Program Director- Central America

ABOUT US

As one of the largest entrepreneurship networks globally, Bridge for Billions creates, designs, and manages entrepreneurship programs with foundations, corporations, and public entities that have benefited more than 3,400 entrepreneurs in more than 100 countries. Its objective is to facilitate access to entrepreneurial support for all types of entrepreneurs with a common purpose: to boost innovation that solves the problems that truly matter, generate economic growth, and new decent job opportunities.

Bridge for Billions, recognized by Forbes 30 Under 30, Ashoka, and Acumen, has worked with more than 100 organizations such as Coca-Cola, Accenture or BMW, and institutions such as the United Nations in the development of entrepreneurship programs that support diverse entrepreneurs in the creation of innovative solutions for today’s most pressing issues. In 7 years, Bridge has grown to a team of more than 50 people from 15 nationalities, with headquarters in Madrid, where most of our team is based; an emerging LatAm HQ in Antigua, Guatemala, with a few team members; and a few people based in different places around the world.

JOB MISSION 

We are looking for a Central America Program Director to continue leading the execution of one of the largest Ecosystem Builders project we’ve ever done! We are partnering with an international donor and 25-30 Entrepreneurship Support Organizations (ESOs) to run annually 1 set of concurrent programs for nearly 20-40 entrepreneurs each (up to 1,000 entrepreneurs per year). The role requires exceptional project management, influencing, and interpersonal skills as you will engage with business leaders, ESO directors, influential partners, our community of entrepreneurs and mentors and lead the project team.

To be successful in this role, you have to be open to manage a huge regional project with a "roll up your sleeves" attitude and an entrepreneurial mindset to achieve successful outcomes for all stakeholders.

ROLES & CONTRIBUTIONS

Project Leader:

• Communicate the vision of the project to key partners, our team and the world; represent the project in the ecosystem and help position in the region.
• Work together with all parties (internal and external) to challenge and continuously improve the project’s strategic plan (timeline, selection criteria, extra content needed on top of our core curriculum, events, marketing, etc.) and ensure it is known and shared between them.
• Lead the offer evolution for our Ecosystem Builders programs based on market and clients/ESOs/beneficiaries insights. Ensure the program is replicable in other regions of the world and its processes and learnings documented.
• Be the main contact point to ESOs participating in the program, understand their needs and ensure their queries are heard and acted upon, and that their program is a success.
• Provide detailed updates about programs’ health, KPIs, impact reports and main achievements.
• Promote a collaborative environment for ESO’s to be able to work together, support each other and create potential alliances for them to become stronger and better positioned in the entrepreneurial ecosystem.
• Lead the development of the new Capacity Building curriculum for ESO’s and ensure a successful implementation and success-measuring system.
• Ensure project is being well-communicated and visible in the ecosystem to achieve its goals.

Joint Fundraising: 

• Work hand in hand with the Project Manager in charge of ESO Acquisition and our Business Development team to:

a) Train ESOs in Financial Sustainability in order to make them more economically viable

b) Do Joint Fundraising

c) Renew ESO membership and ensure they pay their membership fee

d) Encourage and coach ESO’s to connect with foundations, development agencies, companies, governments and corporations in the region to present potential funding proposals to cover the project’s membership cost in order for the program to be sustainable and, if possible, profitable.

Account Management:

• Be the main contact point to a large international development agency. 
• Follow their reporting requirements and generate intermediate reports and meetings to ensure they are well informed. Harvest their resources, institutional contacts, and opportunities to feed into the ecosystem.
• Build and manage the project's budget as well as expense reporting both internally and externally.

People Leader: 

• Hire, onboard, train, and be a motivating mentor to your team Program Managers and Incubation Experts.
• Independently coach team on technical as well as leadership skills, offer continuous candid feedback.
• Keep an energized & efficient team, create an environment conducive to motivation and performance.
• Set team accountabilities (performance goals), monitor them and support them in overcoming challenges.
• Ensure a well-distributed and balanced workload in your team.
• Identify misalignments in mindset/strategy/operations inside the team, department or cross-departments and work on fixing them.
• Openly communicate to team department health and tactical issues encountered.
• Facilitate team training and peer-to-peer learning facilitation.
• Be aware of the strengths, gaps, and challenges of the people led and act on them on a continuous basis. Ensure optimal strength-to-seat allocation.
• Having a clear personal development plan and growth path for each member of the team based on professional goals and preferences.

Co-lead the Programs department of the company: 

• Work with the Head of Programs and other Program Directors on optimal resource allocation strategy.
• Make data-driven decisions to lead the department.
• Initiate and set goals for programs based on the organization’s strategic objectives.
• Ensure key processes are properly documented and knowledge is stored.
• Ensure themselves as well as Senior PMs lead changes when they identify the necessity (not waiting for it to come from above) and are able to operationalize them so other people can use them.
• Work together with other Program Directors to share and learn best practices and implement scalable leadership techniques amongst your team.
• Set standards of delivery/quality and improve program delivery.
  
  

SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE NEEDED

Skills we look for this particular role:

• Problem-solver, self starter, who can be up and running in no time after thorough company onboarding.
• Strong organizational and coordination skills.
• Strong abilities and advocacy for budget management.
• You don't get easily overwhelmed or stuck in planning mode.
• Extraordinary attention to detail: you test things yourself before making them go public, you dislike when your work has imperfections.
• At ease with analyzing data, presenting this data to clients and making quick decisions based on this data to improve program outcomes.
• Business development mindset. You don’t mind presenting the cost of a service and you thrive in negotiating and finding ways to close strategic deals with clients.
• Resourcefulness and good common sense to approach problems efficiently.
• Customer-success mindset, outstanding oral and written communication with clients.
• Comfortable with public speaking and hosting events.
• Advocacy for collaborative work and community-building strategies.
• You LOVE people and networking, you’re not intimidated to reach out to new people in the entrepreneurial space.
• Good writing skills, ability to have a friendly yet professional tone and to deliver information efficiently.
• Digital proficiency, you like testing new tools and improving processes.
• Passion about entrepreneurship.
• Native or native-like Spanish speaker as well as English speaker (please refrain from applying if you can’t write emails and present in front of an audience of entrepreneurs in those two languages, we really need someone bilingual for this position as it requires to work in both languages)
• Previous experience at startups or with customer support, program, or account management are a plus.
• Great tech savviness: you should be at ease with tech tools such as Trello, Slack, Google Drive, or eager to learn and a quick learner. Strong on using spreadsheets.
  

Skills we look for in all Bridge team members:

At Bridge for Billions, we are convinced that people are the differentiating factor in the success of any company and we believe that talent is more than just knowledge. It’s expressed in attitudes and the ability to relate with other teams and people.

• Purpose alignment: This position is not just “a job” but aligns with your individual purpose, the impact you want to make in this world and who you want to become.
• Values alignment: You embody our 4 team’s values: Courage, Grit, Empathy and Gumption.
• Culture alignment: You have a start-up mindset — highly collaborative with an entrepreneurial, roll-up-your sleeves attitude. You’re not afraid to be responsible for the outcomes of your work and work independently when required.
• You take initiative, you’re results-driven and you show empathy in all your interactions with team members, entrepreneurs, mentors, and partners.
• You have a very strong emotional intelligence that allows you to quickly understand people’s needs and expectations and develop trust, engagement and commitment in your relationships.
• Passion for your work and for lifelong learning.
• Growth mindset and resilience to overcome challenges, understands that true systemic change requires hard work.
• Able to juggle many different responsibilities and prioritize own workload.

RECRUITMENT PROCESS

• Once you apply, we will review the application and check if we are aligned on the basics and logistics of the role.
• 1st 30-45 minutes conversation just to explain a bit more about the process and get to know each other a little better.
• Business Case challenge to be resolved in certain amount of time (it can vary depending on the position you’re applying for)
• We’ll review your practical challenge, and if it meets the goals, we will invite you to a Technical Interview.  
• If everything goes well, we will invite you to a Leadership Interview with some members of the team you will be leading to assess your leadership skills and capabilities. 
• Last stage, you will have a Mutual Interview, a shared space where you will be able to ask us anything you want to make sure Bridge for Billions is where you want to take your next professional step!
• After we ask you for two references and with your permission, we will reach out to them with a couple of questions.
• We will send you an offer.
  
  

OFFER AND LOCATION

• Compensation of 32,000 USD - 36,000 USD per year, depending on profile.
• Health Insurance bonus of $60/month included to your salary.
• Location: Guatemala or willing to relocate there. 
• Start date: as soon as we find the right person.
• Position type: Full-time. 
• Type of contract: Full time Contractor to Bridge for Billions PBC, our headquarters in the US (paid holidays)
  
  

OTHERS BENEFITS

IMPACT & TEAM

• Our Vision: We're set on reshaping the entrepreneurship landscape to be more just, inclusive, and effective.
• Make a Real Impact: Join us in aiding entrepreneurs worldwide. As a part of our team, you'll be at the heart of a rapidly evolving social enterprise.
• Team Dynamics: We're a passionate, international crew with a shared mission. See what our team members are saying on Glassdoor.
• Company Values: Our four pillars are Gumption, Courage, Grit, and Empathy.
• Referral Incentive: Receive a $200 bonus for successful team referrals ($100 upon hiring and an added $100 after their first 6 months).
  

GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT

• Personal Growth: Take advantage of a dedicated learning budget, tailored for needs like backend bootcamps or leadership training sessions.
• Annual Global Retreats: Join us in global company-wide retreats, geared toward alignment and leadership growth, facilitated by external professionals.
• Feedback-Centered Culture: Engage in monthly one-on-ones with your lead and partake in comprehensive quarterly reviews with your peers.
• Skill Sharing: We value cross-training. Team members are urged to share expertise through talks and in-house training.

WELLBEING & TIME OFF

• Vacation Days: You'll have 23 vacation days, with the option to add more, in addition to chosen local public holidays.

FLEXIBILITY & WORK SET-UP

• Flexible Work Options: Enjoy a blend of flexible work hours and the option to work remotely.
• Tech Ready: We'll equip you with a second-hand or new Macbook. 

About Bridge for Billions

Bridge for Billions is a social enterprise that co-designs and manages incubation programs for early-stage entrepreneurs with the goal of democratizing access to entrepreneurship and making it more inclusive. We work with partners around the world to customize each program to fit their needs, using a proprietary methodology and a team of experts and mentors. Bridge for Billions supports thousands of purpose-driven entrepreneurs to build inclusive, sustainable companies and create positive change. We are focused on creating entrepreneurship opportunities for all, accelerating growth, and offering entrepreneurship support worldwide.