Guatemala: General Manager

NGO Niños de Guatemala is looking for a General Manager to lead and further develop its organization in Guatemala. The General Manager functions at a leadership level, where he / she advises, leads, coaches, initiates and gives direction to NDG Guatemala. The foundation currently employs 36 people.

The organisation consists of four units: 1) the educational development unit (two primary schools, Nuestro Futuro and El Porvenir, also housing social work departments, a community centre and a library), 2) the Income Generation Department, responsible for generating donations, volunteer management, sponsorships and social business, 3) the overhead unit practicing finance and HR, and 4) a temporary project team, responsible for setting up a Basico school in 2015 (Guatemalan equivalent of a high school).

The General Manager works together with the Manager Income Generation, the General Director of both schools, the Back Office manager and the Projectmanager Basico, who each lead their respective unit or project at an operational level.

In his / her role, the General Manager is part of and chairs the Executive Board (Junta Ejecutiva) of NDG Guatemala, which is responsible for future growth and consolidation of current activities. The Executive Board consists of a group of proactive managers, who are eager to make a difference. Furthermore, the focus of NDG Guatemala is to build its own independence, based on a professional, future-minded and semi-commercial profit-for-non-profit basis. The General Manager acts as NDG Guatemala’s representative externally through networking with companies and institutions and actively stimulates network possibilities within all units

Job description

• Leading NDG Guatemala and its employees to growth, professionalization and increased local activities related to (1) earning: donations and a sponsorship program combined with social business (currently mainly tourist focused), (2) spending: educational programs.
• Energizing and challenging the entire organization to develop and execute new (and entrepreneurial) efforts that add to NDG Guatemala’s overall goals and activities as well as consolidating the existing goals and activities.
• Steering and stimulating the course of the organization with respect to (1) the overall strategy, (2) the long-term goals and (3) the culture, identity and values of NDG
• Keeping the overview of NDG Guatemala's operations and holding responsibility for financial soundness and accountability
• Chairing and being part of the Executive Board. The General Manager is responsible for all communication with the General Board of NDG.

We ask:

• A professional with proven management experience (preferably in a profit as well as a non-profit context).
• In control of Spanish and English language skills.
• Academic background in the sphere of business, management, economics or social sciences.
• A self-starter with an entrepreneurial mindset, willing to make a difference and willing to put a lot (of effort and energy) into the project.
• A result oriented, innovative manager, with adaptive management skills, great intercultural, human oriented communication.
• Affinity with Niños de Guatemala and its goals and missions.
• Preferred previous employment history in central or south America
• At least 3 years available for full time activities in Guatemala, starting January / February 2015.

We offer:

• The chance to really make a difference by contributing directly to better education in Guatemala;
• The possibility to play a leading role in the organizational shaping of a young and dynamic organization, building up structures and policies for effective business as well as development in years to come;
• A central position in a growing foundation with an entrepreneurial and proactive approach, a foundation which is mentioned as an ‘example project’ in the Netherlands by Wilde Ganzen and NCDO.
• A modest salary, which will be more than sufficient for a comfortable way of living in Guatemala.

Niños de Guatemala (NDG) consist of a Guatemalan NGO (NDG Guatemala) and a Dutch foundation (NDG NL) who operate together to work on a better future for the inhabitants of Guatemala. According to the philosophy of NDG, this future can only be achieved by education and enterprise. Central in the projects are the commitment and evolvement of the local community, especially those of the children and the adolescents (for more information, please check:*www.ninosdeguatemala.org*). Organizationally, NDG is headed by a General Board, which is amongst others responsible for the management teams in Guatemala and the Netherlands.

NDG Guatemala consists of a mix of enthusiastic, creative Guatemalan and foreign people who dedicate their energy to a healthy future for Guatemala. NDG Guatemala initiates, guides, and supports local projects in a professional way to make them independent, lasting and successful. NDG Guatemala utilizes three golden principles: a better future through education; independence and self-sufficiency; and local community.

NDG the Netherlands supports NDG Guatemala from The Netherlands, both on a financial and organizational level. NDG NL brings in funds and volunteers to assist NDG Guatemala. NDG NL is a non-profit organization, its Daily Board, committees and staff members work on a voluntary basis. They are motivated to contribute to international cooperation on a small-scale level.

Interested and qualified candidates are invited to send a CV and letter of motivation before the end of December 2015 to hr@ninosdeguatemala.org. Candidates that are already locally situated do have an advantage in the application process.