Fundraising & Project Manager / Director

Job Title (seniority commensurate with experience):

Fundraising & Project Officer / Manager / Director

Organisation: Open Dialogue Foundation (ODF)

Location: Remote - preference for candidates based in, or frequently visiting, the Warsaw area for in-person donor and partner meetings. Some travel required, mainly within the EU (donor/partner meetings, conferences and project visits).

Contract: Part-time or full-time, depending on availability and scope of responsibilities taken

Reports to: Vice-President & Executive Director

Direct reports: project officers, social media officer, graphic designer and interns

About the Open Dialogue Foundation

The Open Dialogue Foundation (ODF) is an independent, non-profit watchdog headquartered in Warsaw, with offices in Brussels, Kyiv and Miami. Since 2009 we have defended human rights, strengthened the rule of law, fought transnational repression and, since 2014, provided humanitarian, defensive and advocacy support to Ukraine. We deliver impact through bold, evidence-based advocacy, crisis response campaigns and a growing network of international partners. We are proud to be on the Kremlin’s list of undesired organisations, posing a “threat to the foundations of the constitutional system of the Russian Federation”. Since 2025 we are also one of the leading fund operators for the Polish Senate.

The Role

You will be ODF’s lead fundraiser and a hands-on project manager, initially focused on two workstreams. You will also line-manage a small, multidisciplinary team (project officers, social media officer, graphic designer and interns) to ship great work quickly and have fun doing it.

• Polish Senate (Senat-Polonia) grants: manage several ongoing diaspora-support projects (including communications and financial supervision), then design and coordinate next year’s programme, guiding global partners through proposal drafting and submission.
• Support for Ukraine: run multi-partner projects (medical, protective and defence assistance); identify new funding to scale them.
• Funding intelligence and grant capture: monitor and identify Polish and international funding opportunities, and prepare and submit competitive grant applications to EU programmes (e.g., Erasmus+), Scandinavian schemes, foundations, CSR/business programmes and private donors.

Key responsibilities

• Team leadership and line management: set clear goals and priorities, run regular check-ins, coach and develop teammates, give feedback and conduct reviews. Coordinate workflows across fundraising, projects, comms and design; recruit, onboard and mentor interns.
• Fundraising strategy: design, monitor and optimise a comprehensive fundraising plan for both unrestricted and project-specific income.
• Pipeline building: research national and international institutions, foundations, CSR programmes and HNWIs; maintain an up-to-date prospect list.
• End-to-end cultivation: open doors, build relationships, write proposals and budgets, negotiate terms, draft grant agreements, deliver reports.
• Project ownership: scope, schedule and deliver multiple grants on time and on budget; coordinate teams, suppliers and partners across borders.
• Comms and creative workflow: brief the social media officer and graphic designer; ensure compelling, on-brand proposals, reports, visuals and impact stories that help win and retain funding.
• Expansion work (when full-time): lead or support advocacy campaigns in the EU, US and multilateral bodies on human-rights, rule-of-law and financial-exclusion issues.

Required profile

• 3+ years successful fundraising experience in NGOs; documented fundraising results >= PLN 200 000.
• Solid experience in campaign and project management in a social / non-profit setting (not business/commercial), managing projects with budgets >= PLN 100 000.
• Proven partnerships with both Polish and international stakeholders.
• Fluency in Polish and English (C1/C2); Ukrainian and/or French an asset.
• Strong planning, budgeting and time-management abilities; thrives with minimal supervision.
• Excellent interpersonal and negotiation skills; diplomatic but persistent.
• Genuine commitment to human rights, democracy, the rule of law and Ukraine’s sovereignty. This includes being proud of potentially joining various Kremlin lists of threats to the russian federation and enemy lists of other authoritarian regimes.

We offer

• Full flexibility: goal-based work, no fixed hours, remote first.
• Well-paid for the NGO sector: a competitive base salary aligned with seniority, plus significant commissions tied to funds you secure and step-wise raises for sustained results.
• Flat structure, direct access to leadership, freedom to create financially self-sustaining initiatives aligned with ODF’s mission.
• Opportunities to influence EU-level policy, travel for conferences and field missions, and grow into a senior leadership post.

How to apply

Email CV + one-page cover letter (in English) to martin.mycielski@odfoundation.eu by 30 September 2025 (recruitment may end early if a suitable candidate is found!).

APPLICATIONS SUBMITTED ONLY VIA LINKEDIN WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED!

Please state: earliest start date (the quicker the better), preferred FTE (part- or full-time), and a short list of your three biggest fundraising wins and three projects managed.

• ODF is an equal-opportunity employer. We value diversity and welcome applications from all qualified candidates regardless of race, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability or age.