Project Director, Labor – Automotive Manufacturing Sector

Job Description

About PADF

The mission of the Pan American Development Foundation (PADF) is to create a hemisphere of opportunity for all. We work across Latin America and the Caribbean to make our region stronger–-more healthy, peaceful, just, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable for current and future generations. For nearly 60 years, we have served the most vulnerable communities, investing resources throughout the hemisphere. We partner with and enable civil society, governments, and the private sector for the greater good of the region.

Job Summary

PADF seeks a Mexico City- based Project Director for a U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL) Project. This 4-year project will improve working conditions in the Mexican automotive supply chain, with a focus on small and medium size manufacturers while seeking employer compliance with new labor requirements. The Project Director will ideally have a background in business, engineering or law, and will lead a diverse team of technical specialists in providing durable solutions encouraging and assisting private sector manufacturers to improve their compliance with Government of Mexico labor reforms promulgated in 2017 and 2019. The Project Director will be the public face of PADF, the operational affiliate of the Organization of American States and a leading provider of services and support to vulnerable populations in Mexico. Position is contingent on funding. Fluency in English and Spanish required.

Competencies

• Conflict resolution and management: The Project Director should manage challenging situations and should be able to bring positive and effective solutions to all actors.
• Interpersonal and Diplomatic skills: The Project Director should posses superb interpersonal skills and should be able to manage situations with a high degree of diplomacy, understanding Mexican culture and local context.
• Leadership skills: The Project Director should take leadership when dealing not only with the PADF team, but also with the donor and partners.

• Team building skills: The Project Director should help the team to work as a cohesive group where all members feel invested in the direction and accomplishments of the team.
• Communication skills: The Project Director should exercise active listening, and communicate clearly and concisely with team members, donor and partners.
• Integrity: The Project Director should act from a place of integrity and should demonstrate that can be trustworthy and reliable, can practice honest and open communication and is responsible for his/her own actions.

• Coordinate project activities according to the approved work plan and in consultation with USDOL and key stakeholders.
• Liaise with USDOL; private sector partner organizations; automotive sector business chambers and associations; national, state, and local governments in Mexico; and other stakeholders to support project activities as required.
• Manage a team of technical experts, advisors, local partners, and staff.
• Provide strategic guidance to the team for the completion of project activities in identified sectoral and geographic areas.
• Perform strategic, financial, and operational planning, including work planning, forecasting, training, and ensuring project compliance with all contractual reporting and financial requirements of USDOL.
• Ensure that benchmarks, performance goals and indicators are monitored and achieved.
• Lead high-quality report preparation in English and Spanish, capturing project activities, impacts related to all activities, and ensuring timely submission.
• Foster partnerships and alliances to leverage additional funds and support for project activities.
• Other duties as required.

Qualifications

• Minimum of five (5) years of experience in project management, supervision, administration, and implementation of grant, cooperative agreement, or contract requirements, including meeting deadlines, achieving targets, and overseeing the preparation and submission of required reports to the project donor.
• Demonstrated diplomatic, management, and communication skills to liaise and advocate with governments, private sector, donors, thought leaders, and other key stakeholders including other implementing agencies.
• Demonstrated experience in Mexican manufacturing sector; experience in automotive/auto parts manufacturing highly preferred
• Experience in a leadership role in implementing projects to build the capacity of government institutions and/or in corporate social compliance/social responsibility programs, in the area of labor.
• Experience establishing and maintaining systems for project operations.
• Experience in strategic planning and performance measurement, including indicator selection, target setting, reporting, database management, and developing M&E and performance monitoring plans.
• Proven success in designing, implementing, and operating project M&E systems from project initiation to closeout stages.
• Experience building and maintaining working relations with stakeholders.
• Professional experience with the US Department of Labor (DOL) is preferred
• Fluency in English and Spanish (written and spoken). Must be able to produce high- quality reports in proficient English in a timely fashion.
• Relevant university degree in areas such as business, engineering or law.
• Excellent organizational skills with a willingness to assume responsibilities and take initiative; ability to be a team player

More About PADF

PADF is an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization established by the Organization of American States (OAS) in 1962.

PADF’s core values are “H-E-A-R-T” = Honesty, Excellence, Accountability, Respect, and Teamwork.

PADF is strong because we are diverse. We actively seek a diverse applicant pool and encourage candidates of all backgrounds to apply. PADF does not discriminate based on ability, age, gender identity and expression, national origin, race and ethnicity, religious beliefs, sexual orientation, or criminal record. We welcome all kinds of diversity. Our employees include people who are parents and nonparents, the self-taught and university educated, and from a wide span of cultures, languages, socio-economic backgrounds, and perspectives on the world.

PADF is an equal opportunity employer.

About the Organization

The Pan American Development Foundation (PADF) believes in creating a hemisphere of opportunity, for all. We work across Latin America and the Caribbean to make our region stronger—more healthy, peaceful, just, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable for current and future generations. For nearly 60 years, we have served the most vulnerable communities, investing resources throughout the hemisphere. We partner with and enable civil society, governments, and the private sector for the greater good of the region.