Opportunities will be led by Opportunity Directors and their teams, to deliver carefullycraftedinterventionsthatareplannedandjudged by the results they deliver.The Managing Director is also responsible for working with other Managing Directors to promotecrosscollaborationandintegration,tobringdown silos, and to ensure a healthy organizational culture.
The Managing Directors will be strong managers, able to effectively oversee teams and work closely with the VP of Programsandtheirpeersacrossthenetworkinbuildinga collaborative culture of both risk-taking and teamwork. TheywillbesupportedbyanAssociateDirector,Program Managers, Advocacy Advisors and an Administration Officer, but they themselves will be expected to oversee a portfolio that touches on a mix of different issues within their region and globally.
As a team, the Managing Directors will advise the VP of Programs, to ensure that OSF’s full portfolio is correctly weightedgeographicallyandthematically.Their collective breadth of diversity will also enable the best possible programmaticoutcomes. They will coordinate and provide geographic expertise and advice for the development of programmatic work in a specificgeographyand define OSF’s high-level approach to the geography and ensures aconsistentandinformedpresence ineachregion. This role forms part of the programmaticleadership team under the VP of Programs. Whilst they influence, and give input into programmatic direction and strategy, programmatic decision-making accountability will rest withthe Executive Leadership Team. Keydecision-making accountabilities are contained in the key responsibilities sectionbelow.
Key Responsibilities
- Responsiblefordevelopinganddeliveringstrong strategic plans with relevant Directors; then subsequentoversightoftheimplementationand resourcing plans to translate potentialideas into Opportunities for consideration by the Executive Leadership Team and/or the Board.
- Engagement and employment of OSF strategic capabilities as relevant, (i.e. strategic litigation, advocacy, impact investment)ensuing the most appropriate tactics and tools are used to effect change within and across Opportunities.
- Ensuringengagementofrelevantoperationsteams in developing and implementing programmatic work.
- Execute on grant-making decision-making, based on the Managing Director approval thresholds, for programmatic workstreams.
- Build and foster ateam culture that emulates OSF values and actively drives team performance.
- Actively manage a team of high performing Directors, ensuring delivery of critical milestones and exploring potential opportunities.
- Accountable oversight of a portfolio of multiple Opportunities, ensuring the Director of each Opportunityisaccountableforensuringstrategic rigor,foreffectivemanagementofhis/herteam, andfordeliveringontheOpportunity’sgoalsand working with other Directors to adapt their Opportunities as conditions change.
- PartnerwiththeotherManagingDirectorsand,asa member of an integrated and mutually interdependent team, ensure that Opportunities areintegratedandalignedwiththeoverall OneOSF strategy and vision.
- Ensure that OSF’s fullportfolio of Opportunities is correctly weighted within their respective geography,thematically,byriskthreshold,andby level of external partner involvement.
- Intentionallygrowanetworkofseniorleadersand organizations that spans and includes actors beyond the social sector in national and local governments,themultilateralorganizations,faith-based groups, grass-roots organizations, philanthropy,local experts,academia,thinktanks etc. to advance the opportunity. This includes criticallydevelopingstrongrelationshipswithother funders and bringing them as partners into the Opportunity.Proactivelyidentifyemergingrisksfortheportfolio and Opportunities and work with enterprise risk team to articulate risk mitigation strategies.
- Lead aGeographicPolicyGroupfor the region that helps define Open Society’s overarching strategic approach to the geography and serves as a space foraligning,aggregating,andadvancingworkinthe geography across components of the opportunity model.
- Providegeographicexpertiseandadviceforthe development of new Opportunities.
- Monitor and report regularly on the key developmentsintheregionandtheprogressof Open Society’s work in the region to senior leadership and Communications.
- Will be engaged with Communications on the development and implementation of an internal and external communications strategy and approach for the relevant geography, considering region-specific openings and vulnerabilities. Vet all external communications that touch on the geography. As appropriate and when approved, serve as the Open Society spokesperson for the geography including national and local governments, multilateral organizations, philanthropies, and others.
- Steer key advocacy engagement in/on and about thegeographyandbecognizantofotheradvocacy engagement efforts underway by various teams.
- Coordinatediverse,flexibleMonitoring,Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) efforts in partnership with the Strategy and Impact Unitto understand the impact of Open Society’s work across various components of the Opportunity Model in specific geographies.
- Lead crisis management responses and submit fund requests related to a crisis in the geography. Hold the authority to decline Open Society engagements in the region (grants, staff visits) that may have negative strategic implications. In close cooperation with respective operational units, assess key financial, legal, operational and reputation issues and risks involvingtheprogrammaticworkinthegeography.
- Liaise closely with the Risk Director and the Risk and Preparedness Committee which has oversight at the organizational level to ensure that our approachtoriskisintegratedandholistic.Also liaise closely with Global Safety and Security on anysecurity implicationsofsuch activity,and with regard to designation of high-risk countries.
- Organize senior leadership visits to the region in collaborationwithrelevantprogramdirectorsand others.
Key internal relationships
VP Programs; Opportunity Directors, Programs; Program Teams; Special Advisor, Programs; Managing Directors, Network Grants; Advocacy Advisors; Office of the President Executive Advisors, Soros Economic Development Fund; Comms; Justice Initiative; Grants Management; OGC; Risk
Key external relationships
External partners, public and private sector leaders
The ideal candidate
- Proven senior leadership of social change and system-change work in civil society, government,multilateralinstitutions,and/ortheprivatesectorthathasresultedin positive societal impact.
- Prior financial ($60m+), legal and risk accountability at organizational or large-scale multi-geography programmatic level.
- Network of senior leaders across the social sector in national and local governments, the multilateral organizations, faith-based groups, grass-roots organizations, philanthropy, local experts, academia, and think tanks.
- Effectiveandprovenmulti-countryandmulti-nationalitypeopleleadership experience; prior experience of leading managers of teams.
- Leadershipofprogrammaticand/ororganizationallevelchange.
- Proventrackrecordoffosteringinnovationandcreativityatprogrammaticor organizational level, having established the appropriate risk appetite.
- Priorexperienceinmultiplesectorsandexpertiseofphilanthropictoolssuchas advocacyandcommunication,strategiclitigation,socialimpactapproachesareadvantages.
- Capabilitytomapandbreakdowncomplexproblemsintoworkablesolutions.
- Understandingandapplicationofatheoryofchangeapproach.
- Strongprojectmanagementunderstandingtoenableplanningforopportunitiesin terms of time, budget, stakeholder and change management.
- Abilitytodraft,edit,andsubmitproposalsthatrequiresubstantialbudget approval.
- Skilledinbuildingandnurturingpartnerships withexternalstakeholdersandable to assess their strengths and weaknesses, as well as deep understanding of politicalconstraints.
- Ability to build partnerships across sectors and leada partnership development process.
Languages and Travel
- Fluency in English and Arabic is essential. Proficiency in French is an asset.
- Travelisrequired.Travelfrequencydependsontherolerequirements.
What we offer
- Exceptional opportunities to learn, grow, and make an impact; from a generous annual professional development allowance for every employee to onsite training and learning conversations with visiting experts.
- Excellent benefits andperksto promote well-being and a healthy work-life balance, including:
- Generous time offand flexible work arrangements.
- Employer-paid health insuranceand dental plansfor individuals and families (no employee contributionrequired).
- Exceptional retirement savings plan (non-contributory for employees) and life insurance.
- Progressive paid parental leave, reproductive and family planning support, and much more.
- A commitment to nurturing a diverse and inclusive workplace, so you can bring your whole self to work and make a positive impact.
Description of the organization
Open Society Foundations aim toestablishvibrant and inclusive democracies where governments are accountable to their citizens. Our operating model organizesgrantmakingaround specific, time-limited projects, developed alongside support for established partners, enabling us to respond swiftly to emerging needs. We are committed to promoting human dignity, equality, and rights; reimagining democratic ideals and practice; and advancing equity in governance systems.
Guided by our founder’s values and the belief in the art of the possible, we engage directly with global entities, individuals, and policymakers through grants, advocacy, impact investing, and strategic human rights litigation to drive positive change. At the heart of our mission is a deep commitment to rights, equity, and justice, inspiring every action we take.
Additionalinformation
Open Society Foundations is committed to building an inclusive workforce that reflects the communities we serve. We actively seek applications from talented individuals across all backgrounds, identities, and life experiences. Each candidate is evaluated solely on their unique qualifications without regard to race, age, sex, religion, ethnic origin, nationality, gender, sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy, or any other legally protected characteristics.
We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations for candidates with disabilities.
Competitive rates of pay apply.
Open Society Foundations is committed to advancing diversity, equity and inclusion, and to building a diverse staff that reflects the movements, issues and communities that our mission serves. Candidates from all underrepresented backgrounds, identities and communities are encouraged to apply.
We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations to applicants and colleagues with disabilities.
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