Job Description

Program Manager. Amman. Posting Date: 07/17/2026. Deadline: 08/14/2026

Role Title: Program Manager, MENA

Contract Type: Indefinite Term

Reporting To: Associate Director

Program/Department/Unit Name: Programs

Location: Amman

Team Name: Programs, Middle East and North Africa

Program Description

This work will explore possible areas of intervention to support open societies and democratic values in the Middle East and North Africa. Potential areas of exploration include both country-level strategies as well as international engagement and advocacy.

Role Purpose

The Program Manager will be responsible for day-to-day liaison and coordination with grantee and partner organizations. The Program Manager will play a critical role with implementing the workplan with a specific focus on grant making. The expectation is that the Program Manager is a subject matter expert in the specific area.

Key responsibilities

As Program Manager, you will:

• Support the Associate Director of Programs to deliver on the strategy’s outcomes with professionalism.
• Deliver on day-to-day liaison with grantees to ensure the workplan is designed, launched, implemented, and exited according to the outcomes defined.
• Work collaboratively with other members within the program team and with colleagues across OSF to ensure the strategy is effectively leveraging OSF’s capabilities to reach the agreed outcome.
• Effectively manage the grant-making process by communicating with grantees for proposal submission, 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 Geographic Policy Groups as relevant, and work with them to achieve OSF’s strategic objective
• Work collaboratively in developing, assessing, and revising program strategies.
• 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.
• Contribute to the larger program strategy.
• Process and oversee progress of consultant contracts.
• Monitor progress implementation, project risks, and other relevant status updates and communicate to Associate Director of Programs regularly.

Key internal relationships

Associate Director, Programs; Managing Director Programs; Geographic Lead; Network Grants, Special Advisors, Grants Management, Operations.

Key external relationships

External Partners

The Ideal Candidate

Qualifications - Essential:

• Educated to a degree-level (or equivalent)

Qualifications- Desirable:

• Post-graduate education relevant to the area of work that Open Society Foundations will invest in

Experience - Essential:

• Multiple years’ experience (in one or multiple organizations) where proficiency in the specific field or subject area has been comprehensively developed
• Prior working experience of operating within the non-profit community with a specific focus on grantmaking organizations and foundations
• Relevant expertise in topic area (thematic and/or geographic) specific to the opportunity
• Expertise and understanding of Middle East civil society ecosystem and history

Competencies

Functional Competencies:

• Conceives, designs and manages cross-department, cross-program or similarly complex projects; expected to effectively manage time, budget and stakeholders and network-wide or similarly complex coordination.
• Able to generate, capture and organize information and knowledge to deliver prescribed outcomes.
• Ability to conduct research to drive decision making by management
• Skilled in drawing out patterns.
• Experience in budgeting, strategic analysis and planning
• Working well with a variety of public, private and NGO stakeholders
• Building and maintaining networks of stakeholders
• Promote strategic cooperation with governmental and other sectors
• Knowledge of grant making best practices and the field of philanthropy
• Ability to build synergies, strengthen movements, and identify and fill capacity gaps across fields
• Demonstrate care and concern about partner organizations and the people who work in them

Personal Competencies:

• Able to build consensus with diverse audiences/stakeholders
• Possesses cultural sensitivity to work respectfully and effectively in different settings
• Ability to work independently and being self-motivated
• Demonstrates commitment to OSF’s core values of humility, commitment, collaboration, respect, inclusivity and integrity
• Proven experience in collaborating with multi-country stakeholders
• Willingness to adjust working hours to include calls and discussions with colleagues and vendors located in various geographic regions
• Willingness to travel approximately 40% of the time
• Commitment to continuous learning and growth in the areas of diversity, equity, inclusion, antiracism, and social justice

Languages:

• An excellent knowledge of English and Arabic, both spoken and written

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 and perks to promote well-being and a healthy work-life balance, including:
• Generous time off and flexible work arrangements. Employer-paid health insurance and dental plans for individuals and families (no employee contribution required).
• 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.

Who we are

Open Society Foundations aim to establish vibrant and inclusive democracies where governments are accountable to their citizens. Our operating model organizes grant making around 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.

Additional information

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.