Guatemala Accompaniment Project Coordinator 

Oakland, California

U.S. GAP COORDINATOR JOB DESCRIPTION
NISGUA (The Network in Solidarity with the People of Guatemala) seeks a coordinator for our Guatemala Accompaniment Project (GAP), based in our U.S. office in Oakland, CA. The U.S. GAP Coordinator will recruit, train and support U.S. volunteers to provide ongoing human rights accompaniment for Guatemalan individuals, communities and organizations. The U.S. GAP Coordinator will work in close collaboration with U.S. Sponsoring Communities, which are groups of supporters around the U.S. who provide moral, financial and political support to GAP accompaniers. S/he will also work closely with the Guatemala GAP Coordinator (based in our Guatemala City office) and with other NISGUA staff to provide integration between the GAP program and our other program work (including our “Justice and Accountability” and “Trade and Globalization” programs).

ABOUT OUR GUATEMALA ACCOMPANIMENT PROJECT (GAP)
Through GAP, NISGUA recruits and trains about a dozen U.S. accompaniers each year to serve as a dissuasive presence against violence and intimidation. NISGUA accompanies witnesses in the national and international genocide cases, community activists and leaders who have been threatened as a result of their organizing efforts against natural resource extraction, and other human rights defenders (individuals and organizations) on an as-needed basis. As one of two U.S.-based organizations (the other being Peace Brigades International) to provide international accompaniment in Guatemala, NISGUA maintains 6-8 human rights monitors on the ground that accompany these witnesses. An additional 2-person team responds to emergency petitions from other threatened organizations, communities and human rights defenders. Both types of accompaniers provide a dissuasive and supportive presence for the accompanied Guatemalans, creating space for them to organize in defense of their rights. In Guatemala, NISGUA is a crucial member of International Coordination for Accompaniment in Guatemala (CAIG), which is made up of ten accompaniment organizations from nine different countries (the U.S., Canada, and European nations).

ABOUT NISGUA
The Network in Solidarity with the People of Guatemala (NISGUA) was formed in 1981 to coordinate local activism on Guatemala in the United States. More than twenty-five years later, working in partnership with Guatemalan communities, organizations and movements, NISGUA remains one of the strongest U.S.-based voices for human rights, social justice and responsible U.S. policy in the region.

With offices in Oakland, CA and Guatemala City, NISGUA develops and delivers our programs strategically, in close collaboration with Guatemalan civil society organizations and social movement groups, as well as in conjunction with our U.S-based partner groups in Washington D.C. and our U.S. grassroots allies and solidarity committees across the country. Serving as a U.S. grassroots voice in the policy advocacy arena and as an information link for this broad spectrum of social movement actors, NISGUA’s major program areas include our Justice and Accountability Program, our Trade and Globalization Program, and our Guatemala Accompaniment Project (GAP). 

Responsibilities:
• Oversee accompaniment program activities in the U.S. in coordination with other Guatemala City-based staff
• Recruit and select 6-10 new accompaniers twice a year
• Organize U.S.-based accompanier trainings (usually two per year); develop and co-facilitate training with the Guatemala Accompaniment Coordinator
• Motivate and support the U.S.-based Sponsoring Communities. Facilitate communication and reporting between Sponsoring Communities and accompaniers on the ground
• Liaison with representatives of the GAP Council
• Maintain all program archives, documentation and reports for the GAP program
• Assist with advocacy and education activities that support accompaniment work
• Help analyze & carry out objectives for NISGUA’s Justice and Accountability Program
• Coordinate the annual GAP Gathering of Sponsoring Communities and former accompaniers
• Assist in coordinating logistics for Guatemalan speakers tours to the U.S. (usually 2 in the fall; 2 in the spring), along with other U.S. staff
• Assist in coordinating logistics for U.S. delegations to Guatemala (usually 1-2 per year), along with other U.S. staff
• Be prepared to respond to emergency situations as they arise
• Work with NISGUA staff to help create and implement the organization’s strategic priorities
• Keep up-to-date on the political, economic, and social situation in Guatemala
• Assist in keeping information about the GAP program updated (brochures, website, etc.)
• Provide information for fundraising to the development staff as needed

The Ideal Candidate will have the Following Qualifications:

• Previous experience in coordinating position strongly preferred
• Highly organized and systematic; proven success in coordinating detailed logistics
• Extended volunteer or work experience outside the United States, accompaniment experience strongly preferred
• Understanding of Guatemalan history and current reality, particularly with regards to human rights issues
• Strong inter-personal skills and the ability to work within an organization that values input from a variety of stakeholders
• Ability to motivate, inspire and recruit U.S. volunteers for the program
• Experience successfully planning and facilitating group meetings and trainings
• Demonstrated commitment to social justice and anti-oppression work
• In-depth understanding of inter-cultural dynamics, including analysis of North-South solidarity work
• Ability to prioritize activities and carry out plans independently as well as part of a team
• Ability to maintain sound judgment in a crisis
• Strong proficiency in Spanish
• Flexibility, adaptability, humor and patience
• Strong computer literacy and email organization skills
• Ability and desire to make at least a 2 year commitment

Compensation:
Annual salary of $37,500-$40,000; health and dental benefits; 3 weeks paid vacation

How to apply:
Please e-mail a cover letter, resumé and three professional references as a single document to: susana@nisgua.org and jennifer@nisgua.org. Please put “U.S. GAP Coordinator” in subject line.

Application deadline: April 14, 2008

People of color, women, LGBTQ and bilingual/bicultural applicants are strongly encouraged to apply.