Country Director, Guatemala

Who We Are

International Justice Mission (IJM) is the global leader in protecting vulnerable people from violence around the world. Our team of over 1,200 professionals are at work worldwide in over 30 offices. Together we are on a mission to rescue millions, protect half a billion, and make justice unstoppable.

We are a global community that cares for one another. We believe that the way we work is as important as the results we achieve. We provide professional excellence with joy and celebration to all those we serve.

The Need

For over 25 years, IJM has pioneered the work to protect vulnerable people from violence. 9 out of 9 times in the last decade, IJM’s Justice System Strengthening Projects have reduced slavery and violence between 50 and 85% for very large populations of people in poverty. As we grow to expand our impact to protect 500 million people from violence, we are seeking a Country Director for our Country Office in Guatemala and the Honduras Project.

The Country Director, (CD) will lead a highly functional multi-disciplinary team of leaders and will collaborate with government, civil society and other partners to implement IJM’s Justice System Strengthening model in providing relief and protecting victims of violence against women and children and other forms of crime affecting people living in poverty.

This position is responsible for the overall execution of operations for the country office of Guatemala and the Honduras Project, also monitors and controls the budget, expenditure, and program activities to ensure program goals are achieved. The CD will support regional strategies, advancement and activation activities. The CD builds and leads a culture of world-class professional excellence.

The position is based in Guatemala and reports to the Regional President of Latin America.

Responsibilities:

1. Lead comprehensive JSS programs to end the impunity of violence against women and children, and other forms of violence affecting people living in poverty in Guatemala and Honduras, by generating political will by building the capacity of the governments and its justice and citizen security agencies, and by mobilizing and empowering communities and civil society to drive the strengthening of their criminal justice and citizen security systems through sustainable and measurable results.
2. Develop JSS program models to combat VAW/C and other forms of violence that affect people living in poverty in GT/HN, that are measurably sustainable, effective, scalable at national and regional levels by partners in the region and globally, including community-based holistic program interventions aimed at creating local capacities to protect entire communities.
3. Lead and support the development of wide legislative, policy, and systemic solutions that achieve a high level of impact over the performance and functioning of key PJS agencies.
4. Support the region and global activation, advocacy and advancement strategies and participate in related activities to increase IJM’s influence and financial resources across the region.
5. Lead, convene and support influential national and regional coalitions that create social demand, conduct constructive advocacy, generate political will and drive the strengthening of the local public criminal justice and citizen security systems and make addressing impunity a matter of national priority.
6. Strengthen current leaders and recruit new leaders to the team who lead their specific programs or projects to success, but also develop their staff to ensure succession plans and leadership pipeline throughout the program.
7. Effective Support to other Regions and Global HQ for execution of global strategy.

Requirements:

• Master’s degree in Law, Organization Management, Business Management, Public Policy, Development or equivalent.
• Bachelor’s degree in Law, Business Management, Political Science, Human Rights or equivalent, and in-depth understanding of issues of violence against women and children and other forms of violence that affect people living in poverty.
• At least 5 years’ experience in design, monitoring and evaluating international development programs; or at least five years’ experience designing strategies and processes to achieve aggressive goals.
• A minimum of 5 years of experience successfully leading and managing professional teams; experience managing international teams and/or cross-cultural teams; and a demonstrated ability to supervise the work of lawyers, social workers and other professionals and managers.
• Prior experience with programs in Latin America addressing violence and development, preferred
• Previous experience working with international organization, preferred.
• Leadership development and management of personnel
• Financial Management
• Management of multi-disciplinary multi-cultural teams
• Partnership development and management
• Coaching and Mentoring (spiritual and professional)
• Fully fluent in Spanish and in English

Critical Qualities:

• Passion for IJM’s mission
• Judgment and strong decision-making
• Results Orientation
• Strong interpersonal skills and emotional intelligence
• Strong Cultural Intelligence (cross cultural skills)
• Effective communicator verbally and in writing
• Strategic thinking
• Spiritual leadership

Additional information

Role requires occasional travel within Guatemala, Honduras, Latin America or other regions, the United States and others; therefore, the job holder must have a valid passport, the legal capacity to travel to those countries, and adhere to country specific and IJM’s travel policies compliance, including but not limited to vaccination and testing requirements. Travel may last up to approximately 2 weeks at a time.

This role does not provide an international expatriate benefits package therefore it is open for nationals or residents who have the legal capacity to live and work in Guatemala City, Guatemala.

Application Process:

Send your Cover Letter and Resume in a single document by email: guatemalarecruiting@ijm.org

Only those candidates who meet the requirements for the position will be contacted.

IJM holds strict safeguarding principles and a zero tolerance to violations of the Safeguarding Policy, Protection against Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Harassment Policy, and Code of Ethics. Candidate selection is based on technical competence, recruitment, selection and hiring criteria subject to assessing the candidate’s value congruence and thorough background, police clearance, and reference check processes.