Country Project Manager

Mennonite Economic Development Associates (MEDA) invites applications for a Country Project Manager (Guatemala) to join our dedicated and talented MEDA team in our mission to create business solutions to poverty!

MEDA’s work is built on a foundation of Mennonite business roots and faith-based values, within the global context of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. We believe business solutions are effective interventions to address poverty. Through a market-systems approach and strategic partnerships, MEDA enables access to finance and provides business and technical expertise to build transformative agri-food market systems that create decent jobs, allowing traditionally excluded groups to become active participants in a sustainable economy. MEDA welcomes all who share our values and want to join us in our mission. To find out more about MEDA, please visit our website at www.meda.org.

Position Summary

As leader of the project team, the Country Project Manager (CPM) is directly responsible for the success of his/her assigned economic development project. The CPM ensures effective implementation of project activities, and management of project resources, to deliver project outcomes, adjusting course required, to achieve life-of-project performance targets. This position involves frequent travel to project geographical area. Reporting to the Regional Director the CPM will also contribute to building and managing strategic partnerships. As required, the CPM will support new business development and proposal development activities as well as represent MEDA visavis project stakeholders.

Job-status: Full-time 2-year renewable contract

Start date: September 2022

Location: Antigua or Guatemala City with frequent travel to Nicaragua

Criteria: Opportunity is available for national applicants

Project Description

Women’s Empowerment for Central America (WE4CA) is a 4-year project funded by Global Affairs Canada (GAC) and implemented by Mennonite Economic Development Associates (MEDA), Pro Mujer and Wakami in Guatemala and Nicaragua. The goal of WE4CA is to contribute to poverty alleviation by promoting the socio-economic empowerment of women and girls, including rural and indigenous women, as a strategy to enhance gender equality and address sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV). The project will support 5,000 women and youth entrepreneurs in Guatemala and Nicaragua, including rural and indigenous women, focused on the coffee and light manufacturing (including handmade products and textiles) sectors by improving business performance, access to gender-responsive financial services and community services.

RESPONSIBILTIES

Project Implementation & Technical Leadership (70%)

• Ensure daily country-level management of the project with full accountability for project results

• Ensure project data collected, entered and up-to-date, thereby supporting project performance tracking

• Prepare annual project workplans and budgets, track and manage performance against targets, actively manage variances within approved limits, and identify areas for improvement or adaptation

• Active management of client, subcontractor, and direct/indirect partner relationships

• Lead and manage the performance of staff ensuring acquisition, retention, and development of a strong team

• Managing successful relationship with implementing partners; ensuring positive relationships are maintained, contractual requirements are met, and project targets are achieved.

• Manage project finance systems and processes including the review and authorization of transactions, observing strong financial controls, ensuring review and timely submission of regular financial reports, and minimizing exposure to risk

• Act as the technical lead for financial inclusion and gender lens investing (GLI) related project activities led by MEDA. Provide leadership, expert advice and build core capacities of partners in developing, implementing, and monitoring new finance and investment products and services while applying GLI principles

• Research and analyze the local market for financial services and GLI, identify and assess the financing needs of the project target clients with a specific focus on the needs of women, young men and young women.

• Identify, screen, and build relationships with local organizations (microfinance institutions, commercial banks, investment funds and other potential partners) to develop and expand appropriate financial and SME investment products and delivery models to meet the needs of project clients and meet project goals while applying GLI principles

• Support the development and implementation of finance/investment products and services with participating financial and non-financial institutions through the project’s matching grant program with a focus on increasing access to finance for women and youth SEs and SMEs

• Assess, develop, and facilitate implementation of a capacity building plan for local partners engaged in financial services and investment activities to ensure scale, accountability and reporting systems that serve project goals.

• Participate and support the project team in reporting, documenting lessons learnt and provide all other necessary inputs to support project success

Strategy, Partnership, Policy Engagement and Business Development (15%)

• Responsible for aligning the project with MEDA’s country strategy
• Raise MEDA’s profile in country
• Identify and foster partnerships with agri-food market actors that align with MEDA’s overall strategy and with the development aims of the country
• Prepare regular intelligence briefings to inform MEDA’s partnership and business development activities in the country
• Support proposal development processes

Representation and Compliance Management (15%)

• May act as MEDA’s representative for financial, legal and key relationship management matters, in country and within the scope of the project
• Ensure country project operations are compliant with local laws, the Project Contribution Agreement, and MEDA’s policies, procedures, and standards in coordination with MEDA Finance, Legal and Human Capital
• Implement MEDA security protocols

Any other duties and/or requirements as assigned

REQUIREMENTS

Education: University degree (ideally Masters) in International Development, Business Administration, or related field.

Experience: Proven track record of at least ten years of senior-level leadership and management of complex, large scale, multi-million dollar economic and enterprise development initiatives (or similar private sector experience). Experience in strategic planning, proposal development, convening multiple stakeholders for collaborative achievement, guiding multiple working groups toward a unified goal.

Technical: Project and professional management experience, staff management experience, overseas and/or international experience relevant to the region, experience with donors, bi- and multi-lateral government agencies, relevant government agencies, non-governmental organizations and other development agencies.

Project Requirements: Experience/expertise in at least one of MEDA’s areas of technical focus, including market systems, investment, vulnerable populations, financial services, blended finance, SME financial services and environment/climate change.

Additional Qualifications

• Appreciation and support of MEDA’s mission, vision and values

• Understanding and appreciation of business principles, international development and MEDA’s approach of creating business solutions to poverty

• Excellent skills in relationship management, including building relationships, networking and presentation, negotiation and interpersonal communication

• Proven team leadership abilities with a multiple field office environment and relationships with North American-based HQ specialists and management

• Fluency (written and verbal) in English is preferable

• Proficiency in regional languages is an asset

• Functional experience in marketing, business planning, business growth advisory service or related areas

• Direct private sector experience is desirable

• Demonstrated ability to mobilize stakeholders into partnerships and alliances, lead and facilitate collaborative processes

• Demonstrated donor relations reporting, relationship management and ability to monitor grants

• Excellent report writing and review skills

*Job advertisement will remain open until filled.

MEDA is an equal opportunity employer and accommodations are available during all phases of the recruitment process. We ask that any applicants requiring accommodation make their needs known in advance.