Program Officer, Sexual Health & Rights

Overview of AJWS

American Jewish World Service (AJWS) is the leading Jewish organization working to fight poverty and defend human rights in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean. By supporting hundreds of social change organizations on three continents and advocating for U.S. and international policies for human rights, we respond to pressing global issues—from disasters, authoritarianism and the climate crisis, to the persecution of women and minorities worldwide. With Jewish values and a global reach, AJWS is making a difference in millions of lives and bringing a more just and equitable world closer for all.

Overview of Team

Through grassrooted grantmaking and advocacy, the AJWS Programs Division provides financial support and builds strong partnerships with activists, organizations and social movements facing complex global challenges – from authoritarianism, to attacks on women, sex worker and LGBTQI+ rights, to the climate and humanitarian crises. The Programs Division works at the intersection of Jewish values and global issues. In a deep collaboration between our Advocacy and Jewish Engagement teams, we advocate for U.S. laws and policies that help overcome injustice and elevate support for grassrooted change in the Global South; and we also use strategic communications to amplify our grantees’ voices and those of our supporters to influence policymakers in the U.S. and around the globe. The Programs Division also houses our International Operations (IOPS) and Grants Management team, which oversees the execution of AJWS’s grantmaking policies, procedures and systems in alignment with the organization’s values of and commitment to flexible, responsive and trust‐based practices. The work of the Programs Division is rooted in detailed strategies that each team designs and implements, and can be summarized as follows:

• Civil and Political Rights: Supporting Democracy and Justice and Defending Against Authoritarianism:AJWS supports pro‐democracy social movements seeking to push back against authoritarianism, promote democratic ideals and advance justice. We work to center the voices of those often marginalized in governance, including youth, women and ethnic, religious or other minority groups.
• Humanitarian Response: Supporting Humanitarian Response led by Local Communities: AJWS prioritizes support for local, grassroots groups that work to meet the unique needs of historically marginalized communities in the wake of disasters so that they can recover fully and become more resilient to future crises.
• Land, Water and Climate Justice: Defending the Rights to Land, Water, Forests, and Livelihoods and Advancing Climate Justice: AJWS supports social movements of rural, indigenous, and marginalized communities, especially women and youth, who are on the frontlines of the climate crisis and advocate for their land, water, forest, and livelihood rights to address climate change. Through funding and accompaniment, we bolster their struggles for natural resource rights and amplify their solutions for climate justice.
• Sexual Health and Rights: Advancing the Rights of Women, Girls, Sex Workers, and LGBTQI+: AJWS funding and accompaniment enables movements led by adolescent girls and young women (AGYW), sex workers, and LGBTQI+ to strengthen coalitions with allied communities to jointly advocate for rights‐ affirming laws, services and other empowering resources so that these focus communities have improved access to rights free from discrimination, violence and abuse and can enjoy the full spectrum of opportunities in society and live in health, safety, and dignity.
• Advocacy Department: Advocating for U.S. laws and policies that help overcome injustice and elevate support for grassrooted change in the Global South: AJWS advocates domestically to ensure U.S. officials and policy stakeholders hear the human rights issues and priorities of our partners in all our grantmaking portfolios. Working with the U.S. Congress, Executive branch agencies, peer advocacy NGOs and the American Jewish community and clergy, the Advocacy and Jewish engagement teams work to create an enabling U.S. foreign policy environment globally and in the communities of our grantees and partners around the world.
• International Operations Department (IOPS) and Grants Management: Operationalizing AJWS’s values of and commitment to flexible, responsive and trust‐based grantmaking practices AJWS oversees all grants management functions for AJWS’s $19 million core grantmaking portfolio, as well as $3 million donor‐advised funds (DAFs). Executes strategic and values‐ based grantmaking policies, procedures and systems that operationalize AJWS’s commitment to flexible, responsive, and trust‐based practices. Ensures the integrity and efficiency of AJWS’s grantmaking systems, including its FoundationConnect/Salesforce grants management database.

Position Summary

The Program Officer (PO) reports to the Senior Program Officer (SPO) and works collaboratively to support work focused on strengthening mid- to large-sized trans- and intersex-organizations that are either operating at the regional/global level or are within the countries within which AJWS has a SHR portfolio. The PO position is funded through a co-operative agreement and will be time limited to the duration of the funding. The PO will partner with the Senior Program Officer leading this work stream to enable trans and intersex access accompaniment to strengthen their organizations and movements in support of AJWS’s dynamic grantmaking portfolio and will coordinate capacity‐building and programmatic opportunities for in‐country staff and grantees. They will support the administrative requirements of managing a government grant and support the M&E and baseline development and assist with gathering data to support our monitoring and evaluation, which will include a process to determine the baseline. The PO will coordinate with their fellow SPO leading this initiative to engage with other funders to take the learnings from our strategic learning, research to strengthen their grantmaking strategies.

The PO collaborates closely with in‐country consultants and the Program Director and country-focused Program Officers leading the grantmaking in our eight SHR focus countries to inform their work on strengthening trans- and intersex-led mid-sized national organizations based in those countries. The PO supports the SPO leading this initiative to develop strategic opportunities and will be required to travel to strengthen partnerships and collaborations that leverage AJWS’s grantmaking and promote the work of grantees, develop initiatives that advance AJWS and grantees’ work, and contributes to funder affinity groups and networks to deepen knowledge in the field.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Lead the monitoring and evaluation processes of the dynamic grant making and accompaniment portfolio, including the research to create a meaningful baseline for the work funded through this grant in collaboration with the SHR SPO and Strategic Learning, Research and Evaluation colleagues;
• Collaborate with the SPO to develop proposals for accompaniment or for capacity strengthening organizations that will increase peer or allied organization’s support to strengthen trans- and intersex-led mid-size organizations and their movements;
• Support the SPO in the grantmaking administration and provide grantee accompaniment support;
• Partner with the SPO to support the creation, care and nurturing of the Community of Practice Working Group (CPWG);
• Update and maintain a consultant roster database;
• Monitor and maintain systems to ensure adherence to all the compliance requirements of the co-operative agreement;
• Identify and deepen relationships with collegial donors, civil society organizations, activists, policymakers and other allies with a focus on bringing learning from our portfolio to improve the availability of quality funding and accompaniment;
• Support in the write up of Quarterly reports;
• Logistics, scheduling, event planning, and support as needed for the virtual and in person CPWG convenings;
• Support the SPO in tracking grantee milestones, reports and payments;
• Partner with the SPO leading the work, the SHR Director and other members of the SHR department to establish departmental priorities, the department’s learning agenda, and be a thought partner in developing departmental processes to build a shared departmental identity;
• Organize and conduct trips to portfolio-focused countries for exploratory research, site visits, partner meetings, and monitoring and evaluation;
• Partner with the SPO and Strategic Learning, Research and Evaluation division to identify research projects that respond to trans and intersex organizations’ needs and strengthen our approach to accompaniment and document the learning emerging.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor of Arts/Science or equivalent degree required.
• Minimum of 5 years of relevant professional experience; at least 3 years of relevant work experience working at a foundation, international development, or human rights organization in the field of sexual health and rights and gender justice with knowledge of Global South trans- and intersex-led organizations and movements.
• Excellent data analysis, research and writing skills.
• Highly organized, with the proven ability to work independently, prioritize and complete multiple projects, meet deadlines and maintain consistent attention to detail.
• Deep knowledge of the intersex and/or trans community concerns, with experience in activism, advocacy, and/or grantmaking in the field of sexual health and rights.
• Demonstrated commitment to intersectional concerns facing trans and intersex populations including issues of race, class, and labor.
• Experience with grassroots social justice and human rights movements and an understanding of trans- and intersex-led organizations and movements strengths and needs.
• Experience working in country and in‐depth knowledge of the legal, political, social, and economic contexts of at least one region of the Global South that AJWS makes grants in.
• Understanding of intersex and trans human rights norms and practices, feminism(s), international development, and grassroots, regional, and global social movement building.
• Committed to AJWS’s mission and values of advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion across the organization.
• Keen understanding of how local activists need to partner with national and global activist networks to create impactful change.
• Proficiency in reviewing, monitoring, and evaluating budgets and financial documents.
• Willingness to work occasional evenings and weekends and to travel domestically and internationally at least 3 times per year.
• Ability to travel to countries where the grantees are located.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master’s degree in relevant field such as sexual health and rights with a focus on intersex and trans community concerns;
• Keen understanding of how local activists need to partner with national and global activist networks to create impactful change;
• Proficiency in reading, writing and speaking French, Spanish, or another portfolio‐focused language.

Additional Information:

• Salary Range: $60,000-$77,000
• This role is full time (40 HRS), Exempt
• This is a union position
• This position is funded through a grant, with funding currently secured until August 2025. Continued employment in this role is contingent upon the availability of funding beyond that date.

Location:

• Remote – Contiguous US-based

Compensation and Benefits Information:

AJWS is committed to a salary framework that aligns with our culture and values. The compensation range reflected is in alignment with our framework and individual pay decisions will vary based on skills and experience while still allowing for growth.

• Paid Time Off: 15-22 Federal and religious holidays off each year in addition to generous vacation and sick days;
• Full health benefits coverage with minimal contribution by employees;
• 403(b): 4.25% company match (safe harbor);
• Flexible Spending Account and Commuter Benefits;
• Workplace flexibility and generous leave policy.

Additional Considerations:

Black, Indigenous and People of Color; Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Intersex, Trans and Gender non-conforming people; women; and differently abled people are encouraged to apply. We also encourage applications from people of diverse religious, spiritual and cultural backgrounds.

As an organization committed to promoting social justice around the world, it is essential that we incorporate a diverse, equitable and inclusive lens into all aspects of our work at AJWS. We encourage applicants with a global perspective and a commitment to values around diversity, equity, and inclusion to apply.

Authorization to work in the US is required.

How to Apply:

For consideration, apply vi the link provided. Applications submitted without a resume and personalized cover letter will not be considered. We thank you for your interest in career opportunities with AJWS. Due to high volume, only those candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.