Who We Are
At IREX we strive for a more just, prosperous, and inclusive world—where individuals reach their full potential, governments serve their people and communities thrive.
But around the globe, persistent poverty, repression, and injustice prevent too many people form achieving their full potential. To address these problems, we focus on people, not on vaccines, roads, or wells. We support individuals and institutions to create change in their own communities—and to create person to person bridges between nations.
IREX works with partners in more than 100 countries in four areas essential to progress: cultivating leaders, empowering youth, strengthening institutions, and increasing access to quality education and information.
IREX is seeking a Deputy Director for a Central Asian media support and civil society initiative with the general goal of further strengthening independent media and civil society in Central Asia. The Deputy Director will play an integral role in the management and operational oversight of the program. Reporting to the Director, the Deputy Director is responsible for oversight of program activities, monitoring and evaluation, reporting and sub-grants. The individual will be the principal point of contact for procedural and substantive matters and will also take on delegated Director’s responsibilities as required. IREX is looking for individuals with knowledge of Central Asia and experience in managing programs of similar size and scope.
We are doers. Our decades of on-the-ground experience help us create greater impact, practical recommendations, and lasting partnerships.
Are you the next member of our team?
Your Background & Skills
- A Bachelor’s degree, preferably related to the skills sought for this position: communications, management, English, media, international development, technology for development, or other related area. Being an alum of USG-funded academic exchange programs would be considered a positive.
- Significant professional experience (at least 5- 7 years) in international organizations, digital media content development, communications consulting organization, a digital agency, or account management/planning at a creative agency, or technology for development.
- Previous senior-level management experience, including significant staff, financial and administrative oversight.
- Experience in the monitoring and evaluation for social programs and/or media.
- Sensitivity to cross-cultural dynamics in the workplace and experience supervising diverse staff.
- Ability to develop and maintain relationships with government representatives, project beneficiaries and partners, and ability to network with stakeholders in Central Asia.
- An understanding of the international NGO sector and USG-funded projects.
- Excellent interpersonal communication and presentation skills. Ability to communicate professionally and provide written reporting in English. Knowledge of any Central Asian language preferred.
- Blend of creative, project management, analytical skills, and multitasking skills preferred.
- Strong industry connections throughout the digital innovation, entrepreneurship, and media industry, including movie studios, TV studios, as well as marketing and communications companies in the region of Central Asia.
- Self-motivated and directed: able to identify tasks and be proactive to constantly seek excellence.
- Willingness to travel across Central Asia 30%+.
- Must demonstrate valid proof of unrestricted authorization to work in Kyrgyzstan.
Your Daily Tasks
- Contributes ideas and develops networking initiatives related to media innovation and partnerships in Central Asia.
- Liaises closely with five country-level operations, providing programmatic and management guidance and ensuring teams are adequately connected with the support structures present within the project
- Identifies, together with IREX partners in Central Asia, exact tools, forms, and formats for collaborations, which would have best consumption and cultivate new partner opportunities among target audience representatives through strong networking in the region.
- Leverages latest content development and consumption trends, data, and insights to identify marketplace opportunities for IREX project partners with relevance to target audiences of IREX partners.
- Guides project team, digital innovators, and content producers to collaborate and network throughout the region
- Ensures the project follows all grant and cooperative agreement rules, requirements, and regulations as well as with IREX internal policies and procedures.
- Supports subgrant and contract arrangements, including drafting scopes of work and collecting deliverables. Mentors and accompanies IREX partners and ensure that project activities are working according to schedule and meeting targets.
- Supports project partners, including outreach, monitoring, and mentoring. Tracks a wide range of information and data, maintaining accuracy and completeness
- Ensures good knowledge management across grants, including key project documentation, to enable all teams supporting the grant to access information and provide a fully auditable trail
- Ensures sub-grant and procurement related administrative processes and procedures are standardized and consistently implemented throughout the program, including agreements, disbursements, and reporting in collaboration with the team.
Please supply a resume and a cover letter that explains your interest and why you believe you would be a good match for the position; please include your salary range requirements.
Requested materials must be submitted no later than August 10, 2021 in electronic form to the email: DesignHub.CA@irex.org
IREX will make reasonable accommodations in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments of 2008.
Successful candidates are subject to background screenings.
This position is eligible for Telework.
Must demonstrate valid proof of unrestricted authorization to work in Kyrgyzstan.
NO PHONE CALLS PLEASE
EOE – Equal Opportunity Employer
We are an equal opportunity employer with a commitment to diversity.
All individuals, regardless of personal characteristics, are encouraged to apply. AA/EOE/M/F/Vet/Disabled