Chief of Staff to the President

About the Role

The Chief of Staff to the President is a key partner to NDI’s senior leadership (President and Executive Management Team (EMT)), serving as a strategic advisor and leader on behalf of the President, with specific responsibility to 1) lead and/or drive strategic projects and initiatives for NDI, 2) provide oversight of front-office operational functions and other functions as assigned, and 3) represent the President in key internal and external stakeholder engagements; 4) support efficiency and agility across NDI through strategic vision, change management and, occasionally, hands-on implementation.

Your Purpose and Impact:

• Advance the President’s vision for One NDI – a collaborative, learning organization that manifests impact, agility, and efficiency in order to meaningfully advance the trajectory of democratic progress worldwide through impactful programming and thought leadership,
• Support the President’s institutional priorities for NDI through:
• Engaging with stakeholders across NDI to drive forward strategic initiatives, sometimes through collaboration and sometimes through direct leadership of workstreams;
• Ensuring that the president's time and decision-making are used efficiently by working with staff to ripen issues for presidential attention and partnering with the president’s executive assistant to manage the president’s calendar according to her priorities; and
• Representing the president in meetings with key internal and external stakeholders as needed.
• Coordinating organization and preparation of the President’s representational travel with staff and external partners.
• Under guidance from the President, serve as the main staff liaison to the Board of Directors, organizing and overseeing preparations for scheduled Board meetings, committee meetings, and other elements of Board governance.
• Facilitate transparency and information exchange up and down the organizational chain and to and from the programs/departments and the EMT, particularly the president.
• Work with the president and EMT to implement change-management strategies to achieve desired outcomes and advance organizational success.
• Provide day-to-day supervision of the Office Management and Information Technology functions and personnel, working with them to advance operational infrastructure, systems and processes that facilitate efficiency, agility, and impact-on-mission.
• Lead or co-lead specific strategic projects and initiatives, ensuring appropriate planning (project team development, action steps, resource and budget determinations, and timelines), and collaboration with relevant teams and stakeholders to achieve identified goals.
• Partner with the President and EMT in aligning NDI’s strategy, goals and objectives with the management of the organization.
• Advance integration and collaboration across the organization.
• Identify and work with the President and EMT to address barriers or challenges that are limiting NDI’s impact, agility and/or efficiency
• Elevate issues requiring the president’s involvement.
• Support the EMT in leading and demonstrating a culture of learning, collegiality, and professionalism that supports the professional development of staff at all levels.
• Develop and maintain a network of partners and stakeholders inside and outside NDI to cultivate collaboration and to understand NDI’s operating environment and audiences.
• Perform other duties as required.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree or relevant work experience.
• Minimum of 7 years in management roles, including supervising and cultivating professional staff, advancing organizational transformation, and aligning systems with strategy to advance mission outcomes.
• Superior leadership skills, with the ability to engage effectively with, cultivate and guide both direct reports and peers.
• Superb judgment and problem-solving skills, including demonstrated skills in negotiation and conflict resolution.
• Excellent management skills including experience designing and implementing systems/process change and/or culture change in an operational institution.
• Strong interpersonal skills, including active listening, mentoring/coaching.

What We Offer:

We offer an environment committed to promoting diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging as a core part of our culture. We strive to foster empowerment and belonging as these values are central to our mission and to our impact. We believe that diversity in thought helps us solve the complex problems we face around the globe.

We offer a comprehensive benefits package which includes health, dental, vision, a generous PTO policy, flexible schedules, and a 10% employer contribution to the retirement pension.

This position offers an anticipated salary range of approximately $167,200 - $217,400.

Additional Information:

This position is primarily office-based , with moderate travel requirements (1-3 trips per year including international travel). and to comply with tax and legal obligations, successful candidates must be residents of MD, DC, or VA, or relocate prior to the start of employment at NDI.

Candidates must be legally eligible to work in the U.S. NDI does not provide sponsorship.

NDI is an equal opportunity employer (EEO). As such, NDI makes employment decisions and provides equal employment opportunity without regard to an applicant’s or employee’s race, religion, color, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, or gender identity), national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other basis protected by federal, state and local laws. As an equal opportunity employer, NDI encourages individuals with disabilities, including disabled veterans or veterans with service-connected disabilities, to apply.

If you need reasonable accommodation in the application or hiring process, please notify NDI’s Human Resources department at Human_Resources_team@ndi.org. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.