Program Director

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Manna Project International (MPI), a US-based nonprofit organization operating health, education, and economic empowerment programs in Ecuador, is looking for 13-month Program Directors (PDs) to strengthen our team creating communities of young leaders that help break the cycle of poverty in underserved communities around the world.

Since 2004, Manna Project International has fostered communities of talented young leaders to become the next generation of social change agents by engaging in collaborative, on-the-ground service with international communities in need. Shandia will be a new site for MPI, starting operations in May 2023, so we’re seeking entrepreneurial, flexible, innovative, and resilient Program Directors to help us launch a new site! MPI’s talented staff and volunteers will focus on building deep crosscultural relationships with local residents, partner organizations, community leaders while creating and implementing small, start-up community programs. We seek to empower and develop our short-term and long-term volunteers, and Program Directors, through challenging field work, active skills building, and hands-on leadership opportunities over the course of their service. For more background on MPI, please visit our website, www.mannaproject.org.

MPI has continuously grown and evolved its impact over the past 20 years through creative partnerships, award-winning programs and initiatives, and diverse sources of funding. Over our history, nearly 2000 volunteers have served around 10,000 participants in Ecuador, Nicaragua and Guatemala. These volunteers typically come from the US, are college students or recent graduates, and serve on-site for 1 week to 1 year.

The PD gains practical, developing-country experience creating and implementing community development projects, fulfilling nonprofit organization roles, helping with administrative tasks, and helping support foreign volunteers. The PD also gains experience with Spanish and intercultural awareness, many opportunities for personal growth, and fun connecting with U.S. volunteers. The stipend and benefits are designed to pay for all of a PD’s living expenses over the year, except international airfare and personal travel. This "dream job" is a rare opportunity to gain career & leadership skills, co-lead the creation of a new site, build deep relationships with locals, find meaning in helping underserved people, and have many adventures in a fascinating and spectacular foreign country! Shandia is a rural, indigenous Kichwa, very underserved community in the Amazon, about 3.5 hours drive from Quito, and 30 min by bus from Tena.

Job Responsibilities
The PD works with other in-country staff to contribute to the successful building of new relationships in Shandia with residents and partner organizations, creation & implementation of community programs that will start small and grassroots, assisting staff with volunteer support and capacity building, and coordinating nonprofit operations and administrative tasks. Each PD can work on community programs in various fields, or can commit to work mostly in one field, from the choices of teaching English, youth development, Water, Sanitation & Hygiene (WASH), and public health. The PD’s daily responsibilities vary a lot by month, and include any and all tasks necessary to maintaining and improving community relationships, community programs, foreign volunteer development & administration of MPI, including but not limited to:

1. Creating and developing relationships with community residents, partner organizations, local vendors, etc. (around 30% of time): Since Shandia is a new site for MPI, PDs are critical in building the foundational relationships of trust, respect, cultural exchange that are the base of our mission implementing community impact and foreign volunteer development. As part of their 40 hour work week, PDs will visit residents, join them in community activities, engage in social activities, as well as lead deliberate community programs. PDs will assist with community needs research, learning local culture, sharing the PD’s cultural background, and creating and implementing community programs in partnership with locals. MPI serves the local community, and the local community serves MPI at the same time.
2. Creating & managing community development programs in education, health and economic livelihood (around 30% of time): Depending on the needs of the community, what small resources & funding are available, what activities can’t be covered by other staff, and the skills & interests of the PD, s/he creates and implements small community programs in collaboration with the PD’s supervisor. Such programs may include teaching English, public health education, Water, Sanitation & Hygiene (WASH), sports & recreation clubs for kids, facilitating a women’s group, constructing a new playground at the school, facilitating nutritional cooking workshops, running summer camp for kids, academic tutoring or homework help for kids, organic gardening, kids’ music & art classes, and more. Other programs may include gender empowerment, business development, sustainability & environmental conservation, computer literacy, ecotourism development, STEM, and more! In this site launch phase, each PD can work on community programs in various fields, or can commit to work mostly in one field, from the choices of teaching English, youth development, Water, Sanitation & Hygiene (WASH), and public health. We’re in startup mode, so we’ll start small.
3. Supporting foreign volunteers (15%): For one-week college group trips summer interns and 3-9 month volunteers, PDs help with recruitment, orientation, logistics, program placements, and volunteer professional development & support. Some of these foreign volunteers will assist the PD in doing community programs and other tasks led by the PD.
4. Organizational Operations (20%): The PD coordinates or supports various nonprofit organization roles, as assigned by the supervisor. Roles may involve: community needs research and partner development; communications & social media; coordinating fundraising events, grant writing and donor cultivation; finance processes; program metrics, monitoring & evaluation; partnership development; and other administrative tasks.
5. Fundraising (5%): The PD commits to fundraising, from their own network of friends, family and the public, $1500 over the 13-month term.. MPI trains the PDs to do the critical skill of fundraising, and provides much content, like stories, photos, formats for letters and social media, online donation processing, etc. Of course any PD can donate some or all of the funds entirely themself if they want.

Required skills/experience/training
● Bachelor's degree from an accredited university required
● Commitment to MPI’s collaborative, community-based, holistic approach to community development
● Passion for relationship building with kids, adults and leaders in a new community
● Demonstrated skills & passion for leadership, overcoming barriers, and creating your own structure & routine
● Demonstrated flexibility & comfort with ambiguity, sudden changes, as this phase in Shandia is entrepreneurial, startup with much uncertainty
● Willingness to integrate with cultural & lifestyle norms a rural, indigenous, under-resourced community in the Amazon region of Ecuador
● Willingness to work with kids aged 5-17
● Strong ability to multi-task and balance short- and long-term goals
● Personal or professional cross-cultural experience
● Lived overseas 2 months or more
● Spanish at intermediate level
● Experience teaching English as a foreign language, or working with kids, a plus

Compensation: MPI covers housing, food, local transport, travel insurance, and visa fees, plus
a weekly stipend of $20 to cover necessities.

Benefits as below:
● Two weeks paid vacation
● Ten national holidays of Ecuador
● Emergency Travel Insurance (covers emergency medical care & evacuation)
● Visa to live/work in Ecuador for the duration of employment with MPI
● Leadership & professional development: paid trimester retreats and monthly workshops,
mentoring & other training.