Director – Programs, Europe

Director – Programs, Europe. London. Posting Date: 10/07/2026.

Deadline: 10/21/2026 Role

Title:

Director – Programs, Europe Contract Type:
Regular (Mandated until February 2030) Workstyle Arrangement:
Hybrid Reporting To: VP, External Affairs and Office of the Chair Program Name:
Programs, Europe

Location:

London, Berlin Team Name:
Programs, Europe Role Purpose The Director, Europe will lead the development and implementation of the Europe program strategy, oversee grantmaking, partner engagement, team leadership, and organizational representation to advance human rights, equity, and justice across Europe.

The role will focus on Europe’s role in promoting open societies, supporting human rights, and advancing democratic governance globally.

Serves as the focal point for all Open Society work in Europe, ensuring strategic and informed interventions Key Responsibilities Strategic Leadership and Vision Lead the development and execution of the Europe program strategy aligned with the organization's mission and values.

Identify opportunities to advance human rights, equity, justice, democratic participation, and civic space across Europe. Analyze political, economic, and social developments and assess their implications for the Europe portfolio. Ensure that strategies are responsive to changing regional contexts and emerging challenges.

Ensure organizational resources are deployed strategically and effectively to strengthen civil society, support movements, influence systems change and drive lasting social impact Grantmaking and Portfolio Management Oversee a portfolio of grants across Europe. Ensure that grantmaking aligns with strategic priorities and achieves intended impact.

Partner and Movement Engagement Build strong relationships with grantees, activists, civil society organizations, movement leaders, academics, and thought partners. Serve as a trusted strategic advisor to partners. Strengthen Europe networks, coalitions, and alliances advancing human rights, equity and justice.

Ensure the voices and experiences of impacted communities inform strategy and decision-making. Foster collaboration among partners working on related issues. Thought Leadership and Representation Represent the organization externally with funders, civil society leaders, policymakers, multilateral institutions, and peer philanthropies.

Convene stakeholders around emerging opportunities and challenges. Contribute to public discourse on human rights, equity, and justice issues. Build the organization's credibility and influence across the region.

Advocacy Oversee key advocacy engagement in/on and about the region and be cognizant of other advocacy engagement efforts underway by various teams. Coordinate Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) efforts in partnership with the Strategy and Impact Unit to understand the impact of Open Society’s work across various components of the opportunity model.

Promote a culture of learning and reflection. Assess the effectiveness and impact of funding strategies and interventions. Adapt strategies based on changing political and social realities.

Monitor and regularly report on the progress of the programmatic work to the VP, External Affairs and Office of the Chair and other senior Open Society Foundations leaders Cross-Organizational Collaboration Partner with colleagues across the network to advance organizational priorities. Contribute a European perspective to global strategies and initiatives.

Collaborate with policy, communications, advocacy, Office of the General Council, and operations teams. Share insights and best practices across the organization. Risk Management and Stewardship Partner with colleagues to assess political, reputational, operational, financial, and…