Sister Cities is hiring!

The US-El Salvador Sister Cities Network is continuing the search for a new co-coordinator to work in our El Salvador office. This position will be based in San Salvador, to start in ealy spring 2024.

Please find the full job description below, and share it with anyone you think may be interested. We are accepting applications until Februrary 9th.

Co-Coordinator, El Salvador Office

U.S.-El Salvador Sister Cities

The U.S. El Salvador Sister Cities Network is excited to announce the search for a new co-coordinator to work in our El Salvador office.  This position will be based in San Salvador, and it begins in April of 2024 .

The U.S.-El Salvador Sister Cities Network is a grassroots organization made up of communities and individuals in the United States that maintain ongoing partnerships with rural communities in El Salvador to protect human rights, build solidarity, and support sustainable communities in both countries.  Many of these solidarity or “sistering” relationships have their roots in our organization’s history of human rights advocacy and accompaniment of the rural civilian population during the civil war in El Salvador (1980-1992). In keeping with this legacy, our “sister city” relationships now link us closely with movements for social justice in El Salvador, and the country’s largest rural community organizing movement, CRIPDES. 

The newest member of our El Salvador team will work closely with community, regional and national leaders in the Salvadoran social movement, and help to coordinate and mobilize a diverse and fun group of U.S.-based communities and individuals committed to these solidarity relationships.

JOB DESCRIPTION

Responsibilities:

The El Salvador Co-Coordinator will work in a team with three other staff members – a senior coordinator in El Salvador and two others in the United States – to accomplish the following:

Communication, Coordination and Relationship Building:

• Facilitate communication and coordination and strengthen relationships 
  among rural communities in El Salvador, regional CRIPDES offices, and
  their sister cities in the United States.
• Make regular visits to rural sister communities; create and
  strengthen spaces for coordination with CRIPDES counterparts.
• Participate in the development, planning, and evaluation of regional
  and national sistering programs together with CRIPDES and other counterparts.
• Orient, coordinate with, and supervise Sister Cities volunteers in El  Salvador.
• Generate updates and maintain communication via email, telephone and video conferencing with the Sister Cities committees in the United States, helping them to strengthen their work on a local level.
• Produce updates with analysis and information about the social, cultural, economic and political realities of El Salvador that are pertinent to our work.
• Collaborate in the development of strategies to strengthen and grow the base of US committees.

Social and Environmental Justice Campaigns

• Work with our partners in El Salvador as well as Sister City committees to collaborate on international actions and campaigns.
• Research and synthesize information for the Sister Cities network such that it is able to mobilize around specific advocacy campaigns.
• Present on these issues during speaking events, webinars, and via other creative methods of communication.

Community Projects in El Salvador:

• Facilitate conversations to design, revise, and evaluate community, regional, and national projects in cooperation with our CRIPDES counterparts in El Salvador and Sister City committees in the United States.

U.S.-El Salvador Cultural Exchange

• Coordinate delegations of participants from Sister Cities in the United States to build healthy cross-cultural relationships in El Salvador, raise consciousness, and strengthen organizing. Responsibilities here include logistical coordination, itinerary planning, accompaniment of the delegation during its visit, translation/interpretation, and orientation about the history and current context of the Salvadoran social movement and communities.
• Support and organize tours of our Salvadoran counterparts to the United States. Responsibilities include logistical coordination, creating tour itineraries, coordinating visa application processes, coordinating fundraising activities, and translation/interpretation on tour.

Administrative:

• Conduct administrative duties including compiling financial reports for all projects and creating financial reports on Excel and Salesforce (Salesforce is a plus but can be learned on the job).
• Contribute to the organization’s budget planning 
• Participate in monthly council calls and give an individual staff report for the call.

Position Requirements

• Experience working with or knowledge of the role of Latin American social movements, rural communities, and/or grassroots organizations in the United States.
• Fluency in Spanish and English, with the ability to translate and interpret (written and spoken) is ESSENTIAL.
• Experience developing campaigns and content creation on Social Media including but not limited to Facebook, Instagram,  X (Twitter), and website is ESSENTIAL.
• Experience living and/or working in Latin America. Experience in El Salvador is a plus.
• Strong cultural sensitivity and willingness to adapt in cross-cultural environments.
• Strong written and spoken communication skills.
• The ability to adapt personal and work calendars to accommodate delegations and tours.
• Ability to work on a team.
• Personal initiative, motivation and ability to self-supervise.
• Ability to work at times in a high stress environment.
• Ease in using Microsoft Word, Outlook, and Excel. Familiarity with Salesforce, wordpress and html is also a plus.
• Ability to responsibly administer the financial aspects of projects and operations.
• University degree preferred but not required.
• Willingness to work flexible hours, overnights and some weekends.

Salary and Benefits:
The position is full time, 40 hours per week, and includes a competitive salary for similar El Salvador positions. Staff travels to the United States once or twice a year for meetings and additionally receives 30 days of vacation per year.

Job Commitment:
The job commitment is a minimum of 2 years. 

Process and Timeline:
The person hired will begin working in early spring of 2024. We will be accepting applications until February 9, 2024. We will arrange an interview via video conferencing after the application deadline.

To apply:

Please send a cover letter, resume, two letters of reference from community or social organizations, and a written response to the applicant’s prompt (below) to Joanie Brooks at jmblapaz@yahoo.com.

Applicant’s prompts:

Please send a written response to ONE of the following prompts. Responses need not be longer than a few paragraphs.

1. What does solidarity mean to you? Please list example(s) or personal experiences.
2. What are some of the critical social, political and economic realities in El Salvador today?