Regional Program Manager (RPM) South America

About Corus: Corus International is the parent of a family of world-class organizations working to deliver the holistic, lasting solutions needed to end extreme poverty once and for all. We are a global leader in international development, with 150 years of combined experience across our brands. Our nonprofit and for-profit subsidiaries include IMA World Health and its fundraising brand Corus World Health, Lutheran World Relief, CGA Technologies, Ground Up Investing, and Farmers Market Brands. Our more than 800 employees around the globe are experts in their fields and dedicated to helping the world's most vulnerable people break the cycle of poverty and lead healthy lives.

At Corus we believe that good only grows stronger and we reflect that belief in our workplace culture. We value every employee's specialized area of expertise and nurture professional growth. We promote an engaging and supportive work environment, where employees feel enabled and driven to innovate, learn and collaborate. And because our subsidiaries often function as partners, our employees have the opportunity to work across our enterprise family.

Corus is committed to diversity, equity and inclusion in our worldwide workplace, and we believe that social justice and respect for the human dignity of every person are fundamental to all we do as an organization.

Further details about the organization can be found at: https://corusinternational.org

What you'll do:

The LAC Program Manager- South America plays a pivotal role within the Latin America Business Unit team at Corus International. This position offers flexibility, with the possibility of being based in any of the countries where we operate in Latin America, including Perú, Colombia or Ecuador. A remote work option is also available.

Reporting directly to the Regional Programs Director, the Program Manager-South America assumes responsibility for overseeing and managing a diverse portfolio of programs. These programs are primarily funded by entities such as the US Government, private foundations, and internally funded projects spanning seven countries.

Location: Latin America, including Perú, Colombia or Ecuador. A remote work option is also available.

About The Ideal Candidate:

We seek an individual with proven managerial experience, a proactive stance toward innovation in processes and procedures, and a readiness to provide crucial administrative support to the LAC team.

Key Result Areas:

The success of this role is measured by the following KRAs:

Strategic Project Design and Implementation:

• Contribute to the design and implementation of projects in alignment with Corus' overarching strategy and donor requirements.

Project Coordination and Management:

• Coordinate with country, regional, and HQ teams to design new projects, participate in the proposal process, process new awards, and lead project startup meetings.
• Manage a portfolio of projects funded by multiple institutional and private donors and foundations.

Monitoring and Reporting:

• Oversee grant implementation, ensuring accurate Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) and beneficiary reporting.
• Ensure on-time and accurate reporting to internal stakeholders and external donors.

Stakeholder Communication and Engagement:

• Facilitate the development of project summary documents for the board of directors and external stakeholders as required.
• Foster cross-departmental coordination to achieve project deliverables.

Documentation and Database Management:

• Maintain and validate accurate and up-to-date project documentation in Corus databases and systems and with donors.

Process Improvement and Innovation:

• Promote improvements in processes and procedures to enhance the operation and implementation of regional projects.

Interdepartmental Coordination:

• Act as a liaison between HQ Business Units and LAC Personnel to ensure appropriate coordination, compliance with organizational requirements, and agile responses to project needs.

Roles and Responsibilities:

Project Design/Business Development 10%:

• Advises on key partnerships and supports key project implementation strategies.
• Works with the regional and Business Development teams to prepare concept notes and proposals.
• When requested, serve as coordinator in designing proposals for their current portfolio.
• Support business development intelligence for the region, connecting current programs with regional programmatic trends.

Program/Project Management 55%:

• Manage full and timely compliance with LWR & donor policies and procedures. Create and maintain complete project and partner records (electronic and database) that meet LWR, legal, and audit requirements, including Patriot Act compliance.
• Applies knowledge of best practices in project management, especially adherence to the Project Management Manual and complementary policies and procedures related to subawards, procurement, and finance and administration.
• Applies knowledge of donor rules and regulations to monitor for compliance with various actions during project start-up, implementation, and close-out (e.g., procurement, budget adjustments, modifications).
• Led project startup processes, including participating in the handover from the Business Development and Compliance teams, leading/convening project startup processes with relevant stakeholders, and participating in the recruitment of project staff (writing job descriptions, participating in interviews, etc.).
• Assist the regional team in monitoring the implementation of the country-level programs, backstopping and participating in regular work planning, reviewing progress toward project targets and deliverables, monitoring expenses vs. budgets, and identifying issues that need to be addressed.
• Assist in developing and tracking detailed project plans, schedules, budgets, and resource allocations.
• Prepare meeting presentation materials and ensure project data is accurately reflected across all Organization's platforms.
• Monitor the implementation of the country-level programs, backstop and participate in regular work planning, review progress toward project targets and deliverables, monitor expenses vs. budgets, identify issues that need to be addressed, and implement needed adjustments.
• Liaises with the Grants and Contracts team to provide information or conduct follow-up actions related to sub-recipient management (contracting, reporting, and monitoring).
• Participate in the annual Corus budgeting and forecasting processes related to project spending within the fiscal year.
• In close coordination with International Finance, support the project team in timely review, analysis, and decision-making related to budget analysis (budget variance analysis).
• Coordinate the programmatic reporting processes between the project teams, International Finance, and Grants and Contracts to ensure compliance with internal and external deadlines.
• Leads project closeout processes with relevant stakeholders under the organization's internal policies and procedures and relevant donor requirements.
• Identify, analyze, and mitigate risks associated with project implementation to ensure smooth operations and compliance with all requirements.
• Enhance reporting mechanisms to ensure all project activities are transparent and accountable.
• Prepare and deliver regular status reports to senior management, highlighting achievements, challenges, and strategic needs.
• Facilitate collaboration across different organizational departments to ensure cohesive project strategies and execution.

Database Management and Data Integrity 15%

• Ensure data integrity and completeness by maintaining project documentation in electronic databases, including Salesforce and SharePoint.
• Provide project management support using web-based project management software (Salesforce). This will include, but is not limited to, uploading project documents (agreements, modifications, proposals, and reports.

• Represents users of the Salesforce database in regions/countries of assignment to the Salesforce Application Developer.
• Serve as the LAC Salesforce database regional representative in meetings regarding policy changes and updates to the database.
• Produces reports from Salesforce or other databases as required for reporting to various audiences.

• Troubleshoots issues with the database with other users in similar positions as part of the Community of Practice/Working Group and works with the Salesforce Application Developer to identify and implement new or modified data fields and reporting functions.

Coordination, Collaboration and Innovation 20%:

• Contributes to documentation of Corus' technical capacities based on project achievements in partnership with Technical Advisors in the Quality Impact and Learning team.
• Coordinates with relevant teams to compile project information required for regulatory and donor compliance reporting or internal and external audits.
• Assists with the team's administrative duties, such as international wire transfers, documentation, and other operational support.
• Provide support to all regional task forces and regional initiatives, including but not limited to event coordination, research, data analysis, and data visualization, facilitate regular meetings, note-taking,
• Plan, organize, and oversee regional events such as conferences, seminars, workshops, and public engagement initiatives when needed.
• Continuously evaluate, propose, and execute innovative changes aimed at optimizing processes and practices within program management.

Requirements:

• Bachelor's Degree in a related field. A master's degree in management, international cooperation, or a related field will be a plus.
• Five years' experience working in program management and administration required.

• Experience with an international development or humanitarian agency working on poverty reduction, local economic development, and community development is highly preferred.
• Experience living, working, or studying in the Latin America region is required.
• Demonstrated interest in Latin America and the Caribbean's economic and social issues, particularly for the countries where Corus International works (Colombia, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Peru).
• Excellent communication and influencing skills to communicate effectively and credibly verbally and in writing.
• Professional fluency in English and Spanish is required.
• Cross-cultural sensitivity is required; experience living and/or working in developing countries is preferred.
• Experience working with colleagues in a multicultural, multi-linguistic environment.
• Experience working with USG donors and US and international partners (NGO/FBO/CBOs, universities, and other technical institutions).
• Proficiency in Office 365 applications, including Word, Excel, SharePoint, and PowerPoint. Experience with Salesforce is a plus.
• Ability to work effectively both independently and as part of a team.
• Ability to coordinate/collaborate on program implementation across multiple teams (between departments, HQ and country offices, etc.).

Why You Should Apply: Corus offers competitive salaries, discretionary bonuses, 100% employer paid Vision insurance, lots of paid leave, generous retirement program, flexible work schedules and more!

Working Conditions, Travel and Environment

• This position must be able to travel as required for standard domestic and international business purposes, estimated at up to 40% of the time. While performing the duties of this job in different locations, the employee may be exposed to precarious settings under high security risks and/or very basic living conditions and extreme weather conditions, as well as to infectious diseases. Flexibility and ability to travel on short notice desired.
• The duties of the job require regular work at least 5 days/week in alignment with Corus' in person and remote working policy. The employee must be available to work outside normal US office hours or on the weekends as required.