Russia Team Program Coordinator

Russia Team Program Coordinator, Institute for the Study of War

The Institute for the Study of War is seeking a full-time, program coordinator to provide administrative and operational support to its Russia Team. The program coordinator will fulfill a mission-critical role by providing support for a number of routine and non-routine responsibilities across the team, including team scheduling and staffing responsibilities; process management for staff and intern hiring, onboarding, and offboarding; support for knowledge management procedures; and ad hoc support for team leadership as needed. This position reports to the team lead of the team.

The successful candidate will have demonstrated interest in the war in Ukraine, a solutions-oriented attitude, the will and ability to take initiative within intent, excellent organizational skills and proficiency with project management tools; and a commitment to setting a positive tone and culture for the team.

ISW Mission:

As the world continues to witness the devastating impact of armed conflict, the need for objective, real-time, unbiased analysis has never been greater. When decisionmakers need information—from policymakers to humanitarian aid organizations to military leaders on the ground—time and time again, they turn to the Institute for the Study of War.

ISW has a unique, dual mission: to provide real-time intelligence to help leaders make informed decisions in conflict zones around the world and educate the next generation of national security leaders. This work is carried out through the General Jack Keane Center for National Security and the General David H. Petraeus Center for Emerging Leaders.

Responsibilities: Operations (30%)

• Advance mission-critical priorities and projects in collaboration with team leadership by providing hands-on managerial, personnel, and logistical support across a variety of program requirements.
• Track tasks emerging from meetings, deliverables, and product timelines. Support compliance with institutional standard operating procedures for daily operations and long-term projects.
• Support the development, implementation, and enforcement of information technology and cybersecurity education and policies.
• Maintain, develop, and formalize standard operating procedures and workflow policies in collaboration with program leadership.
• Support knowledge management requirements and procedures.
• Execute special projects and identify potential efficiencies and opportunities. 
• Facilitate collaboration between the Russia and Geospatial Intelligence programs and ISW institutionally, including with the External Relations and Media teams; the Development department; Accounting; and other analytical programs.

Hiring & Personnel Management (60%)

• Manage team staffing, including coordinating leadership of daily updates; accommodating dynamic scheduling requirements; tracking and approving PTO requests; and ensuring a suitable number of staff with requisite qualifications are online at all times.
• Facilitate team development and cohesion.
• Coordinate and oversee the hiring process for open program positions, including setting key priority qualifications for candidates; resume review; administering analytical evaluations and conducting screening calls; scheduling interviews; preparing interview packets; and maintaining hiring dashboard(s).
• Prepare onboarding plans and materials for incoming program staff in close coordination with ISW’s Human Resources team; conduct first-week onboarding tasks; oversee the onboarding process to ensure that all key benchmarks are achieved; optimize onboarding process.
• Oversee and execute offboarding tasks for program staff as necessary in close collaboration with ISW’s Human Resources team and program leadership.
• Facilitate and ensure team compliance with institutional and team policies, best practices, and guidance from leadership. Track program requirements to ensure timely completion of key deliverables.
• Provide logistical and scheduling support for the team as needed, including support for team leadership as needed.

Internship Program (10%)

• Coordinate and oversee the intern hiring process, including tracking hiring timelines; supporting interviews with intern candidates; and ensuring researcher compliance with intern hiring best practices.
• Support intern onboarding and off-boarding, including supporting logistical onboarding tasks; evaluating and communicating intern workload and required events to team leadership; and serving as a resource for interns as needed.

Qualifications

Candidates should have:

• A bachelor’s degree in international relations, history, public or business administration, Eurasian studies, or similar and a demonstrated interest in Eurasian studies and/or the war in Ukraine;
• Professional working proficiency in Russian or Ukrainian;
• 2+ years of professional experience in an operational role, preferably at a nonprofit or similar organization;
• Demonstrated interest in project management;
• The ability to handle multiple tasks and balance competing priorities and deadlines;
• Systematic thinking and an appropriate level of assertiveness, with excellent interpersonal skills;
• Meticulous attention to detail and superb organizational skills;
• A mission-oriented attitude and comfort working in a fast-paced environment;
• Advanced proficiency with Microsoft Office;
• Experience with task-management and database programs;
• Advanced technical skills and the ability to learn new programs without assistance; and
• A passion for ISW’s research agenda and mission.