On-Ground Director of Operations

About Casa Materna

Casa Materna Atitlán is a small NGO, running a maternal health clinic and birthing center in the beautiful rural town of San Juan La Laguna, Guatemala, on Lake Atitlán. The Casa Materna clinic seeks to provide critically needed medical services, humanized birth and education to indigenous mothers and babies in the region. We also seek to empower and work with local midwives to ensure that women have an affordable, accessible, and safe place to deliver their babies.

Job Description

The On-Ground Director will live in San Juan la Laguna, Guatemala and will work alongside local Casa Materna staff to ensure that the clinic is functioning according to its original vision of providing education as well as pregnancy and delivery care in a safe, affordable, and culturally acceptable environment. They will ensure accountability of the Casa staff on ground and promote the advancement and improvement of this project based on local needs.

This position includes but is not limited to developing the organization's vision and goals, keeping up with government regulations and requirements, managing staff, data gathering, coordinating team meetings, resolving human resources issues, coordinating team practical and other educational sessions, ensuring team adherence to protocols and code of conduct, and functioning as a liaison between U.S.-based staff, on-ground Casa staff, and local Guatemalan organizations and leaders.

The On-Ground Director will report directly to the U.S.-based Project Director, Dr. Erica McElroy, D.O., and the Saving Mothers Guatemala Program Director and Casa Materna Clinical Director, Dr. Jessica Oliveira PA-C. A minimum commitment of one year is required.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

In addition to the duties delineated below, this position is intended to leave space for innovation in the areas of research, expansion, quality improvement, public health, and collaboration with local entities.

NGO Management

• Report directly to the Executive Director and Medical Director via weekly meetings and ad-hoc calls to share updates and resolve operational and medical issues
• Ensure that the NGO is keeping up with government regulations and requirements
• Document new policies, decisions and fill in documents to create organizational charts and other archives
• Review monthly financial transactions and reports and approve them
• Liaise with local government officials, Ministry of Health officials and other local NGOs

Team Management

• Oversee work of 7 clinical staff members, 1 administrator, 1 community facilitator, 1 account and 2 security guards
• Oversee progress and execution of satellite Casa Materna project in Camotán and in the Aldea Panyebar
• Assure staff adherence to protocols, mandates from directors, individual contracts, and the code of conduct
• Develop agendas and lead regular on-ground team meetings to review protocols, discuss patient cases, and gather team input on operational issues
• Create staffing calendar each month and resolve any staffing or scheduling issues
• Mediate conflict between staff members and/or patients and implement disciplinary measures accordingly

Operations

• Assure that the pharmacy manager is completing inventory, placing orders when needed, and that the pharmacy remains organized
• Closely monitor local, regional and global updates on relevant maternal/child health and steer clinic operations accordingly
• Develop itineraries and organize logistics for director and volunteer visits
• Lead process for hiring new on-ground staff members or recruiting volunteers/students as needed
• Coordinate regular trainings with all clinical staff and project directors, visiting volunteers, or other local providers
• Work with the office administrator on regular educational and other outreach to local midwives with intent to strengthen the relationship between midwives and the Casa
• Help coordinate and assure implementation of educational curriculum for individual patients and community.

Data Management

• Collect monitoring data monthly and update relevant documents on the Google Drive
• Maintain and regularly update the patient registry after every clinic, assure team is completing all postpartum visits and patient follow-ups
• Regularly share the list of high risk patients with the ministry of health and project directors
• Assure that all documentation is completed in a timely, professional, protocol adherent manner, including maintenance of the Google Drive

Communications

• Manage Casa Materna website and update social media (Facebook and Instagram) with blogs, photos, etc.
• Develop educational materials
• Support fundraising director

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

Education and Experience

• Advanced or native-level Spanish and English
• At least 2 years of experience working in global health, public health, maternal and child health, or other medical field (full-time summer internships will be taken into account)

Essential Skills

• Thrives in self-directed environment with little supervision
• Excellent interpersonal and relationship-building skills
• Strong organizational skills
• High emotional intelligence
• Creative and proactive in suggesting new ideas
• Experience leading meetings; interest in serving as a leader
• Experience in developing clear and concise written materials
• Experience in basic excel data analysis and the use of Microsoft Office (Word, Powerpoint, Access, etc.)

Preferred

• Guatemalan nationals or those with significant international experience
• Experience working with Latin American and/or Indigenous people
• Familiarity with Guatemalan professional culture and government
• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in midwifery, social work, nursing, public health or related degree
• Management or human resources experience
• No specific religious affiliation required, but must honor that Casa Materna and its staff are of the Christian faith and conduct the organization accordingly.

CONDITIONS

• Location: San Juan La Laguna, Guatemala (hybrid working model, 3 days in the office)
• Start date: May 15th, 2025
• Length of contract: 1 year minimum
• Salary: $700 - $1,000 per month, depending on the experience and qualifications of the applicant
• Local work benefits required by law if Guatemalan native or relocation support for non-Guatemalans.

HOW TO APPLY

Please forward your resume and cover letter in confidence to Anna Melnikova at casamaternasanjuan@gmail.com with “On-Ground Director of Operations” in the subject line. Incomplete applications will not be accepted.

Application deadline: April 30th, 2025