Public Health Program Director
Manna Project International (MPI), a US-based nonprofit organization operating health, education, and economic empowerment programs in Ecuador, is looking for 13-month Program Directors (PDs) to strengthen our team in our new location in Shandia, Ecuador, a underserved community of Indigenous Kichwa people in the middle of the Amazon Rainforest. Since 2004, Manna Project International has fostered communities of talented young leaders to become the next generation of social change agents by engaging in collaborative, grassroots service with international communities. For more background on MPI, please visit our website, www.mannaproject.org.
Job Responsibilities
The PD works with our on-site team to contribute to the successful building of new relationships in Shandia, creation & implementation of community programs, assisting staff with volunteer support, and coordinating nonprofit operations and administrative tasks. Each PD can work on community programs in various fields such as teaching English, youth development, Water, Sanitation & Hygiene (WASH), and public health. The PD’s daily responsibilities vary and will include among other things:
- Creating and developing relationships with community residents, partner organizations, local vendors, etc. (around 30% of time): Since Shandia is a new site for MPI, PDs are critical in building the foundational relationships of trust, respect, cultural exchange that are the base of our mission implementing community impact and foreign volunteer development.
- Creating & managing community development programs in education, health and economic livelihood (around 30% of time): Depending on the needs of the community, what small resources & funding are available and the skills & interests of the PD, s/he creates and implements small community programs in collaboration with the PD’s supervisor.
- Supporting foreign volunteers (15%): For one-week college group trips summer interns and 3-9 month volunteers, PDs help with recruitment, orientation, logistics, program placements, and volunteer professional development & support. Some of these foreign volunteers will assist the PD in doing community programs and other tasks led by the PD.
- Organizational Operations (20%): The PD coordinates and supports various nonprofit organization roles, as assigned by the supervisor. Roles may involve: community needs research, communications & social media, coordinating fundraising events, grant writing and donor cultivation, finance processes, program metrics, monitoring & evaluation, and other administrative tasks.
- Fundraising (5%): The PD commits to fundraising $1500 over the 13-month term. MPI trains the PDs to do the critical skill of fundraising, and provides much content, like stories, photos, formats for letters and social media, online donation processing, etc.
Required skills/experience/training
- Bachelor's degree from an accredited university required
- Commitment to MPI’s collaborative, community-based, holistic approach to community development
- Passion for relationship building
- Demonstrated leadership experience
- Demonstrated flexibility & comfort with ambiguity
- Adaptability and willingness to integrate with a different culture
- Strong ability to multi-task and balance short- and long-term goals
- Personal or professional cross-cultural experience
- Spanish at intermediate level
- Experience teaching English as a foreign language, or working with kids, a plus
Additional information
Reports to: Country Director – Ecuador
Compensation: MPI pays housing, food, local transport, travel insurance (up to $600 a year), one round trip airplane ticket (up to $1,500, paid at the end of contract), and visa fees, plus a weekly stipend of $20 (to give context, a simple, local lunch costs $1).
Additional Benefits as below:
- Two weeks paid vacation
- Ten national holidays of Ecuador
- Emergency Travel Insurance (covers emergency medical care & evacuation)
- Visa to live/work in Ecuador for the duration of employment with MPI
- Leadership & professional development: paid trimester retreats and monthly workshops, mentoring & other training.
- Coverage of all work-related transportation expenses
- Dumb phone, and local usage plan (if PD wants them)
- Occasional cultural and tourist excursions
Responsibility of PD:
- Personal Health insurance (in the US, if desired)
- Personal smart phone
- Personal medication, tourism, clothes, toiletries, etc.
How to apply: Send a resume and cover letter describing your fit with MPI and with this position to apply@mannaproject.org. In your cover letter, please specify if you prefer to work on community programs in various fields, or have a preference to work mostly in one field, from the choices of teaching English, youth development, Water, Sanitation & Hygiene (WASH), and public health.
Please Note: Only shortlisted applicants will be notified.