Assistant Program Manager - Mexico

Reports to: Program Manager

Working location: Mexico

Start date: ASAP

About GVI

Our planet is in crisis and inequality affects people around the globe. At GVI, our teams are choosing to take action. We bring a range of specialised skills together for a common goal: supporting a more sustainable future.

GVI is an international multi-award-winning social enterprise. We offer conservation and community development programs in 13 countries, all aligned to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, and led by our teams and experts from the communities we operate in.

Working at GVI is fast-paced and fun. We value passion, authenticity and innovation, and we treat our stakeholders with compassion and respect.

About the role

Puerto Morelos is nestled in the Mexican Caribbean Riviera between the two massive tourist magnets of Cancun and Playa del Carmen. A small sleepy fishing town coupled with Mexico´s Autonomous University marine science installations makes for an interesting arrangement. As part of the Mesoamerican Reef System, the second biggest in the world, Puerto Morelos reefs are a natural protected area designated as a national marine park. Our GVI hub in Puerto Morelos, Mexico, runs a marine conservation program with a community outreach project. The Assistant Program Manager’s role at the hub is to work with the Program Manager in overseeing the effective day-to-day running of the program operations, as well as manage the staff and volunteers on base. The ideal candidate for this position will be able to adapt quickly to changing conditions on the go, achieve solutions to challenges, enjoy working with people from different cultures and backgrounds, be at ease in a communal living environment, and be passionate about marine conservation. They will have experience with leadership, specifically, staff and volunteer management, have a professional qualification in diving, and speak fluent Spanish.

Role and responsibilities:

• Work alongside staff team to manage a group of 20+ volunteers, ensuring that as a GVI staff member you are approachable and available to the group
• Help to manage daily logistics, administration, and operational tasks, and overseeing the completion of assigned tasks and deliverable
• Provide training , briefings and career development courses when needed to enable volunteers to have positive impacts on project
• Conduct mentor meetings weekly
• Schedule internship activities and training
• Ensure strict H&S standards are met by staff and volunteers and provide basic first aid advice
• Help ensure volunteers have a positive experience, identify any issues and work towards solutions
• Manage base resupply, ensuring there is adequate food & supplies for base at the best possible price
• Supervise the development of the GVI Puerto Morelos social media platforms (e.g Facebook, Instagram) and Alumni Program with input from staff and volunteers
• Assist team to meet GVI fundraising objectives and overall charitable trust
• Assist in basic accounting, reviewing, and updating presentations and documents
• Assist the staff through their immigration procedures to obtain work visas
• Support the PM to deliver report

About you

If you are ambitious, purpose-driven, and you have a great sense of humour,  we want to meet you. As an organisation, we know that welcoming a broad range of people with unique identities makes us powerful and we are committed to diversity, equity and inclusion practices.

Personal attributes:

• Excellent English communication skills (oral and written) and excellent Spanish communication skills
• Commitment, drive and enthusiasm to develop yourself and motivate others
• Hardworking, with the ability to show and use initiative
• Flexible, open-minded and adaptable
• Easy-going and excited about being a part of a global family on a mission to make a difference
• Likes challenges and obtains positive results.

Professional skills and experience:

• Driving License (manual stick shift vehicles)

• Educated to GVSE or equivalent level

• PADI Dive Master or above certification

• EFR Instructor

• Ability to lead by example, good interpersonal skills, strong initiative & positive proactive work ethic

• Proven experience and competence in administration and logistics

• At least 50 dives in a professional diver certification level.

• Past experience or background in internship coordination and outreach or a similar field

• Past volunteer or volunteer management work experience

• Advantageous:

  • Trained in First Aid
  • Marine, community and social development background, both academic and/or work experience
  • Participation in expedition and volunteer style work experience, and volunteer work
  • Management/planning background
  • Past experience with dive operations and marine conservation
  • Past experience working in remote locations
  • Past experience working closely with local communities

Benefits

Here’s what our global team enjoys:

• Social fund

• Training fund

• Collaborative, flexible culture

• Transparency – hear directly from the CEO consistently

• We laugh a lot, genuinely care about and support each other, and do the occasional dress-up

• Leadership development

• In-house counselling support

• Growth opportunities across our 17 locations!

Package includes:

• Monthly salary
• Accommodation
• Food
• Visa costs (if applicable)
• Emergency medical and travel insurance

You can find out more about the type of work GVI does and who we are as an organisation here.

To apply:

Please send your CV along with a cover letter stating why you feel you would be best suited to this position at GVI.

Please note: We will do our utmost to respond to all applicants, however, given the large volume of applications we receive, this isn't always possible. If you do not hear back from us within three-four weeks, please take it that on this occasion your application was unsuccessful.