Program Director, Global Dialogue

Call for Applications:

Program Director, Global Dialogue

Deadline to Apply: Wednesday, November 5, 2025

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.

The Heinrich Böll Foundation, Washington, DC invites applications for the position of Program Director for its Global Dialogue program.

Programmatic Focus: The Global Dialogue program focuses on the future of the international order and multilateralism. At a time when global challenges—from climate catastrophe to the sharp rise in international conflicts—are more urgent and complex than ever, international law and multilateral cooperation are under attack.

The Global Dialogue program will explore the role that multilateral, rules-based organizations can play in this new era: advocating for a world grounded in democratic principles, international law, and the protection and promotion of human rights. How can countries of the Global Majority and marginalized communities worldwide gain a stronger voice in shaping and strengthening the international order? What tools do global civil society, Global Majority countries, and multilateral institutions have to respond? What new alliances are needed to advance a democratic global future?

The Global Dialogue Program builds on the work of the previous Global Development program. As such, an important aspect of the work will be to examine the challenges to multilateralism in the context of international development. The program may also explore these challenges in the context of trade policy or other fields central to questions of global justice today.

Multilateral Liaison: The program director for Global Dialogue will serve as the Foundation's liaison to U.S.-based multilateral institutions, connecting local teams and partners from across our global network with the United Nations, the World Bank, and the International Monetary Fund. The program director will identify institutional counterparts and monitor relevant developments at these institutions. The position will have a particular focus on strengthening the Foundation’s engagement with UN agencies and make regular trips to New York City to engage with partners and stakeholders. At the same time, it will establish regular dialogue formats with the global offices and provide political and policy analysis for the global network. This may also include international travel to partners in the global network. A key responsibility of the role will be to identify and create opportunities for global partners to share their experience and expertise in multilateral fora.

Collaboration: The program director will be responsible for developing close working relationships with key offices in Global Majority countries. The position will coordinate with the Brussels and Berlin offices to create regular formats to serve the Foundation's global network. It may also work with the Global Unit on Human Security in Vienna, which has a strong focus on international law. In Washington, the position has opportunities to collaborate across thematic programs.

Formats: To advance its goals, the program may employ a variety of formats, including workshops, conferences, study tours, fellowships, research, coordinated policy work and publications. There is ample flexibility for the program director to shape this programmatic work.

Term of Employment: This is a full-time, fixed-term position through December 31, 2027, with the possibility of extension depending on funding and organizational needs. The anticipated start date is January 2026.

Responsibilities

The Program Director is responsible for all program-related activities. Specifically, she/he/they

• Designs the strategic vision for the program’s goals and activities, in close coordination with the executive director
• Organizes, coordinates and implements the program’s activities including conferences, workshops, study tours and visitor programs
• Provides expert analysis to key partners and to the interested public
• Builds strong relationships with global civil society organizations and partners/offices across the foundation’s global network; with contacts at US-based multilateral organizations (particularly the UN); with US policymakers and civil society organizations engaged in multilateral cooperation
• Proactively identifies opportunities to support the work of international offices and partners
• Undertakes policy research and writing, including for external publication
• Represents the program to the media
• Manages the program’s website publications, including regular updates, preparation of reports, and other information
• Manages program funds in close cooperation with the Finance Manager, including budget planning and expense monitoring
• Conducts monitoring and evaluation for program activities

Required Qualifications

• Oral and written fluency in English
• Relevant graduate degree
• Relevant work and/or academic experience

• Strong grasp of current debates about the future of multilateralism and familiarity with the role that the UN, WB, and IMF play in questions of global democracy, international development, and global justice

• Strong critical/strategic thinking and excellent writing skills
• Excellent organizational skills with attention to detail
• Diplomatic and collaborative
• Creative, self-directed, and responsible work attitude
• Experience working in international and culturally diverse teams
• Sensitivity for issues of gender equality, racial justice, and intersectionality
• Alignment with the values and mission of the green movement and the Heinrich Böll Foundation

Note on work experience: Program directors come with different levels of job experience. Successful candidates tend to have a minimum of 5 years of work experience and current program directors have an average of 12 years of work experience. We welcome applications from candidates with more and less experience and adjust salaries accordingly.

Preferred Qualifications

Having any of the qualifications below will strengthen an application. However, candidates without these qualifications are still welcome to apply.

• Oral and written fluency in German
• An understanding of German and/or European green movements and parties, and a network of relevant connections
• Work experience in multilateral organizations and Global Majority countries and a network of contacts in multilateral institutions, especially the UN
• Strong public speaking skills and experience moderating/speaking on panels, in media interviews, and other public fora
• Demonstrated experience in building and managing partnerships
• Proven research, writing, and editing skills, for example through publications
• Experience in managing a program budget

We offer:

• A family-friendly office culture
• A bike- and metro-accessible downtown office, with a hybrid work schedule
• A dynamic, welcoming, and non-hierarchical team environment that encourages creativity and collaboration
• Opportunities for domestic and international travel
• A strong progressive values orientation
• Excellent benefits:

• Insurance: vision, dental, and
  health insurance, including employer contribution to premiums; short-term disability insurance; life insurance; flexible health spending account.

• • Paid Leave: 12 weeks of
    paid family/medical leave in line with the District of Columbia's Paid Family Leave regulations; six weeks of paid prenatal leave for birthing parents; up to additional three months of unpaid parental leave; 20 vacation days; federal holidays; 10 sick days.
  • Other: 401(k) with a 6% employer match; pre-tax commuter benefits; paid time off and small annual stipend for professional development opportunities.
• Annual salary in the range of $93,000 - $103,000. For equity and transparency, salaries are calculated based on level of education and prior experience and are not negotiable.

The job location is Washington, DC. Occasional international and domestic program-related travel is required. This is a full-time position (40 hours/week). We are not able to consider remote work.

Application Instructions:

• Please apply via BambooHR. Applications submitted elsewhere cannot be considered.
• Please include in your application:     
  • A cover letter, resume, and writing sample of 1-3 pages 
  • A brief (2 paragraph) response to this prompt:  A key task of the Program Director for Global Dialogue is to identify which US-based offices/agencies of multilateral organizations are most relevant to the program’s work and goals and where opportunities exist to feature the voices and expertise of our global network. Please describe which offices/agencies you would prioritize for outreach and why, and identify 3 key moments around which you might organize programming (such as CSW, UNGA, or smaller and more issue-specific convenings).
• Please confirm that you are a US citizen, permanent resident, or otherwise hold a US work permit valid until December 31, 2027. The Heinrich Böll Foundation is not able to sponsor visas.
• Please apply by Wednesday, November 5, 2025. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis and we reserve the right to close the application early.

About the Heinrich Böll Foundation, Washington, DC

The Heinrich Böll Foundation is an international organization that is part of the global green movement. The foundation is headquartered in Berlin, Germany, and has a network of more than 30 offices around the world. It advances political and socioeconomic transformations through civic engagement and political dialogue.

The Washington, DC office is an independent 501(c)(3) organization that runs programs focused on democracy, foreign & security policy, climate & environmental policy, digital policy, global development policy, and international climate finance & policy. Through our programmatic work, we aim to strengthen civil liberties, human rights, and democratic institutions; we promote gender equality, social justice, and equity; and we strive to preserve a habitable planet for current and future generations. As part of a global network, we are deeply engaged in global and transatlantic dialogue. We work to shape multilateral processes and the norms that govern them, and to strengthen the relationship between the United States and Europe. We foster these goals through a diversity of projects, such as public seminars, fellowships, study tours, and publications.       

For more information, please refer to our website https://us.boell.org/en. For questions regarding the application process, please contact Carla Adams at carla.adams@us.boell.org.

Our Diversity Commitment: The Heinrich Böll Foundation is committed to offering a diverse and inclusive workplace and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status. We welcome applications from candidates with a demonstrated commitment to gender equality, diversity, and inclusion and encourage candidates from historically marginalized communities to apply.

Our Code of Conduct: We are committed to gender equality and a zero-toler­ance policy for any form of sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment in our work, both internally and with partners.