Program Manager, Rights and Economic Renewal in the U.S.

Program Manager, Rights and Economic Renewal in the U.S.. Washington, D.C.. Posting Date: 02/27/2026. Deadline: 03/13/2026

Role Title: Program Manager, Rights and Economic Renewal in the U.S.

Contract Type: Regular (5 Year Assignment)

Reporting To: Director, Rights and Economic Renewal in the U.S.

Program/Department/Unit Name: Programs

Location: Washington, D.C. or New York

Team Name: Rights and Economic Renewal in the U.S.

Role Purpose

The U.S. Rights and Economic Renewal program is looking to hire a Program Manager to join their 5-year initiative that aims to safeguard core freedoms that are under attack, expand rights, and improve Americans’ economic wellbeing.  

The Program Manager supports the implementation of the strategy by serving as the primary liaison with grantees and partners and by coordinating a portfolio of grants and complementary strategies, including advocacy, research, and field building. The Program Manager would apply strong subject matter knowledge in U.S. rights and democracy policy to translate strategic priorities into effective and well-coordinated program execution. 

Key responsibilities

• Support the Director and Associate Director to deliver on the opportunity’s outcomes s by managing key workstreams, contributing ideas and insights from implementation, and helping translate strategy into effective day-to-day operations.  
• Liaise with grantees to ensure the opportunity is designed, implemented, and exited according to the outcomes defined.  
• Collaborate with other opportunity team members and with colleagues across the organization to ensure the opportunity is effectively leveraging Open Society’s capabilities to reach the agreed outcomes.  
• Effectively manage the grant-making process by communicating with grantees for proposal submission and assisting in grant record preparation, grants processing, payments, reporting, and other related processes.  
• Build a strong understanding of the field and partnerships in developing and designing the grant selection processes.  
• Manage relationships with partners, in close coordination with other internal colleagues, and work with them to achieve OSF’s strategic objectives through the Opportunity.  
• Work with leadership to maintain grant-making practice aligned with OSF's approach to grant-making and in compliance with organizational and external standards and regulations. 
• Assist in the construction, maintenance, and assessment of grant making portfolio(s), sharing responsibility for strategy design with manager.  
• Process and oversee progress of consultant contracts. 
• Monitor progress implementation, project risks, and other relevant status updates and communicate to the Director. 
• Other duties as required. 
• 25% travel is required. 

People responsibilities (Total Team/DRs)
None

Key internal relationships
Directors, Associate Directors, Program Managers, Administrative Officers, Communications Team

External relationships

Potential and Existing Grantees, Partner Funders

The ideal candidate

• Has experience working within a think tank, academia, nonprofit organization, state government, or federal government on civil rights, democracy policy, or related rights-based initiatives, with a strong understanding of the U.S. policy and advocacy landscape. 
• Liaises with grantees to ensure the opportunity is designed, implemented, and exited according to the outcomes defined  
• Works collaboratively with other opportunity team members and with colleagues across the organization to ensure the opportunity is effectively leveraging Open Society’s capabilities to reach the agreed outcomes  
• Effectively manages the grant-making process by communicating with grantees for proposal submission and assisting in grant record preparation, grants processing, payments, reporting, and other related processes  
• Builds a strong understanding of the field and partnerships in developing and designing the grant selection processes  
• Manages relationships with partners, in close coordination with other internal stakeholders as relevant, and works with them to achieve OSF’s strategic objectives through the opportunity  
• Works with leadership to maintain grant-making practice aligned with OSF's approach to grant-making and in compliance with organizational and external standards and regulations  
• Assists in the construction, maintenance, and assessment of g