Operations Manager – Guatemala
Project Overview and Role:
USAID/OTI will establish and manage a rapid, agile, and quick-response mechanism to implement program activities to increase community resilience and peaceful and productive public participation in Guatemala’s democratic reform process.
The Operations Manager (OM) plays a key role in supporting the Chief of Party (COP) to effectively manage and implement program activities. The OM is responsible for ensuring compliance with USAID rules and regulations and coordinating with the Home Office on all compliance issues, seeking legal and policy guidance on any applicable restrictions. The OM’s responsibilities may also include financial, procurement, and budgeting management; human resources, personnel recruitment and management; subcontractor management; and start-up and close-out.
The OM is expected to have a good grasp of the program and be prepared to step in as needed to support the COP and other program staff in activity development aspects of the project while staying apprised of the local political, legal, and economic situation to continuously adapt the program.
This is a full-time position based in Guatemala City, Guatemala and contingent upon contract award.
Primary Duties and Responsibilities:
The Operations Manager will be responsible for:
All operations including but not limited to administration, logistics, procurement, budgeting, financial, and property.
Ensuring that program implementation is in accordance with USAID regulations and procedures and specifications determined in program Scope of Work. This will include monitoring grantee performance, ensuring that all procurement processes are perceived as transparent by beneficiary communities, assuring fair and transparent procurement processes, review of financial management, and monitoring grant implementation.
Ensuring that the most reasonable, fair, expeditious, and appropriate procurement choices were made pursuant to Palladium’s Procurement Guidelines.
Supervising the day-to-day field presence in the areas of operation including project facilities such as office space, equipment, and project vehicles; administration, logistics, procurement, budgeting and financial accounting.
Supervising the daily financial operations of the program, which includes cash flow management, timesheet recording, reporting to USAID/OTI on the financial aspects of the project, and daily monitoring of obligations, budgets, and expenditures.
Ensuring continuous liquidity for the project
Handling all human resource issues
Supervising the day-to-day implementation of all grants made under the program; and investigating and identifying new ways of achieving program efficiencies.
Coordinating with the Home Office on all compliance issues, seeking legal and policy guidance
Undertaking other duties as assigned by the COP
Required Qualifications:
A minimum of six (6) years of relevant work experience and a bachelor’s degree or ten (10) years of relevant work experience without a bachelor’s degree. Relevant experience entails working on donor-funded projects in a related role.
Minimum of one (1) years supervisory experience.
Experience with Contractor and USG policies and procedures with regards to human resources, financial management, financial reporting, and procurement processes, systems, and grants management.
Experience with activity design, development, and implementation.
Experience developing and administering grants or small grants programs.
Experience with a donor, Contractor, or international NGO managing an office or program.
Fluency in written and oral Spanish.
Highly Desired Qualifications:
Guatemalan national
Experience working in a complex, high-speed and challenging field operations environment.
Experience working in Latin America.
Experience with in-kind or cash grants to local organizations.
Supervisory experience working with culturally and geographically diverse staff.
Experience working on programs supporting political transitions or combatting democratic backsliding.
Working proficiency in written and oral English.
Company Overview:
About Palladium - Palladium is a global leader in the design, development and delivery of Positive Impact – the intentional creation of enduring social and economic value. We work with governments, businesses, and investors to solve the world's most pressing challenges. With a team of more than 3,000 employees operating in 90 plus countries and a global network of over 35,000 experts, we help improve economies, societies and, most importantly, people's lives.
Equity, Diversity & Inclusion - Palladium is committed to embedding equity, diversity, and inclusion into everything we do. We welcome applications from all sections of society and actively encourage diversity to drive innovation, creativity, success and good practice. We positively welcome and seek to ensure we achieve diversity in our workforce; and that all job applicants and employees receive equal and fair treatment regardless of their background or personal characteristics. These include: (but are not limited to) socio-economic background, age, race, gender identity and expression, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, nationality, veteran, marital or Indigenous status.
Should you require any adjustments or accommodations to be made due to a disability or you are a neurodivergent individual or for any other circumstance, please email our team at accessibility@thepalladiumgroup.com and we will be in touch to discuss.
Safeguarding - We define Safeguarding as “the preventative action taken by Palladium to protect our people, clients and the communities we work with from harm”. We are committed to ensuring that all children and adults who come into contact with Palladium are treated with respect and are free from abuse. All successful candidates will be subject to an enhanced selection process including safeguarding-focused interviews and a rigorous due diligence process.