OSI Justice Initiative - Program Associate for National Criminal Justice Reform and Director (Budapest based)

The Open Society Institute works to build vibrant and tolerant democracies whose governments are accountable to their citizens. Open societies are characterized by the rule of law; respect for human rights, minorities, and a diversity of opinions; democratically elected governments; market economies in which business and government are separate; and a civil society that helps keep government power in check. To achieve its mission, OSI seeks to shape public policies that assure greater fairness in political, legal, and economic systems and safeguard fundamental rights. On a local level, OSI implements a range of initiatives to advance justice, education, public health, and independent media. At the same time, OSI builds alliances across borders and continents on issues such as corruption and freedom of information. OSI places high priority on protecting and improving the lives of marginalized people and communities.

Investor and philanthropist George Soros in 1993 created OSI as a private operating and grantmaking foundation to support his foundations in Central and Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union. Those foundations were established, starting in 1984, to help countries make the transition from communism. OSI has expanded the activities of the Soros foundations network to encompass the United States and more than 60 countries in Europe, Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Each national foundation relies on the expertise of boards composed of eminent citizens who determine individual agendas based on local priorities.

The Open Society Justice Initiative promotes rights-based law reform and strengthens legal capacity worldwide through hands-on technical assistance, litigation and legal advice, advocacy, research, and reporting. The Justice Initiative works to secure accountability for international crimes, combat racial discrimination and statelessness, improve national-level criminal justice, address abuses flowing from national security and counterterrorism policies, expand freedom of information and expression, and pursue remedies for natural resource-related corruption. Staff are based in Abuja, Almaty, Amsterdam, Brussels, Budapest, Freetown, The Hague, London, Mexico City, New York, Paris, Phnom Penh, and Washington, D.C.

The Justice Initiative has articulated three broad goals for its work on national criminal justice reform (NCJR): a) rationalize and develop alternatives to pretrial detention; b) increase access to competent legal representation for indigent criminal defendants (legal aid); and c) improve civilian police oversight mechanisms. The overall aim of Justice Initiative's legal aid work is to ensure that governments' obligation under international law to provide timely and effective free legal aid for indigent criminal defendants is implemented. In advancing this objective, we combine a variety of tools, namely: (a) monitoring and research to document inadequacies and gaps in national legal aid policies and practices; (b) raising awareness among regional and international organizations about failures of national governments to comply with their obligations under international law; (c) policy advice to national governments; (d) piloting innovative and cost-effective approaches to organizing and delivering legal aid for indigent criminal defendants; (e) policymaking capacity-building for newly-established legal aid management institutions; (f) promoting a rights-oriented, client-centered culture of criminal defense; and (g) improving standards of criminal defense and free legal aid nationally and internationally.

Based in Budapest, Hungary, the Program Associate on National Criminal Justice Reform will administer and implement NCJR legal aid projects. The Program Associate reports to the Justice Initiative Director-Budapest who is responsible for overseeing the development of programming in the area of legal aid of the national criminal justice reform around the world. The Program Associate will also provide a variety of administrative and research services for the Director- Budapest.

Specific Duties
1a. Organization and Logistics for the NCJR legal aid projects
- Organizes and participates in on-site and off-site workshops, conferences, meetings and other events, for NCJR in cooperation with partner organizations. This work includes: overseeing all logistics of the organized event, drafting the list of participants, preparing an agenda, creating a budget, drafting summary reports of the meeting and arranging follow-up and evaluations as needed and other matters where necessary;

1b. Organization and Logistics for Director-Budapest
- Provides travel arrangements for the Director of the Budapest Office including arranging the tickets and reservations; arranging visas; completing forms; scheduling meetings; coordinating trip with other travelers; maintaining a file for trip documents and creating the itinerary.
- Maintains calendar for the director including scheduling meeting rooms, confirming meetings, and organizing materials for the meetings
- Assists with visitors to Open Society Justice Initiative;

2a. Administration and Financial for legal aid projects of the NCJR program
- Prepares projects documents, budgets, memoranda, contracts and other documents required to activate budgets and implement projects;
- Processes grants and contracts through OSI's internal grant and contract management system; liaises with members of OSI administration and legal departments as necessary;
- Liaises with partners on administrative and financial aspects of projects, including handling grant contracts, ensuring that payments are made, notifying partners of reporting duties, overseeing submission of narrative and financial reports, reviewing reports, following up with partners on project evaluations; tracking payments for invoices and contracts;
- Assists other NCJR program staff with preparation of reports and communications with partners and others;
- Contributes to a monthly program report;
- Assists with the preparation of regular program meetings; takes notes at program meetings;
- Attends monthly staff conference call;
- Maintains general NCJR program calendar that includes a list of key deadlines and events;
- Maintains physical and electronic files, ensuring that all relevant documentation is up-to-date and accessible; trains new NCJR staff and/or interns on the filing system;
- Coordinates and connects program teleconference calls;

2b. Administration and Financial for Director-Budapest
- Drafts letters, memos, and faxes in English for the Director of the Budapest Office;
- Assists communication of the Director of the Budapest Office with OSI staff, Soros organizations and outside contacts;
- Maintains files and correspondence pertaining to the Director of the Budapest Office including a "contact" list for distribution of Open Society Justice Initiative literature; assist web-site coordinator in maintaining electronic database of Justice Initiative documents;
- Assists in the preparation of reports and information packages consisting of copying, collating and binding for the Director of the Budapest Office;
- Coordinates and connects teleconference calls;

3. Communications
- Reviews, contributes to and augments the database of contacts for the NCJR program;
- Updates the KARL (OSI intranet) with relevant program documentation;
- Reviews the website regularly for possible updates;
- Responds to enquiries about Justice Initiative NCJR work from partners and others, providing them with relevant information;
- Collaborates with the Senior Officer - Communications and the Program Assistant, Budapest, on distribution lists and administrative details for Open Society Justice Initiative publications and articles written or relating to project and/or program work;

4. Project implementation and litigation
- Assists the Director of Budapest office in maintaining regular communication with partners and National Foundation staff, participates in project events (including but not limited to project meetings, media events, networking meetings with international and regional human rights organizations);

5. Other
- Travel as approved by the Director-Budapest; and
- Performs any other tasks as assigned by the Director-Budapest.

Requirements
- Two to four years of relevant office work experience, preferably with a focus on human rights and/or justice;
- Bachelor's Degree preferably in international relations, business administration or other relevant field;
- High level of computer literacy including Microsoft Office, web searching; web uploading and database skills preferable;
- Strong verbal, written, organizational, interpersonal and research skills;
- Fluency in English;
- A demonstrated interest and/or experience in the work of non-profit organizations;
- Ability to work in a fast paced diverse work environment;
- Ability to work simultaneously on a wide range of projects and prioritize appropriately;
- Pleasant, diplomatic manner and disposition;
- Integrity, professional discretion and ability to handle confidential matters;
- Willingness to work overtime when required.

Application deadline: March 15, 2010

TO APPLY
Please send applications in English, including a cover letter and curriculum vitae, to applications@admingroup.hu.

For more information about the Open Society Justice Initiative, please see http://www.justiceinitiative.org

OSI is an Equal Opportunity Employer which supports diversity and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, ethnicity, nationality, gender, age, disability, or sexual orientation.