Job description

Coffee Kids is a development organization dedicated to promoting self-determination for coffee-farming communities, addressing the roots of poverty by helping coffee-farming families to determine their own vision of the future. We partner with organizations in coffee communities to create programs that alleviate poverty and help make coffee a more sustainable industry. 

Coffee Kids is looking for an International Program Officer. This full-time position works in collaboration with the program team and under the guidance of the Executive Director (ED), setting departmental goals and designing strategies to reach them. The Program Officer reports to the Executive Director. The position will be based in Chicago, IL, with consideration for re-location to Latin America after initial 12-month period.

Program Partner Relationships

• Works directly with program partners to provide technical support as they assess their needs and then develop, implement, monitor and evaluate projects to meet those needs
• Directly manages partner relationships for 5 – 6 partners
• Visits all assigned partners annually: Designs trip itineraries and submits trip reports upon return, independently manages cash and expenses while traveling, and submits expense reports upon return
• Provides fluid communication with partners using all modes of communication
• Maintains computer and hard files on communication with partners
• Shares important information on partner participation with other program staff
• Submits wire transfer requests for assigned partners to ED
• Presents organizational messages to partners and resolves any communication challenges with partners in collaboration with the International Program Coordinator (IPC)
• Serves as lead staff person in developing new program partners and evaluating candidates

Program Reporting

• Collaborates with partners to receive regular updates on status of projects
• Supports partners in developing reporting processes that enable analysis of project impact
• Shares project progress and impact analysis with partners and CK staff
• Collaborates with all CK staff on external reporting to corporate donors, grantors and foundations
• Provides material for newsletters, website, annual reports and other outreach tools with emphasis on assigned program partners
• Responds to program-related inquiries
• Translates program documents, drawing on strength of primary language

Proposal Process

• Tracks deadline dates for proposal process
• Sends proposal guidelines to assigned partners
• Assists partners in developing strong proposals
• Confirms receipt of proposal and reiterates deadline dates to assigned partners
• Reviews proposals with IPC and shares Coffee Kids feedback with partners
• Participates in partner-evaluation process and, with the IPC, makes final recommendations for program support levels on an annual basis
• Informs partners about decisions related to the proposal according to deadline dates

Partner Evaluations

• Designs and conducts evaluations for partner organizations and specific projects
• Submits evaluations to partner organizations for review and input
• Makes recommendations for partners based on evaluations
• Capacity Building and Training
• Develops and facilitates trainings in collaboration with IPC and program partners
• Tailors trainings to meet the capacity-building needs of the individual partners
• Collaborates with other organizations to facilitate trainings
• Develops curriculum based on best practices to address the needs of the partners

Program Budgeting

• Reviews partner proposals with IPC
• Submits final recommendations for grant-making decision process to the ED
• Submits annual program budget to the ED for approval

Qualifications
Education and Experience

• Bachelor's degree and a minimum of 5 years progressive experience managing international programs
• Master's degree in International Development or a related field, preferred
• Experience with development, implementation, management, and monitoring and evaluation of development programs
• Extensive field experience in rural areas of a developing country
• Experience working on issues related to coffee, agriculture, land use, microcredit, food security or access to health care and education, preferred
• Experience in training, especially with low-literacy populations
• Authorized to work in the United StatesCompetencies
• Native-level written and spoken fluency in English and Spanish
• Strong understanding of Latin American cultures, including time spent living in the region
• Detail-oriented with strong organizational skills
• Team player who is also able to work independently when necessary
• Comfortable managing relationships across various cultures and time zones
• Cross-cultural sensitivity
• Experience conducting qualitative interviews and focus groups, preferred
• Experience with various media, including photography and video, an asset
• Comfort communicating using social media, an asset
• Willingness to travel up to 30% of the time
• Comfort traveling in rural conditions
• Proficiency in MS Office

Salary DOE with full benefits, including health insurance and paid vacation

Compensation

this position is: salaried

Application instructions

Deadline

no deadline