Regional Director, Americas

Position title: Regional Director

Location: Americas Region

ChildFund division: Global Operations

Manager/Supervisor Title: Chief Impact & Innovation Officer

About ChildFund

ChildFund is a child-focused international development organization that works in 24 countries to connect children with the people, resources and institutions they need to grow up healthy, educated, skilled and safe, no matter where they are.

ChildFund is cultivating a diverse, equitable, inclusive, and accessible environment where everyone is seen and welcomed equally. In our culture of connection, you will have ample opportunity to grow, learn, and lead while contributing to our inspiring vision.

ChildFund International has a zero-tolerance policy regarding sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment (SEAH) and all other forms of harm by its staff, partners, and other representatives in the delivery of its mission and services for children. ChildFund is committed to creating a safe environment in the workplace as well as in the communities where it delivers programs and services. ChildFund expects every staff member, partner, and representative to adhere to this commitment and to ensure all organizational policies and standards are followed.

About This Role

The location of this position will be in a country where ChildFund operates in the Americas region: Bolivia, Brazil, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, or Mexico. Specific location to be determined once a finalist is selected.

The Regional Director is responsible for strategic leadership and oversight of operations in each of the Americas region countries where ChildFund operates, including Bolivia, Brazil, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico. The Regional Director oversees the effective implementation of global strategies; the Country Offices’ planning, implementation, monitoring, tracking and reporting on all program activities; fundraising and other business development activities (i.e., development of proposals), and building networks and partnerships; based on the organization’s strategic priorities and approach. The Regional Director is a member of the Global Leadership Team, which requires engagement in global initiatives and collaboration across organizational boundaries.

Through quality coaching and supervision to Country Directors, the Regional Director drives the ability of the Country Offices to operate with increased self-sufficiency and competitiveness, while maximizing their reach and social impact and becoming recognized players in their local contexts. In partnership with Global Shared Services, the Regional Director guides the Region towards greater operational effectiveness and efficiency; leads an organizational culture where ChildFund core values and operational principles are modeled and practiced with a high degree of employee engagement; establishes appropriate systems; maintains good working relationships with partners, government officials, and donors; and ensures all staff and representatives are fully aware of and adhere to ChildFund’s policies and commitments regarding safety and security, Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility (IDEA), and Safeguarding.

Required Experience and Education

• Advanced degree in development and management or other relevant area.
• A university degree with a relevant combination of academic qualifications (experience may be accepted instead of an advanced university degree).
• At least 10 years of experience in program and community development.
• Demonstrated experience in resource mobilization, coordination, negotiation, and policy implementation.
• Experience working in an INGO.
• Experience working in a sponsorship organization and local fundraising is preferred.

Primary Responsibilities

• Ensure full understanding of ChildFund’s global strategy and clearly communicate priorities to the Americas Leadership Team (ALT).
• Provide guidance and support in the in development of Country Strategic Plans (CSPs) that are fully aligned with ChildFund’s global strategy.
• Ensure ChildFund develops strong partnerships necessary to deliver sustainable, responsive, and programs and program interventions contribute to strengthening an enabling environment that reduces risks and provides children with opportunities to grow up healthy, educated, skilled and safe.
• Provide leadership on program design and technical guidance for maintaining and improving program quality including the use of digital technologies.
• Lead the implementation of global monitoring, evaluation, and learning systems to measure ChildFund’s progress towards core outcomes.
• Monitor Country Offices for compliance through participation in auditing, regular engagements with direct reports, frequent communications, and visits, providing guidance and corrective action as necessary.
• Engage with global shared services units, ensuring the proper implementation and adaptations of administrative, financial, and human resources policies for each assigned Country Office.
• Champion and promote a culture of security and duty of care in the region. Provide regional oversight to the security standards and risk management. Coordinate closely with the security team and country directors to ensure adherence to established security policies and protocols.
• Lead regional resource mobilization planning and execution as well as interactions with key stakeholders in the International Office.
• Facilitate and coordinate regional partnerships with bilateral and multilateral institutions, sister INGOs, regional think tanks, and other relevant bodies.
• Ensure grant management and compliance at the Country Office and local partner levels with regards to all awards, grants and NSPs.
• Ensure ChildFund’s values, core intent, global strategy, and CSP and priorities are fully understood by all ALT members, staff, and partners and reflected in program design and management.
• Ensure that Country Offices’ commitments in the Annual Operating Plan (AOP) are aligned with the organizational priorities for the year and they meet deadlines set for the planning and budgeting process.
• Oversee linkages among Country Offices programs, Sponsorship, and technical support at the regional and IO levels, ensuring integration and collaboration.
• Document and disseminate best program practices to promote program quality and learning; identify needs and organize relevant training in collaboration with Human Resources for staff capacity building.
• Remain alert and responsive to any safeguarding risks; acquire relevant knowledge and skills to enable you to understand the safeguarding policy and procedures; promote strong safeguarding practices; perform your duty and responsibility to safeguard, report violations, and promote appropriate behavior; and conduct yourself in a manner consistent with the organization’s policies and values.

Required Competencies

• Ability to lead effectively in a matrix environment.
• Ability to thrive and lead cross-cultural teams effectively in a digitally enabled environment.
• Outstanding written and oral communication skills in English and Spanish; proficiency in Portuguese is a plus.
• Knowledgeable on nuances of children development and donor landscape in the Americas region, including in Bolivia, Brazil, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico.
• Demonstrated outstanding leadership in humanitarian response interventions.
• Excellent track record of inclusive leadership with the ability to create a motivational culture of development and growth that welcomes diverse perspectives.
• Strong change management experience, with the ability to lead and champion change in the organization and articulate a clear vision and strategy.
• Demonstrated interpersonal and cross-cultural skills, including the ability to build collaborative relationships internally and externally, with sensitivity to cultural, ethnic, social, and political issues.
• Ability to manage conflict and pragmatically solve problems, plan a course of action using analytical, conceptual, strategic, and forward-thinking abilities to achieve an effective resolution.
• Demonstrated technical expertise in such areas as: project, budget and resource mobilization and management.
• Demonstration of knowledge of program design, grant acquisition and management, resource stewardship, and cross-functional coordination.
• Highly developed analytical skills and the ability to assimilate and process information on a wide range of issues, with an emphasis on design-thinking principles.
• Computer proficiency in general MS Office software (i.e. Word, PowerPoint, Excel, PBI, and Outlook).