Director of Programs At Amazon Frontlines

(English version)

Country: Ecuador

Work Modality: Based in Quito, Puyo, Tena or Lago Agrio, Ecuador with travel

The Position

The Director of Programs position is a dynamic role that helps shape and lead all of Amazon Frontlines’ Regional Programs. The DoP facilitates collaborative, coordinated visionary leadership, strategic guidance and operational and technical support alongside the AF Program Leadership Team. This person works closely with the Managing Director (future hire), organizational operational and program leadership and partners to ensure the design and implementation of impactful programming and the achievement of lasting results that serve the Amazon Frontlines’ mission. The DoP also works closely with the AF Development Team to coordinate program inputs for donor reporting and to pursue new proposals and opportunities. The position is based in Ecuador (Quito, Puyo, Lago Agrio or Tena) with frequent travel to locations around the Amazon and occasional international travel. The DoP should be a confident leader, an excellent communicator, coordinator and visionary with meaningful experience implementing similar programming in complex operational environments.

This is an exciting opportunity to be at the center of a dynamic and passionate multicultural network of people who are deeply committed to the fight to protect the Amazon, indigenous cultures and our global climate. You will need to be committed to supporting a successful grassroots movement based on hard work, humility, mutual respect and honest partnership. The job is perfect for someone who wants to apply their experience in a growing NGO.

The Ideal Candidate

The Amazon Frontlines Director of Programs will be a skilled programs and people manager with deep experience working in complex multicultural and multilingual settings. The person will be prepared to facilitate internal coordination, strategic planning and program implementation efforts between Amazon Frontlines program team leads, as well as help manage external coordination with partners. They are also experienced in monitoring and evaluation of similar programming as well as adaptive management and donor engagement and reporting. The Director of Programs will bring strong and diverse program management and coordination and exceptional team leadership and communication skills, rooted in empathy, creative solutions-seeking, participatory dialogue and decision making and an unwavering commitment to Amazon Frontlines’ mission, purpose and approach. They must be proactive in managing individual workflows with a strong capacity to work autonomously and be able to keep tasks on track and moving forward.

Key Areas of Responsibility

Program Leadership

• Hold overall responsibility for the development and implementation of sustainable and high-impact programs at Amazon Frontlines in accordance with the organization’s mission.
• Provide leadership for the development of all program-focused elements of Amazon Frontlines’ strategic plan and support Program Team Leaders to design, execute and adapt successful program plans that are aligned with the organization’s strategic objectives and priorities.
• Contribute to shaping the direction and effective growth of the organization by facilitating the Program Leadership Team (made up of the ED, Managing Director, DoP, and the program Team Leaders).
• Work closely with the Partnerships team to help facilitate and promote a transparent, respectful, and effective accompaniment model with AF’s indigenous partners.
• Lead the development of policy positions on key issues by identifying critical topics, supporting research and analysis, formulating strategic responses, and communicating effectively to advocate for the organization’s stance.
• Ensure robust communication and learning across programs.
• Support the program teams to maintain effective monitoring and evaluation practices with both individualized and standardized components across programs to detect best practices and promote continuous adaptive management.
• Support Program Team Leads and the AF Development Team with narrative inputs for donor reporting and new proposal development.

Organizational Leadership

• Serve as a thought partner to the ED, Amazon Frontlines Managing Director and other Departmental Leaders (People and Culture; Operations and Finance; Fundraising and Development, and Comms) and serve as a member of AF’s Senior Leadership Team.
• With the Managing Director, act as a bridge between programs and other AF departments, facilitating collaboration, alignment with organizational priorities, and effective allocation of organizational resources.
• Maintain effective internal communications; Communicate frequently and openly with relevant program and department leaders and staff about program changes, deadlines, requests for support and other significant updates.
• Model and ensure implementation of organizational safety and security protocols, and participate in the development of organizational policies and procedures.
• Show leadership at staff meetings and retreats to build team culture, connections and organizational effectiveness.

Team Management

• Provide overall leadership for the Program Department, including direct support and accompaniment to AF’s program Team Leaders and indirect support and accompaniment of program staff and consultants.
• Support hiring and onboarding processes for members of the program teams as needed.
• Support Team Leaders to develop short and long-range work plans for each program with clear priorities and timetables for achieving results.
• Facilitate an open and cohesive team culture among program and operational staff; delegate functions and responsibilities as appropriate, while monitoring and ensuring achievement of team objectives.
• Promote accountability among the program team and demonstrate a strong commitment to communicating expectations and providing and receiving constructive feedback informally and formally via regular 1:1 and team check-ins and performance reviews. Monitor staff workloads to ensure they are realistic and promote sustainability and well-being, with the support of the People and Culture team.
• Help develop the capacity of the programs team, and support professional development opportunities as needed and desired by team members, working with the People and Culture team.

Budget Management and Development

• Maintain team systems that ensure transparent and effective use of all financial resources and timely and accurate reporting that complies with Amazon Frontlines and donor policies and procedures.
• Support Team Leaders in developing and managing program-level budgets, and foster alignment among program teams to ensure resources are marshaled in support of the highest priority work areas and are allocated realistically and responsibly.
• Work closely with the Finance and Development teams to mobilize resources for our work; Play a key role in grant management and involve program teams in development efforts.
• Build a culture of transparency and information sharing within the Program Department and work with Finance and Development teams to ensure reporting requirements are met and information or material required is shared in a timely and clear manner.
• Ensure that the Programs team adheres to organizational financial policies.

Communications

• Provide continuous support to the Communications team, ensuring that program teams provide the necessary inputs to develop press releases, op-eds, alerts, articles, and blogs.
• Create collaborative partnerships with other NGOs on current and future campaigns.
• Build and maintain relationships with indigenous leaders and represent AF externally as required.
• Serve as a spokesperson for Amazon Frontlines in the media and at public events as required.

Essential Skills, Experiences and Requirements

• Minimum of 10 years of professional experience, including 5 years working directly to support related programming, and 1-2 in a leadership role. Direct experience working in Ecuador, Peru and/or Colombia is a significant plus.
• Proven experience managing and providing technical support to development, conservation and/or humanitarian programs in and operating in complex and insecure field contexts, including in a leadership position.
• Developed skills in programmatic budgeting and sound financial monitoring and management.
• Strong monitoring and evaluation background including field experience in developing practical and effective M&E tools and systems that promote data-driven approaches to research, learning and adaptive management.
• Proven track record in successful program development, donor engagement and proposal writing.
• Deep commitment to Indigenous rights, mitigating climate change and environmental conservation.
• Demonstrated capacity for effective team management, motivation, and development, including attention to detail and ability to work independently and collaboratively with other team members.
• Strong analytical, strategic thinking, and problem-solving skills, coupled with an ability to adapt to changing scenarios.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal abilities, with a talent for building relationships across diverse cultural contexts.
• Share the organizational values ​​of Amazon Frontlines and a commitment to working hard and with humility to support our team, Indigenous partners and key stakeholders.
• Proven ability to work autonomously and to independently troubleshoot problems, complete tasks on time and free of errors with the ability to prioritize effectively.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and Google Suite with experience with CRM and email marketing applications a plus.
• Fluency in Spanish is required; professional fluency in written and spoken English is a plus.
• Prior engagement with standard security protocols and working in complex and insecure operational environments; ability to regularly travel to program sites and engage effectively with communities and partners in the field.

This role is expected to be based in Ecuador’s Amazonian region and will require travel (between 20-40% approximately). There will also be times when you will need to work outside of regular work hours.

Physical Requirements

This position requires travel and work in diverse settings, including remote rainforest locations with the following physical demands:

• Comfort and ability to navigate and work and travel in challenging outdoor environments, including variable weather conditions, terrain, and ecosystems found in the rainforest.
• Preparedness to adapt to the logistical and physical challenges of working in remote locations, including limited access to medical facilities and amenities.
• Ability to travel by foot, canoe, car, and/or small plane to access remote areas and carry your gear when necessary.

You must also be able to perform general office duties, including prolonged periods working on a computer (typing, using a keyboard, and navigating through various digital platforms) and frequent communication, including in person, by email, via messaging platforms, online meetings, and telephone.

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

_________________

(Spanish version)

Country: Ecuador

Work modality: Based in Quito, Puyo, Tena or Lago Agrio, Ecuador, with travel

The position/The position

The Director of Programs position is a dynamic position that helps shape and lead all Amazon Frontlines regional programs. The DoP facilitates collaborative and coordinated visionary leadership, strategic guidance, and operational and technical support alongside the AF program leadership team. This person works closely with the AF General Manager in Ecuador (future team member), the organization’s operational and program leadership, and partners to ensure the design and implementation of impactful programming and the achievement of lasting results that serve the Amazon Frontlines mission. The DoP also works closely with the Amazon Frontlines Development Team to coordinate program input for donor reporting, and to seek out new proposals and opportunities. The position is based in Ecuador (Quito, Puyo, Lago Agrio, or Tena), and travels frequently to locations across the Amazon. The DoP must be a confident leader, an excellent communicator, coordinator, and visionary with significant experience implementing similar programs in complex operating environments.

This is an exciting opportunity to be at the centre of a dynamic and passionate multicultural network of people who are deeply committed to the fight to protect the Amazon, indigenous cultures and our global climate. You will need to be committed to supporting a successful grassroots movement based on hard work, humility, mutual respect and honest collaboration. The job is perfect for someone who wants to apply their experience to a growing NGO.

The ideal candidate

The Amazon Frontlines Program Manager will be a skilled people and program manager with extensive experience working in complex multicultural and multilingual environments. The individual will be prepared to facilitate internal coordination, strategic planning, and program implementation efforts across Amazon Frontlines program team leaders, as well as help manage external coordination with partners. The individual also has experience in monitoring and evaluating similar programs, as well as adaptive management and donor engagement and reporting. The Program Manager will bring strong and diverse program management and coordination, and exceptional team leadership and communication skills, grounded in empathy, creative solution-seeking, participatory dialogue and decision-making, and an unwavering commitment to Amazon Frontlines’ mission, purpose, and approach. The individual should be proactive in managing individual work streams with a strong ability to work autonomously and be able to keep tasks on track and moving forward.

Key Areas of Responsibility

Program Leadership

• Assume overall responsibility for the development and implementation of sustainable, high-impact programs across Amazon Frontlines, in line with the organization’s mission.
• Provide leadership for the development of all program-focused elements of the Amazon Frontlines strategic plan and support Program Team Leaders in designing, executing, and adapting successful program plans that are aligned with the organization’s strategic objectives and priorities.
• Contribute to shaping the effective direction and growth of the organization by facilitating the Program Leadership Team (composed of the ED, CEO, DoP, and Program Team Leaders).
• Work closely with the Partnerships team to facilitate and promote a transparent, respectful and effective support model with AF’s indigenous partners.
• Lead the development of policy positions on key issues by identifying critical issues, supporting research and analysis, formulating strategic responses, and communicating effectively to advocate for the organization’s position.
• Ensure robust communication and learning across programs.
• Support program teams to maintain effective monitoring and evaluation practices with individualized and standardized components across programs to detect best practices and promote ongoing adaptive management.
• Support Program Team Leaders and AF Development Team with narrative inputs for donor reporting and development of new proposals.

Organizational Leadership

• Serve as a strategic partner to the ED (Executive Director), General Manager of Amazon Frontlines, and other departmental leaders (People & Culture; Operations & Finance; Fundraising & Development; and Communications) and be part of the AF Senior Leadership Team.
• With the General Manager, act as a bridge between programs and other Amazon Frontlines departments, facilitating collaboration, alignment with organizational priorities, and effective resource allocation.
• Maintain effective internal communication; communicate frequently with program leaders and relevant departments about program changes, timelines, requests for support, and other significant updates.
• Model and ensure the implementation of security protocols and participation in the development of organizational policies and procedures.
• Demonstrate leadership in staff meetings and retreats to build team culture, connections, and organizational effectiveness.

Team Management

• Provide overall leadership for the Programs Department, including direct support and mentoring to AF Program Team Leaders and indirect support to program staff and consultants.
• Support recruitment and onboarding processes for new program team members as needed.
• Support Team Leaders to develop short- and long-term work plans for each program, with clear priorities and timelines for achieving results.
• Facilitate an open and cohesive team culture among program and operational staff; delegate roles and responsibilities appropriately, monitoring and ensuring the achievement of team objectives.
• Promote accountability amongst the programme team and demonstrate a strong commitment to communicating expectations and giving/receiving constructive feedback, both informally and formally through regular check-ins and performance reviews. Monitor staff workload to ensure it is realistic and promotes sustainability and wellbeing, with support from the People and Culture Team if necessary.
• Help build the capacity of the program team and support professional development opportunities as needed and desired by team members with support from the People and Culture Team.

Budget Management and Development

• Maintain systems that ensure transparent and effective use of financial resources and timely and accurate reporting that complies with Amazon Frontlines and donor policies and procedures.
• Support Team Leaders in developing and managing program-level budgets, fostering alignment across program teams to ensure resources are allocated to the highest priority areas of work in a realistic and responsible manner.
• Work closely with the Finance and Development teams to mobilize resources for our work; play a key role in grant management and engage program teams in development efforts.
• Foster a culture of transparency and information sharing within the Programs Department, and work with the Finance and Development teams to ensure that reporting requirements are met and that required information or material is shared in a timely and clear manner.
• Ensure that the Programs team complies with the organization’s financial policies.

Communications

• Provide ongoing support to the Communications team, ensuring that program teams provide the necessary inputs to develop press releases, op-eds, alerts, articles and blogs.
• Create collaborative alliances with other NGOs in current and future campaigns.
• Build and maintain relationships with Indigenous leaders and represent Amazon Frontlines externally as needed.
• Serve as a spokesperson for Amazon Frontlines in the media and at public events when needed.

Essential Skills, Experience and Requirements

• • Minimum of 10 years’ professional experience, including 5 years working directly in support of related programs, and 1-2 years in a leadership role. Direct experience in Ecuador, Peru and/or Colombia is a significant plus. – Proven experience in management and technical support to development, conservation and/or humanitarian programs, operating in complex and insecure field contexts, including leadership positions. – Developed skills in programmatic budgeting and robust financial monitoring. – Strong monitoring and evaluation (M&E) experience, including field experience in developing practical and effective M&E tools and systems that promote data-driven approaches to research, learning and adaptive management. – Proven track record in successful program development, donor engagement and proposal writing. – Deep commitment to indigenous peoples’ rights, climate change mitigation and environmental conservation. – Demonstrated capacity for effective team management, motivation and development, including attention to detail and the ability to work independently and collaboratively with other team members. – Strong analytical, strategic thinking, and problem-solving skills, along with the ability to adapt to changing scenarios. – Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with a talent for building relationships across diverse cultural contexts. – Share the Amazon Frontlines organizational values ​​and a commitment to work hard and with humility, supporting our team, Indigenous partners, and key stakeholders. – Demonstrated ability to work autonomously and problem-solve independently, complete tasks on time and without errors, with the ability to prioritize effectively. – Proficiency in Microsoft Office and Google Suite, with experience in CRM and email marketing applications a plus. – Fluency in Spanish is required; professional fluency in written and spoken English is a plus.
• Previous participation in standard security protocols and working in complex and insecure operational environments; ability to regularly travel to program sites and engage effectively with communities and partners in the field.

This position is expected to be based in the Amazon region of Ecuador and will require travel (approximately 20-40%). There will also be times when you will need to work outside of regular business hours.Physical Requirements

This position requires travel and work in a variety of environments, including remote locations in the rainforest, with the following physical demands:

• Comfort and ability to navigate, work and travel in challenging outdoor environments, including variable weather conditions, terrain and ecosystems found in the rainforest.
• Preparedness to adapt to the logistical and physical challenges of working in remote locations, including limited access to medical facilities and amenities.
• Ability to travel by foot, canoe, car and/or small plane to access remote areas and carry your equipment when necessary.

You will also need to be able to perform general administrative tasks, such as working for extended periods at a computer (typing, keyboarding, and navigating various digital platforms), and maintain frequent communication, whether in person, by email, through messaging platforms, online meetings, or by phone.

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Amazon Frontlines is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, nationality, ethnicity, religion, political beliefs, age, gender, sexual orientation, or class. Additionally, Amazon Frontlines is proud to have a diverse group of people within its various spaces, and we strongly encourage individuals from Indigenous peoples and nationalities and/or Afro-descendant communities to apply. You will be warmly welcomed.