Regional Programs Manager

Status: Full-Time, Exempt (Salary)

Location: Open (Guatemala, El Salvador or Mexico and/or any other location in Latin America & Caribbean region

Application Deadline: August 29, 2025

For consideration, please attach your Cover Letter and Resume to the online application in addition to answering the Application Questions. 

GENERAL SUMMARY OF POSITION 

The LAC Regional Programs Manager (RPM) is responsible for the overall management, program direction, reporting, and stewardship of AFSC resources in the countries we work in throughout Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). This role contributes to program coordination, management, supervision, representation, networking, and reporting, ensuring alignment with AFSC's mission, values, and strategic priorities.  They are responsible for managing relationships with program partners as well as assessing partners' ability and as necessary improving their capacity along the program management cycle.

The Regional Programs Manager participates in dialogues with government ministries, United Nations agencies, European Union authorities, relevant country embassies, and local and international NGOs, according to priorities set by the Regional Director and in coordination with the Policy Education and Advocacy Coordinator (PEAC). Within the AFSC norm of collaborative decision making and mutual support, the representative will function as part of a team, together with the Regional Director and with staff working based in Philadelphia and other IP regions to ensure that there are strong partnerships with increased capacity for effective delivery of our programs at regional level.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS / RESPONSIBILITIES AND ACCOUNTABILITIES

Strategic Program Leadership, Planning and Management: 

• Plan, develop, and provide overall management and coordination for AFSC's programs in the LAC region, within the context of AFSC's regional and global strategic directions, Theories of Change, and Action.
• Provide strategic vision of AFSC's Programs and works, standardize program practices across, and operation models across the LAC region to ensure consistent, high-quality program implementation, meeting standards in the region for program management, HR, finance, security, health and safety.
• Define, develop and implement regional program policies, guidelines and procedures.
• Ensure proper planning, monitoring and evaluation of the programs, including the use of lessons learned to improve programming in close coordination with the Regional Officer for Program Support, Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning.
• Encourages constant context analysis to identify program opportunities and priorities.
• Ensure timely submission of all required program narrative and financial reports.
• Participates in advocacy strategies to influence changes at local, national and international level in coordination with the PEAC.
• Ensures that program plans and budgets are in place, that costs are kept within budgets, and that their supervises provide regular, consistently high-quality reports to RD.
• Provides leadership and guidance to the program officers in the implementation of programs and documentation in line with AFSC´s values, policies, and procedures.
• Ensure that program and project proposals are consistent in accordance with the program budgets and cost effective.
• Identifies opportunities for AFSC LAC to engage with international, regional and national networks to enhance and strengthen LAC programs.
• Acts as a liaison between the programmatic team in the region and programmatic teams in other AFSC's regions and offices, to promote, facilitate and support collaborative and strategic actions among regions.
• Communicates regularly with the Regional Director to discuss program, financial and administrative issues.
• Represents AFSC in meetings, events or forums related to LAC program's topics or per request of the Regional Director.

Partnership and Capacity Building: 

• Responsible for managing relationships with program partners, assessing their ability, and improving their capacity through the program management cycle.
• Develop new partnerships and collaborative approaches to enhance program work and strengthen the ability of committed partner organizations to work together to achieve common goals.

Regional Team Leadership & Development: 

• Ensure AFSC staff members effectively apply Quaker Values and conflict-sensitive, non-violence approaches and methodologies to their work.
• Lead a regional program organization where team members can effectively manage programs across multiple territories, not limited to their specific geographic location.
• Foster a regional organizational culture that includes career development plans, clear roles and responsibilities, and opportunities for high-impact contributions, motivating staff and creating a long-term commitment to AFSC.
• Manages program officers and Regional Officer for Program Support, Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning efficiently and within AFSC's legal parameters, delegating authority where appropriate and ensuring that staff members are given opportunities for development and training, as discussed and agreed.
• Develops and maintains a healthy environment for the team, coordinating timely discussions on strategic programming issues and guaranteeing that the staff members reflect the institutional character in their relationships with partner organizations and allies.
• Ensures excellent people management and development of staff managed, in accordance with performance management cycle and policies on development of staff, and capacity building plans.
• Coordinates with the Operations Regional Manager on country administrative, financial and program staff and oversees the management of personnel matters through appropriate internal structures and procedures.

Performance Management & Results Orientation: 

• Define and implement Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), dashboards, and other tools to effectively manage program operations and outcomes, proactively driving continuous improvement.

Financial Management, Fundraising & Reporting:   

• Implement Fund Raising strategies in close collaboration with the Regional Director and development team.
• Prepares information that supports program proposals for fundraising and reports on the use of funds to the donor agencies in coordination with the Regional Officer for Program Support, Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning.
• Manages budget control and ensures that sound financial and accounting procedures are followed.
• Gives input for the preparation of required financial reports, and information for audits; provides timely information on changes that affect program implementation and expenditure.
• Align with the Communications team or consultants to document and present program impact, supporting advocacy and fundraising efforts.
• Cooperate with Finance on financial control, providing required information for accounting, reporting, and compliance.
• Works with the Regional Operations Manager to develop budgets for funding proposals, ensuring consistency with program objectives and donor requirements.

Risk Management: 

• Ensures an appropriate risk-threat assessment of the delivery program considering staff security, partners security, reputational and communication risks and others.
• Monitors and analyses the context and designs, in coordination with the RD, program officers, the strategies for managing the identified risks in line with AFSC Security Policy.
• Monitors of the implementation of the security protocols in place, leads to systematic reviews and recommends changes.
• Participates in the Security Task Force group for LAC in coordination with RD.
• Facilitate capacity building in safety and security for staff in coordination with the Safety and Security Director.

Emergency Response: 

• Inform the Regional Director about emergencies occurring in the region, with special attention to the defined program intervention areas.
• Designs the first assessment of the situation to report to the RD to present to the Emergency Response Team.
• Contribute to the drawn-up process of the "Initial Response Plan" that the RD will present to the AGS-IP aligned to the AFSC's Emergency Response guidelines, in close coordination with the LAC Emergency Response Team.

AFSC Alignment: 

• Work in consultation with the staff of the Human Resources and Inclusion Department, and other staff as appropriate, to determine and apply regionally, and country specific relevant affirmative action policies to regional staffing, administrative functioning and program within the region.
• Understanding of and commitment to the principles, concerns, and considerations of AFSC regarding issues of race, class, nationality, religion, age, gender and sexual orientation, and disabilities.
• Demonstrated ability to work and communicate with diverse staff.
• Candidates must demonstrate a strong commitment to AFSC's core values of peace, justice, equality, and non-violence and understanding of the belief in the intrinsic worth of every individual.

MINIMUM EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS  

• Bachelor's degree in Nonprofit Management, Social Studies, Peace Building, International Relations/affairs, Law, or closely related field.
• Master's degree in at least one of the related qualifications.
• 5 years of significant experience in program management with a local or international NGO in Latin America.
• Proven expertise in planning and managing at least one of the following topics: peace building, migration, humanitarian assistance, and development programs in countries of the Global South.
• Demonstrated administrative ability, including experience with staff supervision, training and professional development, financial management, narrative and financial reporting, and budgeting.
• Fluency in English and Spanish (written and spoken)
• Computer skills (PC/Windows), particularly in word processing, spreadsheet and database applications (MS Office), and e-mail.
• Social commitment, respect and skills to work with diverse populations.
• An active commitment to promoting gender equity and diversity in all aspects of an organization's work.
• Ability to work independently in an unstructured setting and program, yet within a framework of long-distance communication, consultation, and decision making.
• Experience in leading and motivating geographically remote teams; and program strategy through partners in challenging locations.
• Ability to cope in situations of high risk and in compliance with security measures, to work under pressure, and to organize time effectively.
• Experience effectively managing grants through the whole cycle of Grants management (desirable).

PHYSICAL DEMANDS 

The physical demands and work environment characteristics described are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

COMPENSATION 

The AFSC offers a competitive salary package.  Medical insurance, plus other benefits including vacation, Paid Time Off, sabbaticals, extended leaves, holidays. 

The American Friends Service Committee provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.  The policy applies to all terms and conditions or employment including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training. 

AFSC's Central Office and some of its offices in the U.S. are unionized workplaces. This position is not represented.

AFSC maintains a deep commitment to a mandate of care for our staff and communities.  The American Friends Service Committee is a smoke-free workplace. 

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT 

This position is an at-will employment, meaning that the employment relationship can be terminated by either the employer or the employee at any time, for any reason, with or without notice.  In addition, position duties and expectations change over time.  This job description is not intended to be an all-inclusive, exclusive or exhaustive list of the job functions that an employee in this position may be asked to perform from time to time.  The employee may perform other related duties as assigned to meet the ongoing needs of the organization. If there is ever a time that you are unsure what is expected of you, you are expected to meet with your manager and ask questions. If you are unsure how to perform a certain task, ask your manager before performing.