Opportunities with the Democracy Program

The Carter Center’s Democracy Program regularly recruits volunteers and consultants to fill a variety of posts, such as observers on an international election observation mission, an evaluation specialist to analyze the program’s impact, or a field office director overseeing the direct implementation of a project. Our needs change often, so please join our recruitment mailing list through the link below, or check this page frequently to see if new positions are posted.

Join our Recruitment Mailing List

To receive all recruitment notices by email as soon as they are posted, please join our recruitment mailing list. You can complete the mailing list registration form here.

Open Positions

Please click on the the links below to be directed to a description of each position and instructions on how to apply. Any inquiries related to a posted position should be directed to the contact person and address included in the position notice.

International:

Democracy Mission Assistant

The Carter Center is guided by a fundamental commitment to human rights and the alleviation of human suffering: it seeks to prevent and resolve conflicts, enhance freedom and democracy, and improve health.

The Carter Center is seeking a temporary mission assistant to support the Center’s observation mission in Guyana. The mission assistant will support all logistics and administrative aspects of the implementation of the election observation activities in the context of the general elections in Guyana, scheduled for March 2. The mission assistant will report to Atlanta-based project manager Brett Lacy. The position will involve some travel to Guyana through February/March 2020. The position may also involve working remotely to support tasks in the Atlanta office.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled. Pending funding, the position is scheduled for approximately two months.

Duties to be completed:

The program assistant supports administration and implementation of the Center’s election observation mission to Guyana, including maintenance of spreadsheets of arrivals, departures, visas, and additional information; collect necessary paperwork from the STOs; maintain mission contact lists; help to prepare briefing materials for mission participants; and assist with distribution of materials ahead of the short-term mission.

While overseas, the program assistant will support: STO airport pickups and drop-offs; STO briefings and communications; news briefings, daily briefing materials, news clips and leadership support; ELMO implementation; and distribution and collection of deployment supplies. S/he will process financial documents, including expense reports, and assist with the development of financial reconciliation paperwork for the field office.

Skills required:

Ideal candidates possess some or all of the following qualifications:

A Bachelor’s degree, or a high school diploma or equivalent and five years of administrative experience;
Familiarity with election monitoring and/or democratic governance programming;
Experience in supporting and backstopping field offices and international programs, and coordinating travel and logistics;
Experience and faculty with Office365 applications, including excel, word, SharePoint, and others;
Ability to communicate clearly by email, Skype, and more;
Exhibit cross-cultural understanding;
Ability to work in difficult conditions, perform well under stress, work within a team, and maintain professionalism at all times.

Length of Assignment:

This position is slated for 2 months.

To be considered for this position, send a CV/resume and cover letter in support of your application to the following email: guyanaeom@cartercenter.org. Only applications received through this email will be considered. As this is an international election observation mission, Guyanese nationals are not eligible for this role. Due to the large volume of applicants, only those candidates selected for an interview or additional consideration will be notified by the Center, no phone calls please. For questions, e-mail guyanaeom@cartercenter.org. Application deadline: Friday January 31, 2020.

Democracy Program Mission Assistant

The Carter Center is seeking a temporary mission assistant to support the Center’s observation missions in Tunisia and Guyana. The mission assistant will support all logistics and administrative aspects of the implementation of the election observation activities in the context of the 2019 presidential and legislative elections to take place on Sept. 15 and Oct. 6, 2019, respectively, in Tunisia and anticipated general elections in Guyana. The mission assistant will report to Atlanta-based project managers Brett Lacy and Sarah Johnson. The position is Atlanta-based, with some travel to Tunisia and Guyana through March/April 2020.

The deadline for applications is Sept 12, 2019. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled. Pending funding, the position is scheduled for approximately seven months.

Interested applicants should email their CV, cover letter detailing their interest and three references to: tueom2019@cartercenter.org

Duties to be completed:

The program assistant supports administration and implementation of the Center’s election observation missions to Tunisia and Guyana, including assisting the project manager(s) and others to support recruitment and contracting of project consultants; coordinate travel for Atlanta staff and short-term observers (STOs); maintain spreadsheets of arrivals, departures, visas, and additional information; collect necessary paperwork from the STOs; maintain mission contact lists; help to prepare briefing materials for mission participants; and assist with distribution of materials ahead of the short-term mission.

Upon return from the field, the mission assistant will provide support to STOs and consultants through the processing of travel, contract and financial matters; repatriation and inventory asset management following the election observation missions; editing and proofing of the final mission report and mission closeout through the first quarter of 2020.

Skills required:

Ideal candidates possess some or all of the following qualifications:

A Bachelor’s degree, or a high school diploma or equivalent and five years of administrative experience;
Familiarity with election monitoring and/or democratic governance programming;
Experience in supporting and backstopping field offices and international programs, and coordinating travel and logistics;
Experience and faculty with Office365 applications, including excel, word, SharePoint, and others;
Ability to communicate clearly by email, Skype, and more;
Exhibit cross-cultural understanding;
Experience living or working in North Africa desirable;
French or Arabic language skills preferred but not required;
Ability to work in difficult conditions, perform well under stress, work within a team, and maintain professionalism at all times.

Length of Assignment:

This position is slated for 7.5 months.

Electoral/Legal Analyst, Yangon, Myanmar

The Carter Center is seeking a highly-qualified individual to serve as the Electoral/Legal Analyst for a potential international election observation mission (IEOM) for Myanmar’s upcoming general elections, which are not yet scheduled but expected to take place in autumn of 2020. The Electoral/Legal Analyst is primarily responsible for analyzing the electoral legal framework, assessing the performance of the election administration, and tracking and assessing the resolution of electoral disputes, in accordance with Myanmar’s commitments to international democratic election standards. This position is contingent on the availability of funds and electoral developments. Deployment to Myanmar is expected to be from April 2020 through December 2020.

Primary Responsibilities:

Become familiar with the legal, constitutional, and regulatory framework for elections in Myanmar, as well as any other relevant laws and regulations (media regulations, judicial system, electoral procedures, etc.).
Become familiar with and provide overall assessments of electoral issues in Myanmar, including the work of election management bodies; boundary delimitation; the voter register; candidate registration; voter education; advance voting; procedures for voting, counting, and result tabulation; etc.
Become familiar with political participation issues, including those related to gender, ethnic minorities, disability, and poverty.
In cooperation with the field office staff and Atlanta staff, contribute to an overall analysis of the electoral environment in Myanmar.
Prepare a written legal framework assessment, including analysis of legislation related to the conduct of elections and political participation in Myanmar, the constitution, and Myanmar’s international human rights commitments. Document and analyze election complaints and appeals.
In coordination with the Mission Director and Atlanta staff, assume the lead role in drafting sections related to electoral and legal issues for internal and external reports and statements, including the final report.
Act as a primary advisor on electoral law and practice, including liaising with the Union Election Commission (UEC) and other stakeholders as necessary.
Conduct training or orientation sessions for staff, observers, and external stakeholders, and prepare or contribute to briefing materials.
Develop or edit observer questionnaires.
Represent the IEOM in meetings with election administration bodies, political party or candidate representatives, and other stakeholders. Participate in electoral coordination meetings and donor briefings as necessary.
Complete other duties, as needed.

Qualifications:

Demonstrated experience on previous election observation missions as a legal or electoral analyst, and at least five years in the democracy, governance and/or elections field are required.
Law or advanced degree in relevant field is preferred.
Excellent knowledge of human rights and democratic election standards and familiarity with the technical procedures required for constituency delimitation, voter registration, candidate registration, and other steps of electoral preparation.
Demonstrated ability to provide advice, guidance and analyses regarding election legislation and processes is required.
Leadership skills, cross-cultural understanding, and a background working in sensitive political situations are strongly encouraged.
Professional experience in Myanmar or the region is desirable, or at a minimum, comparable countries in transition.
Strong English writing and communication skills, and competence with computer applications are required. Burmese language skills are an asset, but not required.

Please send cover letter, CV, and a list of references with subject line “Myanmar Electoral/Legal Analyst” to:

Jonathan Stonestreet

Associate Director

The Carter Center

E-mail: myanmar.recruitment@cartercenter.org

Note: As this is an international election observation mission, Myanmar nationals are not eligible to serve as the Electoral/Legal Analyst. Due to the large volume of applicants, only those candidates selected for an interview or additional consideration will be notified by the Center, no phone calls please.

Observer Coordinator, Yangon, Myanmar

The Carter Center is seeking a highly-qualified individual to serve as Observer Coordinator for a potential international election observation mission (IEOM) for Myanmar’s upcoming general elections, which are not yet scheduled but expected to take place in autumn of 2020. This position is contingent on the availability of funds and electoral developments. Deployment to Myanmar is expected to be from May 2020 through December 2020.

Primary Responsibilities:

Under the supervision of the Mission Director and in consultation with other core team experts, coordinate long-term observers (LTOs) and short-term observers (STOs) throughout the mission, including arrival and orientation, briefings, deployment, reporting, debrief and departure.
Serve as the primary point of contact for observers and be in daily contact during their time in Myanmar; collect and analyze observer reports; and align observers’ work with IEOM objectives.
Prepare the logistics, briefing materials, training, and programmatic support for observers.
Maintain regular contact with Atlanta staff on the needs of LTOs and STOs and help to facilitate the participation of the high-level leadership.
Provide analysis and strategic advice to the IEOM on substantive electoral, political party and campaign dynamics based on observer reporting.
Establish, monitor, and troubleshoot the reporting tools used by observers, conduct analysis of incidents reported by the observer team during the pre- and post- electoral period, and synthesize LTO reporting on a weekly basis.
Prepare supplemental memos and weekly reports, contribute to the drafting of briefing materials and other mission documents, and contribute to IEOM statements and report sections based on LTO and STO reporting.
In coordination with the Security/Logistics Manager, order, track, and return equipment necessary to carry out the IEOM, including supplies, computers, smartphones, etc.
Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

A minimum of three to five years of experience working on election observation missions, and experience working as an LTO.
Demonstrated competencies in organization, financial management, security awareness, and observation methodology.
Must possess cross-cultural understanding and ability to live in difficult conditions, perform well under stress within a team, and maintain professionalism at all times.
Experience in Myanmar or in the region is desirable or, at a minimum, comparable countries in transition.
Strong English writing and communication skills, and competence with computer applications are required. Burmese language skills are an asset, but not required.

Please send cover letter, CV, and list of references with subject line “Myanmar Observer Coordinator” to:

Jonathan Stonestreet

Associate Director

The Carter Center

E-mail: myanmar.recruitment@cartercenter.org

Note: As this is an international election observation mission, Myanmar nationals are not eligible to serve as the Carter Center Observer Coordinator. Due to the large volume of applicants, only those candidates selected for an interview or additional consideration will be notified by the Center, no phone calls please.

Mission Director, Yangon, Myanmar

The Carter Center is seeking a highly-qualified individual to serve as Mission Director of a potential international election observation mission (IEOM) for Myanmar’s 2020 general elections. The Mission Director will manage the Carter Center’s international election observation activities in Myanmar, including election-related reporting, field office administration, and the activities of the core team and long-term and short-term observers. This position works collaboratively with the Carter Center’s Country Representative in Myanmar. This position is contingent on the availability of funds and electoral developments. Deployment to Myanmar is expected to be from April 2020 through December 2020.

Primary responsibilities:

In coordination with the Carter Center Country Representative in Yangon, lead the core team experts, observers and staff, and oversee daily mission operations.

Serve as a senior representative of The Carter Center in Myanmar.
Establish and maintain ongoing liaison with key actors in Myanmar, including government officials, electoral representatives, political party leaders and candidates, NGO and civil society leaders, security officials, domestic and international observer groups, and the diplomatic and donor community to share views on the electoral process and political environment.
Provide political and electoral analysis to The Carter Center on programmatic, operational, and substantive issues, including consideration of legislation and regulations, the political environment, electoral process, participation of women, youth, and ethnic minority communities, and other aspects as relevant in Myanmar. Synthesize and analyze findings of core team and observers. Key points should be included in regular written reports (weekly) and oral briefings as needed to the Carter Center’s Atlanta staff.
Direct and supervise IEOM expatriate and national staff to implement all aspects of this project, working in concert with Atlanta staff and the Country Representative. Review and edit mission materials, including observer briefing documents, checklists, and other documents related to the implementation of the mission, and oversee deployment of international observers.
Oversee necessary arrangements regarding the logistical, technical, operational, financial and security requirements of the mission, including data collection and participation of high-level leadership.
Assume lead role in drafting or overseeing drafting of Carter Center press releases and periodic public statements assessing status of key electoral preparations, as needed in consultation with the Center’s Atlanta staff.
Ensure that all IEOM observers, staff, volunteers and others are aware of and adhere to Carter Center Codes of Conduct and UEC codes of conduct.

Qualifications:

Applicants should have at least seven years of senior level experience implementing election monitoring missions, democracy and governance programs, or conflict-prevention efforts, ideally in Myanmar or the region, or at a minimum in other countries in democratic transition.
Demonstrated experience and/or knowledge of the Carter Center’s observation methodology, including international and regional standards for democratic elections.
Proven experience in relevant leadership role(s) for international non-governmental organization, including establishment of field offices and managing required administrative procedures, personnel and programmatic activities.
Leadership skills, cross-cultural understanding, and the ability to provide advice and guidance on mission management are required.
Strong knowledge of the political context and electoral environment in Myanmar.
Strong English writing and communication skills, and competence with computer applications are required. Burmese language skills are an asset, but not required.

Please send cover letter, CV, and a list of references with subject line “Myanmar Mission Director” to:

Jonathan Stonestreet

The Carter Center

Associate Director

E-mail: myanmar.recruitment@cartercenter.org

Note: As this is an international election observation mission, Myanmar nationals are not eligible to serve as Carter Center Mission Director. Due to the large volume of applicants, only those candidates selected for an interview or additional consideration will be notified by the Center, no phone calls please.

Guyana Political Expert

Terms of Reference

The position will conduct a preliminary political assessment and advise on issues of inclusive governance and constitutional reform.

TCC is seeking to recruit a short-term consultant to travel to Guyana in the coming weeks (perhaps first week of December) to conduct a round of meetings with key political stakeholders in Guyana including: senior members of political parties, civil society group leaders, religious leaders, members of the civic and legal communities, and others. The purpose is to assess the positions and readiness of key political forces to genuinely engage in discussions on governance questions and constitutional reform, and to gauge the attitudes of civil society, religious, and other societal groups to play appropriate parallel / supportive roles. The mission is envisioned as a precursor to other anticipated TCC work and project activities on constitutional reform (e.g., analyses of the constitutional provisions and technical workshops on constitutional reform topics), as the success and meaningfulness of the latter depends on having a firm understanding the politics, political perspectives, and incentives of key groups. The Expert should have in-depth knowledge and experience with Guyanese politics, including about key political and societal leaders.

Related Background: TCC will be launching an EOM around the same time, or perhaps an advance team for an EOM (depending on the timing of an anticipated formal invitation). The consultant who does the “political assessment” would liaise with the TCC EOM team, as appropriate, in a manner to be determined in consultation with the EOM team and TCC HQ staff. (There may be both pros and cons to having the Political Expert work closely with OR keep some distance with the TCC team. This would be assessed in the interim period between now and mission).

The aims of the mission are:

(1) Most importantly, to assess the degree to which key political leaders/ parties are interested in engaging in genuine dialogue on political issues connected to constitutional reform and other steps toward more inclusive/shard governance in Guyana, in the months PRIOR to the March 2020 elections. The most optimistic goal would be to assess and set the stage for subsequent activities (TBD) that would facilitate key actors agreeing to some benchmarks regarding a framework, process, and timeline for constitutional reforms that would be enacted after the elections. Less optimistic goals would include identifying areas for limited agreements, but which might still lead to more inclusive governance, and possibly some limited pre-election reforms.

(2) Briefly review the content and status of past efforts to advance constitutional reform, and where possible, do a mapping exercise of key issues and recommendations, and the relative positions of major political and social and economic groups regarding these issues and recommendations.

(3) Explore options re processes, formats, and participants for possible follow-on activities that TCC and/or others could organize to try to advance constitutional reform. This could include partnering with local civil society actors and other international NGOs. (Such activities might go beyond the current scope and budget of current TCC grants in Guyana, and this could necessitate additional funding).

Assuming interest among Guyanese political leaders and other key groups, the team would discuss these options with these leaders, and if appropriate develop a roadmap for next steps.

This position will require travel to Guyana. Interested applicants should fill out the form found at this link: https://airtable.com/shrQKXVpli6ICEIu6.

The deadline for application is November 20.

If you encounter issues or have questions, please direct them to GuyanaEOM@cartercenter.org. Given the high number of expected applicants, the Carter Center will be unable to respond personally to unsuccessful applicants.

Security and Logistics Manager, Guyana

The Center plans to deploy an international election observation mission for elections in Guyana anticipated in March 2020. We are currently recruiting a highly-qualified individual to serve as Security and Logistics Manager. The successful candidate will conduct a security assessment in Guyana, develop security protocols, and oversee their implementation by observers and staff during the election observation mission, while continuously assessing security conditions in the country. The position will require travel to Guyana in early January 2020, and remaining in the country until March 2020. This position is contingent upon funding.

Qualified candidates should have a minimum of seven years of experience working in security or related fields, preferably with previous experience working on an election observation mission. English language capacity is required. Cross-cultural understanding, demonstrated organizational skills, and the ability to work independently are encouraged. Strong writing/communication skills in English and competence with technology required. Salary is commensurate with experience.

Under supervision of the Field Office Director (FOD), the primary responsibilities of the Security and Logistics Manager include:

Conduct an assessment of the overall state of security in Guyana, along with specifics about possible or previously determined deployment sites. This information should be provided in writing to both the FOD and the Atlanta project manager.

With input from the FOD and project manager, draft a written security manual for use in training staff and long- and short-term observers about deployment security. Lead observer security training on relevant security protocols and information, incorporating these materials.

Provide input into the design of operations and deployment plan for field staff and observers. Refine field office policies and procedures relating to staff travel and security, requests for transportation, communications, etc.

In coordination with the FOD, establish and facilitate contacts with the police forces, military, relevant government ministries, and international organizations on security, medical, and health matters. Liaise with key government officials and international organizations regarding the security environment and its repercussions for Carter Center activities. Represent the field office on operational and security matters in meetings.

Gather and analyze security-related information from all relevant sources and stay up to date on the security situation in Guyana, with particular attention to its impact on the political environment and security of Carter Center staff and observers.

Contribute to daily, weekly, and monthly project reporting on security, logistics, and operations in Guyana. Produce ad hoc security updates/analysis and recommendations in case of political and security events threatening Carter Center staff, project partners, or national security.

Manage observer security status on a daily basis through scheduled reporting and oversight. In coordination with Deputy Director, track movements of staff and observers. Oversee and conduct check-in calls with observers, as appropriate.

Train and supervise security-related field office staff as necessary. Provide security training to drivers, guards and other staff if needed, on a continuous basis; train staff in the use of all communication equipment (particularly sat phones and cell phones) and provide detailed instructions for all communications methods.

Participate in observers’ briefings and debriefings and core team meetings to disseminate relevant information on security, deployment, and logistics, as appropriate.

Assist FOD and Deputy FOD with efforts to identify observer deployment sites; visit observer sites as necessary to assess and provide security and logistics advice to observers.

Locate and assist in making arrangements for evacuation assets with international and local government agencies as well as private companies. Negotiate and/or review security contracts with local providers for security guards as necessary, and advise FOD on procurement of health and security related services.

If evacuation is required, lead the evacuation process in accordance with pre-established plans and arrangements, making decisions in coordination with the FOD.

Perform other duties requested by the FOD or project manager.

Please send cover letter, CV, contract requirements, and list of references with subject line “Guyana Security and Logistics Manager” to:

Email: GuyanaEOM@cartercenter.org

Note: Because this is an international election observation mission, Guyanese nationals are not eligible to serve as the Carter Center Security and Logistics Manager. Due to the large volume of applicants, only those candidates selected for an interview or additional consideration will be notified by the Center.