Colombia: Program Assistant

Job Title: Program Assistant

Job Type: Full time

Location: Cali, Colombia

Reports To: Program Director

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

General Management, Financial Management & Administration

• Effectively support day-to-day tasks associated with country projects, including assistance with prompt and proactive resolution of award issues and follow-up, in collaboration with relevant staff and headquarters departments;

• Contribute to ensuring all projects objectives and goals are met in compliance with Heartland Alliance and donor regulations.

• Internal Reporting: Support Program Director in preparing monthly and quarterly internal reports, and draft periodic and annual reports in accordance with relevant donor requirements, HAI internal regulations, and industry best practices

• Recruitment: Assist with recruitment processes in coordination with HR, including completing Requisition Opening Templates, screening applications, and scheduling interviews

• Onboarding: Assist with onboarding new staff (expats, third country nationals, and other senior field staff)

• Office Supplies: Support Program Director with quotes requests and liaise with DFA to follow up the purchases/contracts for services.

• Serve as a friendly and helpful headquarters point of contact for field and HQ staff; provide support with ad-hoc administrative and program-related tasks;

• Potentially, serve as Colombia country office gender focal point and support headquarter-based program development and communications teams on Colombia and LAC related initiatives

• Contractor Agreements: Follow up the review process for contractor agreements following all detailed steps.

• Participate in annual planning of strategic goals

• Follows policies and procedures; Prioritizes and plans work activities; Able to plan for and meet competing deadlines;

• Completes administrative tasks correctly and on time;

  Program Development & Management

• In coordination with Program Director and others designated by the Country Director, participate in program development activities, including:

  • Maintaining up to date donor mapping for funding opportunities and, together with the Program Director and Country Director, meeting with donors and potential donors;

  • Representation of HAI with NGO, government and private sector partners

  • Carry out reviews in support of project proposal design

  • Tracks deadlines and proactively gathers supporting documents, as well as collaborate and/or reviews monthly/quarterly progress reports to donors;

• Support proposal development process in coordination with the country and PD team

• Collaborate in the identification of development initiatives and potential Local Partners, seeking to formulate projects;

• Support the entire process to plan, organize logistics and search the best options for the donors’ trip.

• Directly support project managers and other program staff to ensure effective program implementation, accurate data collection for reporting, and quality program implementation in accordance with grant commitments and donor requirements.

• Collaborate in the production of communicative pieces about the work of HAI Colombia (success stories, factsheets, etc.).

• Research and analyze funding opportunities: including USAID, US State Department, other international governments, Foundations, and individual donors – to identify and prioritize program development priorities in coordination with the country and PD team

• Represent HAI at meetings, conferences and workshops as needed; and

• Other duties, as assigned by Program Director.

Qualifications

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or competency required.

• Bachelor’s Degree or higher in international developm

• Two years of relevant professional experience

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English and Spanish.

• Previous non-profit and/or program development/grant writing experience preferred

• Experience living or working internationally preferred.

• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision.

• Must be able to work full-time (8 hours a day) as well as extended hours when needed (not the usual, butflexibility is required).

• Training in human rights or equivalent experience working with victims of conflict or serious human rights violations is preferred.

Other Competencies:

• Time Management – Ability to prioritize tasks, manage time and complete projects in a fast-paced, changing environment with minimal supervision.

• Quality Management - Looks for ways to improve and promote quality; Demonstrates accuracy and thoroughness

• Logistics: logistical preparation of events and meetings.

• Analytical - Synthesizes complex or diverse information; Collects and reviews data

• Written Communication - Writes clearly and informatively in English and Spanish; Edits work for spelling and grammar; Varies writing style to meet needs; Presents numerical data effectively;

• Adaptability - Adapts to changes in the work environment; Manages competing demands; Changes approach or method to best fit the situation; Able to deal with frequent change, delays, or unexpected events, reacts well under pressure and able to respond on a multitask manner.

• Cultural Sensitivity – Respects cultural environment in which person is working and does not act in a manner that is outwardly offensive to the local community.

Language Skills:

• Excellent oral and written English language communication skills.

• Excellent oral and written Spanish is required.

Computer Skills:

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, Internet Explorer, Outlook/Exchange, Windows operating systems
• High proficiency in Excel, SPSS, or another statistical analysis software
• Other software routinely used by Heartland Alliance

Physical Demands: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Willingness to travel - often places in urban or rural areas with medium-high levels of insecurity and/or areas of scarce resources and amenities.

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear.

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit; use hands to handle or feel and reach with hands and arms.

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; climb or balance and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl.

• The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 10 pounds.

Work Environment: The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

• The employee may be required to remain on Organization premises during breaks and/or meal periods and may be required to stay on Organization premises until their replacement arrives.

• The employee is required to travel regularly to often insecure and limited-resource environments.

Heartland Alliance makes all hiring and employment decisions, and operates all programs, services, and functions without regard to race, receipt of an order of protection, creed, color, age, gender, gender identity, marital or parental status, religion, ancestry, national origin, amnesty, physical or mental disability, protected veterans status, genetic information, sexual orientation, immigrant status, political affiliation or belief, use of FMLA, VESSA, military, and family military rights, ex-offender status (depending on the offense and position to be filled), unfavorable military discharge, membership in an organization whose primary purpose is the protection of civil rights or improvement of living conditions and human relations, height, weight, or HIV infection, in accord with the organization's AIDS Policy Statement of September 1987.

Apply Here: https://chk.tbe.taleo.net/chk01/ats/careers/requisition.jsp?org=HEARTLANDALLIANCE&cws=38&rid=4992