Northern Central America Outreach Specialist

About the Project

Through the Private Sector Engagement Modernization Contract (PSEMC), Dexis supports the U.S. Agency for International Development’s (USAID’s) Private Sector Engagement (PSE) Hub to expand and deepen collaboration with the private sector to achieve greater development outcomes. The PSE Hub’s mission is to create the institutional conditions, operating infrastructure, and capacity necessary to expand engagement with the private sector in the United States and partner countries. The PSE Hub works to transform and modernize how USAID does development by institutionalizing USAID’s PSE policy and delivering capacity- and systems-building support for PSE across all sectors, operating units, and countries where USAID operates. PSEMC provides technical assistance and capacity building to USAID Missions, Bureaus, and Independent Offices in support of PSE.

About the Position

Since FY 2019, USAID has invested more than $14 million to provide ongoing technical assistance to the governments of Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador to expand access for their citizens to temporary work abroad opportunities in the United States and beyond. USAID partners with teams within the Ministries of Labor in Guatemala and Honduras and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in El Salvador to build their capacity to ethically recruit, vet, and support their citizens’ access to temporary work abroad opportunities. USAID’s work has primarily focused on the Ministries’ capacity to connect workers with temporary labor opportunities to the U.S. via the H-2A and H-2B visa programs.

Recognizing the impact that USAID’s support has had on the lives of Northern Central American workers by connecting them with work abroad opportunities, LAC, in coordination with the interagency, is designing a regional labor mobility initiative, “Alianza de Movilidad Laboral para las Américas,” commonly known as the “Labor Neighbors Initiative”.  This Initiative will build on existing and new work of USAID, the Department of Labor, the Department of State, and the Department of Homeland Security’s efforts to expand access to lawful and protective labor pathways for eligible workers from Latin America and the Caribbean.  This interagency initiative will build a regional labor mobility network under Pillar 2 of the Los Angeles Declaration. This will be achieved through regional engagements and exchanges to share best practices and lessons learned, as well as through limited technical assistance to help countries enable circular temporary labor migration that benefits and protects workers and addresses growth-inhibiting labor shortages.

The NCA Outreach Specialist will develop and lead a strategic approach to engage U.S. and Canadian private sector and industry representatives in order to increase opportunities for northern Central American workers to work temporarily in the United States. The NCA Outreach Specialist will focus on key industries including: agriculture and hospitality/services. 

This is a one (1) year, remote-eligible position requiring occasional travel. 

Responsibilities

• Develop a strategic approach to engaging the U.S. private sector, informed by ongoing efforts by USAID Washington and USAID Mission activities, primarily in the agricultural industry, to commit to increase their hiring of temporary workers from northern Central America through the H-2A and H-2B visa programs, among others
• Identify and develop guides for improving stakeholder/case management and “customer service” environment and systems within labor mobility units in the Ministries of Labor in Guatemala and Honduras, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in El Salvador
• Identify and implement good practices around the ethical and efficient recruitment, vetting, and processing of eligible workers for temporary work abroad opportunities
• Coordinate public and private engagements with U.S. government stakeholders, implementing partners, and external stakeholders for representatives of USAID (Washington/Missions) and northern Central American governments to increase awareness of available workforce to meet U.S. labor needs
• Develop and maintain a robust network of contacts among industry representatives, advocacy organizations, and other key non-governmental stakeholders 
• Attend and organize events and engagements to share information and build linkages between northern Central American workers and U.S. employers

QUALIFICATIONS

• MS/MA (or higher) with eight (8) or more years of work experience, or Bachelor’s degree and 10 years of work experience, or 15+ years equivalent relevant work experience
• Established connections with U.S. agricultural industry, the U.S. Department of Labor, and worker advocacy organizations within the U.S.
• Experience working in northern Central America and the United States on labor mobility;
• Experience working with relevant counterparts (e.g. foreign governments; ; International Development Agencies; International Financial Institutions; Civil Society)
• Experience engaging and managing interactions with private sector, industry stakeholders, and international financial institutions
• Ability to communicate effectively with senior representatives from public and private sectors in the United States and northern Central America
• Ability to travel as required
• Language Proficiency: English (IV) & Spanish (III)

All applicants are measured on how they foster a climate of respect in interactions with others, value differing perspectives, and treat others in a fair, equitable, and culturally sensitive manner.  All employees and consultants are expected to value diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility in performing everyday duties and responsibilities.