Regional Representative

Who We Are

At IREX we strive for a more just, prosperous, and inclusive world—where individuals reach their full potential, governments serve their people and communities thrive.

But around the globe, persistent poverty, repression, and injustice prevent too many people form achieving their full potential. To address these problems, we focus on people, not on vaccines, roads, or wells. We support individuals and institutions to create change in their own communities—and to create person to person bridges between nations.

IREX works with partners in more than 100 countries in four areas essential to progress: cultivating leaders, empowering youth, strengthening institutions, and increasing access to quality education and information.

IREX seeks a strategic, innovative, entrepreneurial, and collaborative Regional Representative to spearhead – out of Guatemala – IREX’s efforts to empower youth, cultivate leaders, produce quality information and education, and strengthen communities in Central America and Mexico. The initial focus of this position will be on initiatives to empower youth, increase access to information and strengthen the media sector, but will be expanded to include strengthening educational institutions and cultivating leaders.

A self-starter, the Regional Representative will continually assess the competitive environment to identify new opportunities for IREX to advance its mission and strengthen is brand in Central America and Mexico. S/he/They will spearhead efforts to capture these opportunities in partnership with IREX’s New Business Development Unit (NBDU) and Strategic Partnerships Unit (SPU). The successful candidate will have a solid understanding of positive youth development and/or the media sector. S/he/They will also have proven experience leading strategic thinking processes and approaches and business development activities that lead to partnerships with governmental donors, the private sector and the philanthropic community.

We are doers. Our decades of on-the-ground experience help us create greater impact, practical recommendations, and lasting partnerships.

Are you the next member of our team?

Your Background & Skills

• 3 or more years of progressive experience with strategy development and strategic stakeholder mapping and engagement in country or region of responsibility.
• 5 or more years of experience with planning, designing, resourcing and implementing business development initiatives. This includes the ability to write proposals, bids, and statements of interest.
• 7 or more years of progressive experience in international development.
• Direct professional experience in youth programming, including pathways to employment, skills development, employability and entrepreneurship, and leadership development.
• Familiarity with media development and strengthening is desirable.
• Advanced experience with programs funded by bilateral donors including but not limited to USAID, the US Department of State, GiZ, Swedish International Development Agency, Global Affairs Canada.
• Experience building relationships with private sector companies and foundations, and other major donors in the region.
• Strong writing and verbal communications skills.
• Experience with managing teams preferred.
• A master’s degree in a relevant field strongly preferred.
• Fluency in Spanish required.
• You must have unrestricted authorization to work in the United States.

Your Daily Tasks

• Assess the competitive environment to ensure IREX reflects important trends in its planning, strategy development, and programs
• Continually assess national and regional markets for partnership and business opportunities and help prepare plans to capture them
• Identify markets, donors and program areas that are responsive to the objectives of the regional strategy, map out a strategy for engaging with or accessing them and execute that strategy.
• Develop local partnership strategies for specific opportunities or initiatives.
• Elaborate the tracks of the regional strategy and executing them at the country level and as assigned, at the regional level.
• Develop a system for tracking, monitoring and evaluating the implementation of the regional strategy.
• Lead, or support with technical writing, strategic advice, teaming ideas and cost solutions proposals prepared by the NBDU and SPU.
• Identify local experts for initiatives and proposals and develop databases of expertise.
• Ensure effective coordination with the NBDU, the Center for Applied Learning and Impact and SPU.
• Support the creation of a team culture that encourages risk-taking, innovation an ethos of excellence and a commitment to results.
• Identify high level external audiences or stakeholders (media, public officials, donors, and key influencers), map out a strategy for reaching out to them, and effectively engage with them to disseminate key messages and facilitate direct relationships between them and IREX. Cultivate intentionally and methodically relationships with key influencers.
• Design, oversee or execute as needed, the organization of special events in country or region of responsibility in coordination with the Strategic Communications Unit.
• Proactively develop and curate strategic content and increase audience engagement on IREX’s social media channels in country or region of responsibility.
• Draft “thought leadership” products such as op-eds, articles, or essays for placement in external publications.
• Represent IREX in meetings with external stakeholders.
• Liaise with local legal counsel on topics such as registration, tax and labor law issues.
• Other tasks as directed by supervisor

IREX will make reasonable accommodations in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments of 2008.

Successful candidates are subject to background screenings.

This position is eligible for Telework.

This position is ineligible for Immigration Sponsorship.

NO PHONE CALLS PLEASE

EOE – Equal Opportunity Employer

We are an equal opportunity employer with a commitment to diversity.

All individuals, regardless of personal characteristics, are encouraged to apply. AA/EOE/M/F/Vet/Disabled

To apply, visit our careers page.