Field Director -- Guatemala / Sierra Leone

First Things Foundation asks hard working individuals to give up their comfortable existence for at least two years. Why? Because when we live simply and share in the experience of those who suffer we gain humility and acquire insights. We have found that when we close our mouths and quiet our minds we actually turn out to be assets for the poor. It's not rocket science: Good projects and healthy change start with sacrifice and are fueled by authentic relationships. In our work, people matter more than plans.

Responsibilities:

As a Field Director, you will be one of the two points of contact for anything happening in your location. You will work in tandem with the existing Field Director to continue creating a network of friends, Impresarios and stakeholders.

You will spend months 0-8:

• Learning the local and colonial languages (if applicable) (5-10 hours study and tutelage per week)
• Working one or multiple local jobs with your Immersionship partner(s) (12-30 hours per week)
• Creating deep, authentic relationships with friends and neighbors through shared drinks and meals (at least once per day)
• Speaking with the Foundation’s Director and Executive Field Director (once per week)
• Writing blogs about your experiences (one per month)

You will spend months 9-24:

• Facilitating entrepreneurial projects and performing one-on-one consulting services with Impresarios
• Continuing to build a network of folks who can partner with us, fund us, provide us with additional advice, or just become good friends
• Creating profiles for our Impresarios to illustrate their ideas
• Training your replacement Field Director who will replace you when you leave

Qualifications/Education/Skills:

• A desire to better your soul, explore the world, and share a meal or drink with people you don’t know
• Willingness to learn new languages, make fun of yourself and be made fun of
• Although it’s not a hard requirement, most of our Field Directors have completed at least four years of college

Physical Requirements/Working Conditions:

Here’s the deal. This isn’t luxurious living. We live simply and humbly alongside our neighbors. We sometimes sleep on floors, walk almost everywhere, drink water out of a filter, and occasionally come down with a parasite (or in Africa's case, malaria). This is not your average job or volunteering gig. But if you want an opportunity to learn how to endure discomfort and become profoundly changed over the course of two years, and help a few folks in the process, this is the job for you.

Benefits:

• Monthly stipend in addition to general site costs (food, housing, internet, etc. — budget is location-based)

• Transportation costs (flights) to and from your site destination

• Evacuation and medical insurance

• Anti-malarial medication and mosquito nets provided for Sierra Leone site