VIRTUAL MANAGER OF Ecuador COMMUNITY PROGRAMS & VOLUNTEERS

Job Description

Manna Project International (MPI), a US-based nonprofit operating in Ecuador and the USA, fosters 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. MPI normally operates in-person, but during the covid pandemic we are operating only virtually in 2021. With staff and partners at our international site in Ecuador, groups of 3- to 12-month volunteers work together implementing a range of education, health, and economic livelihood community development projects. These volunteers also help manage summer intern volunteers (5-10 weeks, only virtual during 2021) and short-term groups (1-week volunteers, typically for Spring Break, resuming again in 2022). For more background on MPI, please visit our website, www.mannaproject.org.

Job TERMS

Location: Virtual from any country, but able to mostly work during U.S. ET 9am-6pm, Monday-Friday

Time period: Temporary job for 7.5 months, from May 1, 2021 to December 15, 2021

Hours: Full-time

Salary range: $1000/month

Job Responsibilities 

The Virtual Manager works with other MPI staff and volunteers to contribute to the successful and smooth implementation of community programs, volunteer oversight and development, volunteer recruitment and organization operations. Around 80% of our current virtual program work, and the Virtual Manager’s job, is teaching English. The Virtual Manager’s daily responsibilities vary a lot by month, and include any and all tasks necessary to maintaining and improving Ecuador community programs & administration of MPI, including but not limited to:

  1. Teaching virtual English courses for kids and adults (30%): The Virtual Manager teaches English courses, one of our most successful programs with over 7 virtual courses per trimester (Virtual Manager teaches 1-2 courses per trimester, depending on staffing). MPI provides training, curricula, and lesson plans to enable the Virtual Manager to teach kids or adult courses alone. S/he can also help improve the curricula and lesson plans!

  2. Managing virtual community development programs in education, health and economic livelihood (around 30% of time): Depending on the needs of the community, what activities can’t be covered by other staff, and the skills & interests of the Virtual Manager, s/he virtually manages and virtually implements a set of community programs assigned by the supervisor. Most of the virtual programs this year are focused on educating community members about English, such as through adult conversation clubs and preschool classes. Other community program work may include English curriculum development, public health education seminars, kids arts & STEM classes, microloan program support, microentrepreneurship education and more. Such programs may be fully operated by MPI, or operated jointly with community partner organizations.

  3. Remotely supervising & supporting foreign volunteers (30%): For virtual summer interns and virtual fall interns, Virtual Manager co-manages recruitment (e.g. interviews and selection decisions), onboarding, community program placements, training in Leadership & Community Impact, and volunteer supervision, mentoring & support.

  4. Organizational Operations (10%): The Virtual Manager coordinates or supports various nonprofit organization roles, as assigned by the supervisor. Roles may involve: communications & social media; community program metrics, monitoring & evaluation; partnership development with community organizations; and other administrative tasks.

Required skills/experience/training

  • Commitment to MPI’s collaborative, community-based, holistic approach to community development

  • Personal or professional cross-cultural experience

  • Lived overseas 3 months or more

  • Spanish at intermediate level

  • At least 3 months experience teaching English as a foreign language

  • Supervised interns or volunteers for at least 3 months

  • Demonstrated flexibility: with what community programs & organization roles get assigned to Virtual Manager; and with cultural & lifestyle norms in a developing country in Latin America.

  • A strong ability to multi-task and balance short- and long-term goals

Additional information

Benefits MPI provides Virtual Manager are as below:

  • 7 days paid vacation during contract period

  • 6 National holidays of Ecuador during the contract period

  • Leadership & professional development: mentoring & participating in virtual, professional trainings.

MPI does not provide the following, which are the responsibility of the Virtual Manager:  

  • Health insurance

  • Housing

  • Food

  • Communications, phone and internet services

  • Computer

How to apply:

Please send a cover letter, and resume, to jobs@mannaproject.org no later than March 31, 2021. Applicants will be considered on a rolling basis.


Please Note: Only short-listed applicants will be notified.