Chief of Staff to 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.

• 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 work streams;
  • 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.

• 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.

We offer an…