Job Description
The National Democratic Institute for International Affairs (NDI) is seeking candidates to direct its political party development assistance program in Nepal. The Resident Program Director would oversee a broad-ranging training and assistance effort designed to help political parties develop internal governance and policymaking structures, better connect with voters and constituents, and improve their electoral competitiveness. The Resident Program Director reports directly to the Resident Director in Nepal and would be supported by staff in Kathmandu and Washington, D.C. The Resident Program Director is based in Kathmandu.
Background
NDI has been working in Nepal since 1994 to strengthen the country’s democratic processes. In recent years, the Institute has conducted voter education programs to promote citizen involvement in the political sphere, supported anti-corruption efforts, carried out nationwide public opinion polling, and conducted programs to increase the political participation and effectiveness of local women leaders and activists. The Institute has also implemented programs to promote consensus building between parties, strengthen political party leadership and governance, and encourage civil society and media oversight of the political process.
Current program goals include continuing a comprehensive program to help political parties develop their organizational capacity and strengthen their electoral competitiveness, supporting them with capacity-building for their internal training units, as well as devising reform strategies for key areas they identified for change and reform. The Institute’s programs have been designed following a political party baseline assessment conducted in year one of the grant. The Institute is also facilitating inter party dialogue through the Inter Party Alliance.
Required Skills
- Oversee the design and implementation of NDI’s political party development program in Nepal;
- Provide training and consultation to program partners in areas related to organizational capacity building, including: internal governance, internal and external communications, membership and recruitment, and resource mobilization;
- Willingness to travel to remote regions and districts to provide trainings and consultations to political party district and constituency level officials as needed;
- Provide training and consultation to program partners in areas related to electoral competitiveness, including: campaign strategy and planning, message development, candidate and campaign staff training;
- Develop specific initiatives to promote the role of women, and people from marginalized groups, as leaders within parties and as political candidates;
- Provide day-to-day management and oversight of local program staff;
- Oversee the in-country program budget and projections;
- Establish and maintain close working relationships with political parties, election and government officials, women’s groups and civil society organizations;
- Report on political developments in Nepal that may affect program outcomes to the Washington, DC-based staff on a regular basis;
- Manage the development, review and timely submission of program-related materials, including regular reports that measure and evaluate program results;
- Assist in the representation of NDI to Nepali election and government officials, political party leaders and candidates, the US Embassy, USAID and other donors, and local and international non-governmental organizations.
Required Experience
- Bachelor’s degree in a field of study related to political science, international relations, public policy, law, or related field; graduate degree preferred;
- A minimum of fourteen (14) years relevant work experience as a political party trainer or working with non-governmental organizations, legislatures or political parties at the state/provincial or national level;
- Experience in implementing large USAID-funded international development programs strongly preferred;
- Ability to live and work in a challenging environment;
- Experience in results-oriented program design, strategic planning, and program evaluation;
- Demonstrated ability to work effectively with senior political leaders, as well as members of the donor and diplomatic community;
- Exceptional interpersonal and managerial skills and cultural sensitivity to effectively interact with all levels of staff, U.S. and foreign government personnel, members of donor organizations, funders, and policymakers;
- Proven capacity to meet program goals while managing financial and administrative responsibilities;
- Proven capacity to communicate skills and experience to others as a trainer and advisor;
- Superior oral and written communications skills to effectively present information in a clear and persuasive manner in English;
- Exceptional analytical skills for interpreting complex program and political issues;
- Ability to adjust programmatic activities based on changing political circumstances and in response to needs articulated by local partners and program stakeholders; and
- Working knowledge of PC and Google-based word processing and spreadsheet applications.
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