Project Director A Pact

At the heart of Pact is the promise of a better tomorrow. A nonprofit international development organization founded in 1971, Pact works on the ground in nearly 40 countries to improve the lives of those who are challenged by poverty and marginalization. We serve these communities because we envision a world where everyone owns their future. To do this, we build systemic solutions in partnership with local organizations, businesses, and governments that create sustainable and resilient communities where those we serve are heard, capable, and vibrant. Pact is a recognized global leader in international development. Our staff have a range of expertise in areas including public health, capacity development, governance and civil society, natural resource management, poverty, fragile states, monitoring and evaluation, small-scale and artisanal mining, microfinance and more. This expertise is combined in Pact’s unique integrated approach, which focuses on systemic changes needed to improve people’s lives.

Department

Programs – Pact strives for a world where all people are heard, capable, and vibrant. The Programs Team helps realize this objective by bridging program management, technical support, and business development, enabling Pact to achieve its global strategy. We ensure program excellence through continuous learning, monitoring and evaluation and provide organizational and industry-wide thought leadership by leveraging a complementary set of cross-functional, multi-disciplinary skills, expertise, and experiences. The Programs team: influences progressive change through the development and implementation of global and regional strategies and business plans; supports advancement of innovative solutions; pursues new business opportunities; and drives effective internal and external engagement to maximize Pact’s impact across the globe. Across all aspects of its role, the Programs Department adheres to and promotes a culture of inclusion, accountability, and respect.

Position Overview

The US Department of Labor (USDOL) International Labor Affairs Bureau (ILAB) released a Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) for a Project to Increase Collective Action to Address Child Labor, Forced Labor, and Other Unacceptable Conditions of Work in El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras. The objective of the project is to increase collective action to address child labor, forced labor, and other unacceptable conditions of work in all three countries. There are two outcomes that support in the achievement of the project objective: 1) increased resiliency of civil society organizations (CSOs) and workers’ organizations and 2) improved enabling environment for CSOs and workers’ organizations. The project will work closely with civil society actors, especially those that are led by or represent people of African descent, Garifuna, and indigenous populations, relevant government agencies and the private sector to better address issues of child labor, forced labor and other unacceptable working conditions. The award period of performance will be 4.5 years and this position is contingent upon award.

The Project Director, to be based in one of the three target countries, is responsible for the overall coordination and management of the U.S. Department of Labor’s (USDOL) Project to Increase Collective Action to Address Child Labor, Forced Labor, and Other Unacceptable Conditions of Work in El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras. The Project Director is responsible for meeting the project’s technical objectives, managing financial resources, managing program staff, managing partnering agreements, maintaining good working relationships with government officials and local partners, managing USDOL deliverables and reporting, and ensuring a high-quality delivery of services.

Key Responsibilities

• Ensure high-quality technical programming through hands-on guidance and support grounded in the program’s strategic objectives and adhering to expected technical quality and reporting requirements.
• Participate in the technical and programmatic design of award and partner programs; represent Pact in engaging with DOL and partners.
• Manage all project planning responsibilities, including the production of annual workplans and all other donor deliverables; guide and oversee the alignment of the budget to expected results, and review and approve annual budgets and semi-annual reports.
• Ensure the cost-effective use of Pact resources.
• Ensure compliance with Pact and donor requirements, policies and regulations.
• Act as liaison to DOL, programmatic stakeholders, particularly at the national level (including other donors, civil society, networks, etc.) and the Governments of El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras, including relevant ministries.
• Manage all local subgrants and any grantmaking mechanisms, ensuring compliance with donor regulations and Pact policy; coordinate and/or conduct monitoring visits to grantee activities.
• Provide technical and management guidance, training and mentoring to staff and partners to strengthen capacity for technical delivery and compliance with donor rules and regulations.
• Recruit and directly supervise local project staff in line with Pact HR policies; oversee the management and development of project office human resources to ensure a diverse, skilled, and productive workforce, an effective leadership team, and an organizational culture where Pact’s values are practiced.

Basic Requirements

• BA/MA degree in an area relevant to this project such as labor law, public policy, sociology and project management and 8-10 years of experience in project management, supervision, administration, and implementation of cooperative agreements and/or contract requirements (including meeting deadlines, achieving targets, and overseeing the preparation and submission of required reports).
• Demonstrable experience in establishing and maintaining systems for project operations across multiple countries and partner organizations.
• Proven experience in a leadership role for a project addressing labor-related issues, including child labor, forced labor, and other unacceptable conditions of work.
• Experience working successfully with a wide range of stakeholders at the national, departmental and municipal levels, and engaging in coalition building and multi-stakeholder partnerships.
• Understanding of gender, racial, and equity issues in Central America.
• Ability to provide the financial management and oversight necessary to successfully execute a large-scale program.
• Demonstrated experience as an effective public speaker.
• Fluency in English and Spanish is required. Fluency includes speaking, listening, reading, and writing

Preferred Qualifications

• Demonstrated experience implementing civil society strengthening programs in Central America.
• Preference given to nationals from El Salvador, Guatemala, or Honduras.
• In depth knowledge of USG donor regulations, systems and procedures, particularly USDOL.

Pact is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate in its selection and employment practices on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, citizenship status, genetic information, matriculation, family responsibilities, personal appearance, credit information, tobacco use (except in the workplace), membership in an employee organization, or other protected classifications or non-merit factors.