About the Digital Impact Alliance
The Digital Impact Alliance is a new global alliance to enable the digital ecosystem to deliver greater scale, efficiency, and social impact as it creates more inclusive digital economies in emerging markets. Working with partners, DIAL generates evidence of what works through a series of demonstration projects, distills insights and tools to promote scale-up and replication, and provides mechanisms to encourage knowledge sharing, collaboration, and co-investment throughout the ecosystem.
DIAL is funded through a collaboration among the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, USAID and the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), and hosted within the UN Foundation in Washington, D.C.
Overview of role
The DIAL (Digital Impact Alliance) is looking for a Program Lead for a new program delivering technical assistance and financial support to open source software projects designed for the international development and humanitarian communities. Many such software projects currently exist, but a large number of them are prevented from scaling — due to poorly-implemented governance, and other basic structures needed for ongoing investment and growth.
DIAL’s new Open Source Center (OSC, or “the Center”), provides a collaborative space for, and professional technical assistance to, these open source projects. The Center assists in the establishment of effective governance, software project management, and contribution models for member projects. It also provides technical, architectural, and programming support for projects; and assists those projects in support, engagement, management of their communities of contributors and implementers. More information about the program is available online: http://osc.dial.community/
DIAL is hiring a Program Lead of the Center. Together with existing Center staff, this role will assist in overall leadership and vision to the program. Its primary responsibility is promoting and recruiting for a collaborative, effective, and successful ecosystem of hosted projects, implementers, and donors. Specifically, this role will:
- In collaboration with the Center’s Director of Community and Director of Technology, and with oversight by the Center’s governance board, manage day-to-day operations of the Center and deliver its services to participating open source projects;
- Be primarily responsible for ongoing design, implementation, and improvement of Center governance structures and processes, together with participation from key stakeholders;
- Serve as the primary representative of the project to existing, new, and potential external partners, as well as on boards of other entities;
- Prepare and refine a long-term program sustainability plan, including identifying sources of revenue and funding for the Center’s core staff and activities, as well as potential collaborative funding processes for participating member projects; and
- Serve as a sustainability advisor to supported member open source software projects.
Responsibilities
- Leverage first-hand open source experience to assist & advise participating member projects with challenges of governance and decision-making.
- Advocate for adoption of the Principles of Digital Development (PDD) and the co-funding of new feature or product development in the larger Information and Communication Technology for Development (ICT4D), or T4D, ecosystem.
- Chair the Center’s Governance Advisory Board (GAB), which is responsible for high-level strategy & decision making for the program, and oversees the member project application process.
- Revise and adapt the governance and strategy to meet the changing needs of OSC members.
- Collaborate closely with the OSC’s Director of Community & Director of Technology to create a holistic approach for the program.
- Propose, design, implement, and test various long-term financial sustainability models for the Center.
- Assist member projects and sector-based Sustainability Advisory Groups in fundraising and other resource recruiting activities.
- Provide consultation for member projects on fundraising and financial challenges.
- Serve as the “public face” to the OSC, seeking to raise general awareness and raise funds.
Selection criteria
- Open Source Projects with contributors from multiple organizations: 3 years
- ICT4D (Information Communications Technology for Development): 5 years
- First-hand experience as a senior contributor to or leader of one or more free and open source software projects.
- Deep commitment to the mission of the DIAL Open Source Center, and a passion for using technology to improve people’s’ lives.
- Work experience in areas like non-profits, volunteer organizations, T4D (tech for development) projects, fundraising, etc., such as:
* Experience working in organizations with limited resources — such as charities or volunteer-driven groups — that rely individual volunteers, organizational partnerships, and public donations for resources and income.
* Experience designing, launching, and running fundraising campaigns from a variety of sources.
* Leadership experience in multi-stakeholder organizations with competing or conflicting priorities, especially non-profits.
- Outstanding collaboration and community engagement skills.
- Passion for storytelling and sharing the exciting work and the projects you support with stakeholders.
- Entrepreneurial mindset, with a talent for creative problem solving, perseverance, flexibility, and resilience.
- Ability to thrive in environments of ambiguity and enjoys co-creating new initiatives.
- English fluency and authorized to work in the United States. Any additional language skills, such as French, Portuguese, Spanish, Mandarin Chinese, African languages, etc., are also desirable.
- This is a unique full-time direct-hire opportunity to work at the cutting edge of technology and international development. DIAL is based in Washington, DC, and colleagues for this position are located in multiple cities around the world. Applicants should demonstrate a willingness to commit to, and enthusiasm for traveling to Least Developed Countries (LDCs) up to 50% of the time.
- The team will consider applicants living outside of the DC area who are interested in relocating to join the team, as well as individuals interested in working remotely from high-tech hubs such as Seattle, San Francisco, New York City, or Portland.
How to apply
Apply online at: https://social.icims.com/viewjob/pt15090512263148f8b9
Benefits
For full-time employees we offer an excellent range of benefits, including a choice of two health plans through CareFirst (PPO or HDHP). Dental insurance, vision discount plan, Life Insurance, Supplemental Life Insurance, Short-Term Disability, Long-Term Disability, Long-Term Care Insurance, Health Club Discounts, Commuter Benefits, Employee Assistance Program and Warby Parker discounts.
12 Paid holidays, 4 weeks of vacation, 10 sick days, 3 personal days and 8 weeks of parental leave (mother or father). Access to the UNFCU Credit Union, 150% match on our 403b retirement plan, Flexible spending accounts, health savings accounts and discounted Zipcar membership.
See http://www.unfoundation.org/who-we-are/careers/ for details.