Call for Applications: Program Manager

Program Manager
Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation
Washington, DC | Full-Time

Do you care about promoting democracy and human rights around the globe? The Victims of
Communism Memorial Foundation (VOC) is a Congressionally authorized, independent
educational, research, and human rights nonprofit devoted to commemorating the more than 100
million victims of communism around the world and to pursuing the freedom of those still living
under totalitarian regimes. This is full-time position based in Washington, DC. While local
candidates are preferred, remote candidates with strong qualifications may be considered.

POSITION SUMMARY
The Program Manager oversees all aspects of project management and grants administration
under the direction of the Program Director and Associate Director, as well as providing critical
leadership support in program implementation, budget tracking and oversight, systems
management, content production, donor reporting, and fundraising proposals. The manager is
responsible for ensuring effective administration of program grants, coordinating multiple
projects across internal and external teams, managing budgets and procurement, ensuring
contract execution and compliance, and helping drive efficient and effective execution of VOC’s
research and human rights advocacy initiatives, including dedicated efforts to document human
rights atrocities and promote accountability through legal and international mechanisms.

CORE RESPONSIBILITIES
– Project management: Lead planning, execution, and coordination for multiple projects
focused on documenting atrocities and holding perpetrators accountable, ensuring all
activities and deliverables align with program objectives and donor requirements.
– Promotion Campaigns: Support planning and execution of key publicity and advocacy
initiatives such as report rollouts, coordinating teams and partners to ensure broad reach
and impact of VOC research, including press releases, factsheets, video, media work.
– Grants administration: Oversee effective management of grants including program
implementation, budget tracking and expense coding, procurement and contracts,
monitoring and evaluation (M&E), donor reporting, and fundraising proposals.
– Budget oversight: Design, coordinate, and manage systems to ensure responsible
management of project budgets in line with program objectives and donor requirements,
including expense tracking and coding, financial planning and reporting, and ensuring
compliance with VOC internal policies and external auditor requirements.
– Small-grants manager: Serve as primary manager of small-grants program supporting
initiatives that promote Uyghur advocacy. Manage full cycle of subgrantee projects
including solicitation, evaluation, approval, execution of awards, and reporting.

ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES
– Impact reports: Draft and edit team impact reports for specific report releases and events,
summarizing reach and impact of program team’s efforts for a donor-focused audience.
– Event logistics: Support execution of planning and logistics for annual academic
conference and other events, such as workshops, panels, film screenings, virtual briefings
and presentations, and advocacy trips for VOC leadership.
– Project coordination: Work with external vendors and contractors to execute ad hoc
projects including graphic design, video production, writing, editing, translation, external
evaluation, and website development.
– Partner contracts: Coordinate projects with multiple external partners and contractors,
assist in procurement and executing contracts, monitor progress towards milestones,
ensure timely completion of all project targets and deliverables.
– Procurement: Promote cost-effective solicitation and selection of quality bids from
external partners for contracted projects, evaluate and rank applications and bids, provide
recommendation memos to inform decision-making by leadership.
– Expense coding: Collect, organize, track, code, and submit receipts and expense reports
to finance team, ensuring compliance with internal policies and SOPs. Monitor expense
disbursements and funds drawdown for line-item grant and project budgets.
– Systems enhancement: Help identify, evaluate, and manage digital tools to refine team
systems for budget management, task and progress tracking, and impact reporting that are
user friendly and cost-effective.
– Monitoring and evaluation (M&E): manage M&E tracking and systems, drafting of
quarterly narrative reports for multifaceted grant programs, compile and edit partner
submissions to communicate impact in line with project metrics.
– Fundraising: Support development of grant proposals including ideation and project
design, conducting background research, and drafting concept notes and proposals.
– Miscellaneous assistance: Conduct research and tasks as assigned by directors including
taking meeting minutes, drafting recommendation memos and correspondence, and
conducting background research on human rights issues and potential partners.

DESIRED SKILLS
– Minimum 3-5 years experience in project management or program administration.
– Significant experience in grants administration strongly preferred.
– Familiarity with atrocity documentation and accountability efforts a plus.
– Exceptional project management skills with track record of independently leading
implementation of multifaceted program activities and deliverables.
– Strong writing and editing skills. Experience in communications, journalism, or
marketing strongly preferred.
– Ability to draw on proposal blueprints to create and manage calendar-based plans,
budgets, milestone templates, spreadsheets, metric tracking, and reporting in line with
donor requirements.
– Highly organized and detail-oriented, with exceptional project management skills, strong
work ethic, and pro-active leadership mentality.
– Technical proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint) and
if possible graphic design (InDesign, Canva). Tech-savvy with ability to quickly identify,
learn, and effectively use new software, online platforms, and digital tools.
– Strong experience in processes of procurement, contract execution, and evaluation of
vendor bids and human resources.
– Tech-savvy and able to quickly and effectively identify and adapt to innovative digital
tools to streamline team processes.
– Creativity and good judgment in incorporating visual and graphic design elements into
VOC products to enhance their ability to engage and educate new audiences.
– Ability to absorb, filter, and distill disparate information into concise summaries of the
key bottom lines.
– Unwavering commitment to strict policies on confidentiality, discreetness, and risk
mitigation in handling of sensitive materials and information
– Flexible, nimble, able to manage multiple competing priorities under tight deadlines.
– Team player with strong interpersonal skills and ability to support and motivate
colleagues.
– Proficiency in foreign languages a plus, especially Mandarin, Uyghur, and Turkish.

EDUCATION
Undergraduate degree in Political Science, International Affairs, Communications, Business
Administration, or other relevant field.
EXPERIENCE
4-6 years of relevant professional experience
SALARY RANGE
60k-90k depending on experience
BENEFITS
Full-time employees receive a comprehensive benefits program including health insurance,
generous paid leave, and retirement account.

To apply please send a resume, cover letter, and illustrative writing sample to
ana.pomeroy.ctr@victimsofcommunism.org.