Job Description

About PADF

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 over 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.

Position Overview

PADF seeks a full-time Project Director for an upcoming U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL) Project in Ecuador, El Salvador, and Guatemala. The project will expedite the implementation of labor commitments under U.S. trade arrangements (including ART commitments) to strengthen labor law enforcement capacities and eliminate unfair trade practices in competitive export sectors—such as agriculture, manufacturing, or seafood production—to level the playing field for American workers and producers.

The Project Director should have a background in labor law, labor rights, human rights, or related areas, alongside demonstrated experience in international trade-related labor commitments. The selected individual will lead a diverse team of technical specialists and partners in Ecuador, El Salvador, and Guatemala to strengthen labor standards, enforce compliance, and eliminate unfair trade practices. The Project Director will be based in either Ecuador, El Salvador or Guatemala. This position is contingent on funding. Fluency in written and spoken English and Spanish is required.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Lead project activities according to the approved work plan and in consultation with USDOL and key stakeholders.
• Liaise with USDOL; national, state, and local governments; and target populations, bringing in and leveraging stakeholders to support project activities as required.
• Maintain working relationships with all project stakeholders (including government, civil society, academia, and employers) and engage in coalition-building and public-private partnership promotion.
• Manage a team of project staff, technical experts, consultants, and local partners, while coordinating with headquarters and in-country project staff.
• Provide strategic guidance to the team for the completion of project activities in prioritized sectoral and geographic areas.
• Perform strategic, financial, and operational planning, including work planning, and ensure project compliance with all USDOL financial, contractual, and reporting requirements.
• Ensure that milestones, performance goals, and indicators are monitored and achieved.
• Lead high-quality report preparation in English, capturing project activities, documenting impacts related to all activities, and ensuring timely submission.
• Foster partnerships and alliances to leverage additional funds and support for project activities.
• Travel to areas of intervention within target countries (Ecuador, El Salvador, and Guatemala) and to PADF headquarters in Washington DC as needed.
• Other duties as required.

Competencies

• Nurture knowledge – Models continuous learning, builds systems that institutionalize knowledge, and uses insights to drive strategic decisions.
• Be creative and promote creativity – Drives a culture of innovation and aligns creative initiatives with organizational strategy.
• Lead & inspire – Inspires at organizational scale through values-driven leadership.
• Adapt – Leads strategic adaptation, anticipating change and ensuring organizational agility.
• Optimize resources – Drives organizational excellence through strategic resource allocation and systems that support continuous improvement.
• Communicate effectively – Communicates vision, strategy, and priorities with clarity and inspiration to diverse internal and external audiences.

Required Qualifications

• Minimum of ten (10) years of experience in project management, supervision, administration, and implementation of a cooperative agreement and/or contract requirements (including meeting deadlines, achieving targets, establishing and maintaining systems for managing project operations, working with multiple subrecipient(s) and/or contractor(s), and overseeing the preparation and submission of required reports to donor agencies), preferably in one of the countries of implementation.
• Bachelor’s degree, Master’s degree, or law or Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree reflecting expertise in areas relevant to this project, such as labor law, public policy, international development, or a related field relevant to labor rights, trade agreements, and supply chain governance.
• Deep expertise in labor law enforcement, labor rights, and international trade-related labor commitments (e.g., ART commitments, CAFTA-DR framework equivalents).
• Demonstrated understanding of sector-specific trade, employment, and labor compliance dynamics in Latin America (specifically agriculture, manufacturing, or seafood).
• Experience working with organizations promoting labor rights in Latin America and the Caribbean.
• Experience establishing and maintaining systems for managing project operations across several countries preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to maintain working relationships with all project stakeholders and to engage in coalition building and multi-stakeholder partnerships, specifically with the public and private sectors.
• Demonstrated experience as an effective public speaker.
• Fluency in English and Spanish is required. Fluency includes speaking, listening, reading, and writing.
• Knowledge of USG donor rules, regulations, systems and procedures, specifically pertaining to USDOL preferred.

More About PADF

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

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

EEO Statement. We actively seek a diverse applicant pool and encourage candidates of all backgrounds to apply. PADF does not discriminate based on ability, age, national origin, race and ethnicity, religious beliefs, sexual orientation, or criminal record.

PADF is committed to safeguarding employees and those we serve, addressing inappropriate behavior, discrimination, and harassment. We take an intersectional approach, promote gender equality, and follow our Global Code of Conduct emphasizing our H.E.A.R.T. values. The code covers various aspects, including anti-trafficking, PSEAH (Protection against Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Harassment), whistleblowing, and online safety.

PADF is an Equal Opportunity Employer