Project Manager - JTIP Grant Adminstrator

 Manager, Project Administration & Coordination (Remote) 

Leveraging Local Defenders to Prevent Trafficking on H-2 Visas

Justice in Motion protects migrant rights by ensuring justice across borders. 

In the face of overwhelming legal and practical barriers, many migrants who have suffered exploitation or abuse at the hands of employers or government officials give up their rights after leaving the United States. Other migrants who flee abuse, violence, and persecution are unable to remain in safety due to lack of evidence to support their claims.  

Justice in Motion is dedicated to ensuring that justice crosses borders through legal, educational, and policy initiatives in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and Central America. Essential to this transnational model is our Defender Network, a unique partnership of on-the-ground human rights organizations in Mexico and Central America. Justice in Motion makes sure that wherever migrants go, their rights will follow. 

The Position: 

The JTIP Grant Manager plays an important role in supporting the Defender Network Program and Finance Department with the logistics, monitoring and evaluation, and internal controls components integral to the success of the organization’s largest government grant, funded by the Department of State. 

For this role, professional fluency in Spanish is essential, because this person will regularly be interacting with Project Partners in Mexico to implement a 20-60 month grant funded project by the Department of State. 

Ideal Candidate Profile: 

1. Spanish fluency in a professional setting: This person is either a native speaker, or has significant experience using Spanish professionally, whether living and working abroad in a Spanish-speaking country or serving in a role where they engaged with Spanish-speaking migrant communities. 
2. Proactive manager of tasks and details. This is someone who takes ownership of systems execution to the smallest detail. Confident in determining next steps and offering solid suggestions for problem solving.  This person loves handling details, regularly has several projects running in parallel, methodically works through checklists, uses simple but necessary tools to keep everything moving forward, and involves the right people at the right times. 
3. Analytical thinker: This person has the ability to identify and define problems, extract crucial information from data, and develop workable solutions based on the data.
4. Tech-savvy: Can easily pick up and adapt to new technologies and systems. Work experience utilizing a database to streamline work and knows how to use video and chat apps to find the best way to connect. Familiarity with Salesforce is a huge plus.
5. Enjoys learning and fixing things. This is someone who taps into existing resources and knows how to leverage them. They look for creative ways to solve problems and support the team.
6. Flexible team player: Someone who recognizes this a new, collaborative project and that team members tag in as needed. Ability to adapt, stay malleable and be receptive to a teamwork approach towards common goals.
7. Proactive communicator: Demonstrated skills with communicating to a variety of audiences effectively, constantly looking for ways to solve problems before they occur. Takes ownership to confirm instructions are effective and appropriate, timely follow up as needed.
8. Humility: This is someone who knows what they know, and knows what they don’t know, and isn’t afraid to ask a clarifying question or for help.
9. Patience and adaptability: Skilled at juggling multiple priorities and the varying needs of individuals on the project team.
10. Poise under pressure: Experienced person who adapts quickly to unexpected events and challenges.

Responsibilities: 

This is a grant funded role, and the focus of the role is to ensure successful execution of our Department of State grant to provide know-your-rights trainings to migrants traveling to the US on H-2 visas.

Project Partner Support:

• Support project partners with data collection tools and the implementation of a measurement plan, including support with monitoring and evaluation check-ins, as well as troubleshooting on an ongoing basis as needed by project partners. 
• Coordinate collection and organization of evaluations, surveys, and other monitoring and evaluation information from project partners for delivery to M&E consultant. 
• Coordinate project communications in both Spanish and English across project partners and project team to share accurate, relevant, updated information about progress and activities.
• Translate project documents from English to Spanish and vice versa to benefit project partners and internal information sharing.
• Support in scheduling meetings proactively to keep the project moving forward. Help prepare agendas, take notes, distribute next steps, action items and agreements to facilitate effective project meetings and follow-through to goals/tasks. 
• Logistics coordination for project events and project partner trainings in partnership with the Defender Network team. 
• Contribute to trendspotting and identification of project needs (including but not limited to internal admin infrastructure, workflows, processes, tech and/or training and workshop needs), and propose improvements for streamlining and efficiency. 
• Skilled at navigating project partner requests, including tech and other support requests.

Internal Controls: 

• Work with the Finance team to identify areas for improvement regarding financial and accounting systems and processes
• Maintain implemented financial and accounting controls.
• Coordinate with the bookkeeper to ensure grant expenses are properly earmarked and tagged.
• Work closely with Defender Network project partners to implement internal control systems used to collect and track data during the project period  
• Proactive troubleshooting of issues and ownership to solve unanticipated challenges.

Education and Experience: 

• At least 3 years of professional experience in similar or related roles
• Fluency in English and Spanish (speaking and writing with comprehension at professional level) is essential. 
• Accounting experience is a plus.
• Experience working in a cross-cultural environment.
• Experience in program development, project design, and project management is a plus.
• Experience working with project/task online tools like Asana or similar, to build out tasks and projects.
• Meaningful work, travel, or study in Mexico or Central America. 

Details: This is a grant-funded, exempt position, reporting to the Defender Network Director and Finance Director, and begins on August 1, 2024. The grant is 20 months, and expected to be renewed twice, for a total of 60 months. This is a union position, and will be covered by Justice in Motion’s collective bargaining agreement during the period of employment.

Location and Travel: Justice in Motion is a U.S.-based, remote organization, and this position can be based anywhere in the U.S., with work hours aligned with the Eastern Time Zone. This position will require occasional travel within the U.S. and Mexico (1-2 times per year).  

For this role, professional fluency in Spanish is essential, because this person will regularly be interacting with Project Partners in Mexico to implement a 20-60 month grant funded project by the Department of State.