Project Operations Specialist

Title: Project Operations Specialist

Location: Guatemala City, Guatemala

Start Date: On/around May 2025

BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION

Improving Economies for Stronger Communities (IESC) is a leading U.S. nonprofit organization that catalyzes private sector growth and creates economic opportunity for people and communities across the economically developing world. Since our founding in 1964, we have delivered lasting solutions across 139 countries.

IESC is a valued partner to people and communities throughout the economically developing world. We share proven business skills and experience with entrepreneurs, jobseekers, businesses, farmers, cooperatives, and governments. We also offer resources—human, technological, financial—that sustainably build capacity and empower communities. Our long legacy of strengthening developing economies is matched by our vision for the next generation: a world with economic opportunity for all, where people and communities thrive.

IESC is recruiting a Project Operations Specialist to promote a client-focused, quality- and results-oriented approach to operational support for the USDA-Food for Progress funded Agricultural Trade and Climate Smart Innovations (ATraCSI) project. The project is located in the Northern Triangle Region of Central America (El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras). ATraCSI focuses on implementing international and risk-based Sanitary and Phytosanitary Regulations (SPS) measures, implement measures under the existing World Trade Organization (WTO) Trade Facilitation Agreements (TFA), and assist in strengthening agricultural productivity and food safety through development and transfer of agriculture technologies that maximize efficiency, competitiveness, and resource optimization, with a focus on high-value horticulture value chains

GENERAL OBJECTIVES

The Project Operations Specialist is accountable for ensuring efficient and compliant operational support for the implementation of project activities in Guatemala. This includes coordinating contract management, procurement, travel, and logistics; maintaining organized administrative processes; and supporting timely execution of field operations in alignment with donor and project requirements. This is a part-time (4 days per week) temporary position for five to six months with the potential to be extended. The position will be based at the ATraCSI office in Guatemala City. The position reports to DCoP in Guatemala and works closely with the Guatemala technical team and regional administrative-financial team.

Responsibilities

· Assist the DCoP - Guatemala in managing information flow, change control, risk register, and issue resolution by establishing document control procedures

· Liaise with the ATraCSI administrative-financial team for project-related administrative and operational matters such as payments, contract management, recruitment of personnel, procurement of goods and services, and others.

· Support the DCoP-Guatemala by monitoring budgets, cash flow and reporting on expense obligations to ensure that deliverables are met.

· Assist the DCoP-Guatemala in processing payments, advance payment requests, and prepare country project budget revisions

· Coordinate necessary meetings, communications, and reports with consultants and suppliers as needed.

· Notify the DCoP-Guatemala of any financial shortfalls or overspending.

· Ensure all project processes are backed up by required supporting documents and maintain an effective records system, as per project rules and regulations.

· Assist the DCoP-Guatemala in the preparation of project completion reports and ensure compliance with compliance obligations.

· Supports the preparation of Terms of Reference (ToR) for required inputs in the projects (staff, individual and institutional consultancy services, procurement of goods and services, organization of training, seminars,etc.), with expert and/or client support as required.

· Identify operational, administrative, financial and other bottlenecks that may impede project delivery; recommend solutions to DCoP-Guatemala to take appropriate remedial action.

QUALIFICATIONS

· University degree in Business Administration, Project Management, Accounting, Procurement, Management, Economics, Industrial Engineering or similar degree.

· At least Seven (7) years of relevant experience in general administrative, logistics, or operations support services in national or international projects implementer, public or corporate organizations.

· Experience working on projects funded by USDA, USAID, IADB, World Bank, or other multilateral agencies, preferred but not required.

· Ability to prioritize among multiple competing requests;

· Proactive, self-starter, detail-oriented, thorough and well organized;

· Well-developed interpersonal and intercultural communication skills for teamwork;

· Good management of Microsoft tools (Word, Excel, others) and internet;

· Ability to travel throughout Guatemala, as needed;

· Fluency in Spanish is required and handling English as a working tool (reading and writing documents); and

· Applicants must have citizenship or an authorization to legally work in Guatemala.