Program Manager – Belize

Start Date: ASAP

Length of Contract: 1 year minimum

Apply Here:

https://www.careersabroad.co.uk/current-vacancies/

About the Role:

Our newly opened GVI hub on Ambergris Caye Island in Belize is located with views to the second largest reef in the world. The hub is located in San Pedro which is the only town on the island. The main part of the work will take place around the island which is an amazing river to reef ecosystem with an abundance of mangroves and marine life. Ambergris Caye is located around a 1.30h ferry ride from the mainland and is an extremely popular diving destination in Belize.

We run marine conservation and dive programs on Ambergris Caye and therefore the Program Manager’s role at the hub is to oversee the effective day to day running of the program operations, as well as manage the staff and volunteers on base. Being a newly established hub, the Program Manager should have interest in program development and enjoy developing partnerships with current and new partners. The ideal candidate for this position will enjoy working with people and communal living, and be passionate about both marine conservation and community work. They will have experience with leadership, specifically staff and volunteer management, have a professional qualification in diving, and a background in marine conservation.

• Oversee the overall day to day delivery of projects, including quality, impact and safety, and the overall effective functioning of the hub.
• In conjunction with the People function and line manager, ensure the availability of field staff to meet the requirements outlined in the hub’s field model staffing plan as well as oversee training and onboarding of all new staff and participants.
• Effectively manage any issues that come up in the field on a day to day basis, including participant complaints, medical issues, natural disasters etc.
• Oversee day to day logistics of the program including participant arrivals, departures, visits off base, day to day needs, base scheduling, ensuring all participants know what they’re doing, when, and the day to day functions smoothly.
• Connect and liaise with in-country partners to build and maintain relationships, ensuring projects are locally driven and have maximum valuable impact.
• Design local development theory in line with GVI central theory, and implement project monitoring across participants, staff, community members and partners and periodic evaluation of impact.
• Responsible for financial and overall reporting of the hub and working with line manager to utilize the recommended detailed analysis of the participant plan, hub costs and staff costs data to manage hub in an efficient manner.
• Work with the line manager to roll out defined best practice covering all key aspects of the hub’s programs and operations. Provide recommendations to line manager and liaise with Central Support to develop and implement new programs and initiatives as required. Ensure the successful implementation and delivery of all GVI marketing and internal communication initiatives. Work with central to ensure in-country legal compliance and maintain desired legal status through accurate and timely reporting.

Qualifications

• Professional experience in marine conservation
• Diving background (minimum PADI Divemaster)

Competencies

Competencies GVI is a multi-award winning social enterprise on a mission to build a global network of people united by their passion to make a difference. We run sustainable development programs in 13+ countries worldwide, all of which are aligned to the objectives of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Above all else, we want people to join us who are aligned with our vision of making a lasting positive impact on the world! Further to that, the competencies that would ensure you're a good fit for a Program Manager position at GVI are:

• Excellent people management, communication and coordination skills
• Excellent time management skills and ability to effectively prioritize tasks and meet deadlines
• The ability to identify problem areas and utilize problem solving skills to put an action plan in place to rapidly improve
• Strong decision-making skills Strong program management and program development skills

Experience

• Management experience of a multi-disciplinary and multi-cultural staff and volunteer team
• Marine conservation field experience
• Experience living in a communal, basic setting
• Ability to identify and maintain minimum standards and best practices
• Excellent report writing skills and proficiency in Microsoft Office (especially Excel) and Google Drive