Project Director

Main purpose:

The Project Director position is expected to lead and provide strategic leadership to the anticipated Office of International Labor Affairs (ILAB), U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL, or the Department), cooperative arrangement that will fund the project of technical assistance in Mexico to strengthen the capacity of governments to address child labor and / or forced labor, and violations of acceptable working conditions.

The objective of the project is to reduce the risk of child labor, forced labor and other violations of the labor rights of vulnerable women and girls within the agricultural sector.

Major responsibilities:

Manage the proactive and responsive relationship with the grant giver in close collaboration with the staff of the National World Vision Office.

Lead and oversee grant implementation, ensuring that all strategic objectives are met through proper design, staffing, implementation, and quality assurance.

Investigate new funding opportunities and develop and write funding proposals, if a second phase of the grant or cost extension is planned.

Oversee a team of high-level national and international personnel with skills in a diverse set of technical areas

Ensure adequate technical capacity of staff to manage complex donor-funded projects.

Senior Grants Staff and Short-Term Consultants

Establish and maintain effective project communication, evaluation and reporting systems. Submit timely, accurate, and professional reports that meet donor requirements.

Manage grant / project budget within approved spending levels and ensure accurate and timely financial reporting for donors and SO staff.

Ensure grant / project expenditures are reasonable, budgeted, prudent, and spent in accordance with donor rules and regulations to ensure low-risk audits.

Liaise with local government officials, local communities, donor representatives, and other stakeholders, as appropriate.

Constantly looking for more effective and efficient implementation methods and opportunities to increase impact.

Participate and carry out ongoing lessons learned with key staff and partners / sub-beneficiaries.

Liaise with local government officials, local communities, donor representatives, and other stakeholders, as appropriate.

Participate, lead the NGO and donor forum to represent VM, the project, and seek cooperation for joint promotional opportunities.

Escalate grant management issues early and openly; solve grant management problems quickly and completely

Serve as primary liaison with [DONOR NAME], local and national government authorities, local NGOs, community organizations, Facilitate learning of best practices in the technical areas of the program, and other donor organizations.

Provide vision and strategic technical leadership for the project.

Close cooperation with the NO GAM leader for the implementation of the GAM objectives, as well as

Collaboration within the NO GAM Unit in donor positioning, lessons learned, quality improvement and grant health.

Establish clear and frequent communication about the progress of the program and management supervision with the donor.

Minimum education, training and experience requirements to qualify for the position:

Minimum of five years of experience in project management, supervision, administration and implementation of cooperative agreements and / or contract requirements (including meeting deadlines, achieving objectives, establishing and maintaining systems to manage project operations, working with multiple subrecipients) and / or contractor (s), and supervising the preparation and submission of required reports to donor agencies), preferably in the country of implementation.

Experience in the establishment and maintenance of systems for the management of project operations.

Proven experience in a leadership role for a project addressing work-related issues, including child labor, forced labor, or exploitation in the workplace.

Demonstrate the ability to maintain working relationships with all stakeholders in the project and participate in coalition building and promoting public-private partnerships.

Understanding of agricultural supply chains, incorporation of gender perspective and / or economic empowerment of women.

Public speaking proficiency is preferred.

Fluency in English and Spanish is required.

It must be contracted directly by the beneficiary, not by a secondary beneficiary.

You must put at least 90 percent of effort into the project.

Leadership experience of large and diverse teams

Experience in directing and managing large grants in a complex environment.

Experience as a CoP / PD or senior expert advisor is required

Experience in managing grants and contracts under grants for complex projects.