Project Director, Child Protection Compact (CPC) Partnership Programming in Colombia

Pact is an international nonprofit that works in nearly 40 countries building solutions for human development that are evidence-based, data-driven and owned by the communities we serve. Founded in 1971, Pact works with partners to build resilience, improve accountability, and strengthen knowledge and skills for sustainable social impact.

Department

Programs – Pact strives for a world where all people are heard, capable, and vibrant. The Programs Team helps realize this objective by bridging program management, technical support, and business development, enabling Pact to achieve its global strategy. We ensure program excellence through continuous learning, monitoring and evaluation and provide organizational and industry-wide thought leadership by leveraging a complementary set of cross-functional, multi-disciplinary skills, expertise, and experiences. The Programs team: influences progressive change through the development and implementation of global and regional strategies and business plans; supports advancement of innovative solutions; pursues new business opportunities; and drives effective internal and external engagement to maximize Pact’s impact across the globe. Across all aspects of its role, the Programs Department adheres to and promotes a culture of inclusion, accountability, and respect.

Position Overview

Pact is seeking a Project Director for the anticipated five-year US Department of State (USDOS), Child Protection Compact (CPC) Partnership Programming in Colombia. CPC’s goal is that the Government of Colombia and other state entities work in close partnership with local authorities, governments and mayors, civil society, and relevant anti-trafficking stakeholders in a sustainable and coordinated fashion to combat child trafficking. CPC’s objectives are Objective 1 (Prosecution): Justice sector actors, including the Judicial Police, the Office of the Attorney General of the Nation, and the judiciary, utilize existing legal and procedural frameworks to increase identification of child trafficking victims, investigation of human trafficking cases in a child-friendly manner, and prosecution and conviction of perpetrators of child trafficking; Objective 2 (Protection): The Government of Colombia oversees a functioning system of trauma-informed, victim-centered protection services that are accessible to child trafficking victims, and that supports civil society organizations and other relevant stakeholders that administer protection and rehabilitation Objective 3 (Prevention): Child trafficking prevention efforts are tailored to ethnic, indigenous, gender, sexual orientation, disability, migration, and cultural differences, take into account the victim’s stage of childhood development, and are widespread in targeted communities and Objective 4 (Partnership): The Government of Colombia strengthens its coordination efforts between government and civil society to combat child trafficking at the local level and ensures adherence to national policies at all levels. The position will be based in Medellín or Bogotá, Colombia. The project director will be responsible for technical leadership and the overall management and operations of the USDOS CPC activity. This position is contingent upon award.

Key Responsibilities

• Facilitate and ensure high-quality co-design of the program with USDOS and the Government of Colombia should Pact and its partners be awarded.
• Ensure high-quality, results-oriented technical programming through hands-on guidance and support grounded in the project’s objectives and approved annual workplans.
• Serve as the primary liaison with the USDOS Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) or Agreement Officer’s Representative (AOR) on management and technical matters.
• Ensure compliance with USDOS rules/regulations and Pact processes.
• Ensure that the project meets stated goals, outcomes, benchmarks, and reporting requirements
• Take a leadership role in coordinating all project activities with USDOS and key stakeholders, including partners, government stakeholders, civil society, and other US funded (USDOS, USAID and USDOL related) projects.
• Manage and coordinate the implementation of activities across project partners, ensuring successful integration of activities.
• Liaise closely with Pact Colombia’s Country Director and finance team, to ensure that all project activities are compliant with USG rules and regulations and consistent with Pact’s policies, procedures and best practices.
• Oversee project planning (i.e., development of work plans and project budget), monitoring and reporting (i.e., review and approve periodic budgets and technical and financial reports) in accordance with USDOS requirements and Pact’s internal standards.
• Oversee project budget and work in close coordination with the Finance and Operations Director to meet expected results, ensuring cost-effective use of donor and Pact’s resources.
• Support the implementation of a highly adaptive, context-driven programmatic approach that is Victim-Centered, Trauma-Informed, and Survivor-Informed, for targeted communities.
• Provide strategic management and oversight of the project’s sub-award portfolio
• Manage a team of flexible and adaptive employees and oversee evidence-based adjustments in programming to achieve greater impact.
• Oversee project staff in helping partners establish reporting and tracking systems to provide key information in an efficient and timely manner.
• Ensure that program meets programmatic and financial targets and makes accurate projections.
• Represent the project at conferences, working groups, and meetings to support USDOS and Pact’s thought leadership in community health, capacity development, and civil society strengthening
• All other duties as assigned

Basic Requirements

• Master’s degree from an accredited university in Sociology, Political science, Economy, Public Health, or a relevant field
• At least eleven (11) years of experience in the successful implementation of international development activities, with preference given to children protection.
• At least six (6) years of experience as a project director in a comparable managerial position on donor-funded projects, preferably for children protection programs.
• Demonstrated understanding of the situation of trafficking in person in Colombia particularly in children.
• Fluency in English and Spanish (oral, writing, and reading)
• Knowledge of US funding rules, regulations and policies.
• Demonstrated leadership skills.
• Demonstrated track record of successfully building and effectively managing a diverse team of employees and partners
• Demonstrated ability to work in complex environments, and work with and between different stakeholders, including civil society organizations, government institutions, private sector entities, and US Government agencies.
• Ability to develop and maintain strong relationships with government and civil society stakeholders.
• Demonstrated skills in problem solving and consensus building.
• Ability to travel within Colombia and occasionally internationally, when health and safety concerns regarding COVID-19 diminish.
• Demonstrated flexibility, adaptability, and the ability to perform and collaborate in complex and politically sensitive project environments.
• Experience working on and leading teams for US funds contracts and/or cooperative agreements.

Preferred Qualifications

• Colombian nationals are encouraged to apply

Pact is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate in its selection and employment practices on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, citizenship status, genetic information, matriculation, family responsibilities, personal appearance, credit information, tobacco use (except in the workplace), membership in an employee organization, or other protected classifications or non-merit factors.