Core Strategy & Engagement Assistant

Position Title: Core Strategy & Engagement Assistant
Grade Level: 3 - FLSA Non-Exempt
Reports to: Senior Director, Core Strategy and Engagement

About NED

The National Endowment for Democracy supports freedom around the world.

At NED, we deliver on the belief that freedom is a universal aspiration. Headquartered in Washington, DC, NED is a private, nonprofit foundation, mandated by Congress, dedicated to strengthening democratic institutions worldwide.

NED reflects an enduring American commitment to stand with those striving for dignity, justice, and opportunity. In 2025, NED made 1,552 grants totaling $271 million to support the work of nongovernmental organizations advancing democratic goals in more than 90 countries, including some of the world’s most challenging and repressive environments.

We seek talented, entrepreneurial professionals motivated by purpose and committed to excellence. At NED, you will join a dynamic team of experts who bring their skills, curiosity, and judgment to a consequential mission at a critical moment for democracy around the world. Our work is guided by our shared values: excellence, respect, empathy, accountability, and adaptability.

Position Summary

NED partners with four Core Institutes—CIPE, IRI, NDI, and The Solidarity Center—to advance democracy support around the world. The Core Strategy & Engagement (CSE) team strengthens NED’s engagement with the four Core Institutes to better support strategic coordination and facilitation of effective engagement, through strengthening shared systems and practices and helping connect priorities across our organizations. This work helps NED to advance common goals and to better draw on the experiences, networks, and expertise of each institution.

The CSE Assistant provides essential administrative and logistical support to the Core Strategy & Engagement team, helping ensure the smooth execution of proposal cycles, planning processes, and reporting requirements across NED. This role integrates program support with grants administration, strengthening both day-to-day operations and the team’s grantmaking processes. The assistant manages workflows, maintains accurate information systems, and coordinates communications and timelines across teams to ensure processes are organized, timely, and consistent. In doing so, the position enables effective collaboration with regional teams and Core Institutes and supports NED’s broader goal of sharpening strategic grantmaking.

This is a hybrid position based in Washington, DC., and is part of the bargaining unit.

Primary Responsibilities

• Provide operational and administrative support across all Core Institute planning and board cycles, including data entry, tracking submissions and revisions, maintaining review calendars and deadlines, and preparing or routing required materials.

• Coordinate routine communications, reminders, and process updates to NED grantmaking and Core Institute staff, ensuring accuracy, clarity, and timely follow-through.

• Maintain organized documentation and information systems for proposals, summaries, planning materials, and internal resources.

• Support senior director to organize thematic or regional materials to support analysis and review.

• Support grants officers with financial and narrative report intake process, review, and data entry.

• Support drafting grant agreements.

• Schedule and manage logistics and coordination for team meetings, proposal review and planning meetings, NED family retreats, and cross-team and cross-institute consultations.

• Support all administrative functions of the CSE One Grantmaking Team and interface with all regional teams to accomplish tasks as needed.

• Maintain team calendar, deadlines, and the division’s internal resource webpage.

• Assist with updating internal templates, trackers, and process documents to support smooth team operations.

• As capacity and skills allow, contribute to data organization and analysis, and storytelling support for team insights and leadership briefings.

• Establish and maintain good working relationships with coordination staff at the four Core Institutes.

Qualifications

• 1-2 years of administrative or coordination experience, preferably in international development or a related field.

• Bachelor’s degree in international affairs, political science, international development or related field.

• Experience working in an evolving environment, supporting a new team as structures and processes take shape.

• Ability to identify inefficiencies and proactively improve processes.

• Strong operational judgment and ability to understand how tasks affect broader workflows, deadlines, stakeholders, and institutional processes.

• Sound critical thinking, including the ability to notice errors, inconsistencies, or missing information before moving forward.

• Highly organized with strong attention to detail, accuracy, and consistency across logistics, scheduling, materials, and follow-up.

• Excellent written and oral communication skills, with the ability to communicate effectively across roles, functions, and levels of seniority.

• Ability to multi-task in a fast-paced environment, managing multiple priorities, deadlines, stakeholders, and moving pieces.

• Strong ownership, follow-through, and independence in carrying assignments from initial requests through completion.

• Team-focused and aligned with NED’s mission and values.

• Able to anticipate needs, take initiative, and maintain composure under pressure.

• Ability to work with discretion.

• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, Outlook, Word, PowerPoint) and familiarity with SharePoint, Teams, or similar platforms.

• Experience with Salesforce is a plus.

Talent in Action

Consistent with NED’s talent statement, and grounded in our values, the successful individual in this role will demonstrate the following competencies in the delivery of their work while supporting NED’s efforts to advance democratic change:

• Purpose-Driven

• Reliable

• Expertise

• Respectful Collaboration

• Curiosity

• Results-Oriented

• An Optimistic Mindset

NED Total Compensation

The anticipated compensation range for this position is $21.87 - $31.61 per hour. The salary for this position is determined based on a wide variety of factors, including but not limited to an individual’s professional experience, qualifications, education, and other business needs along with internal equity considerations. Employees are not typically hired at the top of the range for their role, and compensation decisions are based on the aforementioned circumstances. NED also offers a generous benefits package that demonstrates its commitment to employee health and well-being.

To apply, please attach a resume and cover letter to your application.