The International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance – International IDEA – is an Inter-Governmental Organization that supports sustainable democracy worldwide. Its objective is to strengthen democratic institutions and processes. The Institute acts as a catalyst for democracy building by providing global comparative knowledge resources and tools, policy proposals, and supporting democratic reforms in response to specific national requests, focusing on our workstreams electoral processes, constitution building, political participation and representation, climate change and democracy and, and digitalization and democracy. We also address gender equality and inclusion and money in politics as they relate to democracy.
On February 1, 2021, International IDEA’s Latin America and the Caribbean Regional Office (RLAC) was established in the Republic of Panama. We work with democratic institutions throughout the Latin American and Caribbean region to strengthen the effectiveness and legitimacy of democracy and its institutions. Based on a geographic approach, the LAC Programme responds to requests from regional, sub-regional, and national actors, builds capacity through technical assistance and comparative applied knowledge, and provides spaces for dialogue. The Programme serves as an important partner and agenda setter across the region, supporting a wide range of democracy-strengthening initiatives.
Following the 1996 Peace Accords, Guatemala has made progress in its democratic transition but continues to face challenges in consolidating democracy, strengthening the rule of law, and restoring public trust in institutions. The period 2026–2027 will be critical, with major institutional renewal processes, including the appointment of key oversight and justice authorities and the organization of the 2027 general elections, presenting important opportunities to strengthen democratic governance. In this context, International IDEA has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with the Supreme Electoral Tribunal to provide technical assistance, strengthen institutional and civic capacities, promote inclusive participation and accountability, enhance information integrity and digital literacy, and support consensus-based political and electoral reforms to advance free, fair, and transparent elections.
The Project Manager will ensure the effective, timely, and compliant implementation of the project. They will oversee planning, coordination, and reporting processes, ensuring full alignment with donor requirements and International IDEA’s institutional policies and standards. The role includes coordinating with national counterparts, supervising project staff and consultants, ensuring quality assurance of deliverables, and contributing to strategic dialogue and visibility efforts aimed at strengthening Guatemala’s democratic institutions and electoral integrity
Duties and Responsibilities
- Leads the planning, coordination, and implementation, of all project activities in Guatemala, in close collaboration with Regional and Global institutional teams;
2.Manages a team of staff and consultants to ensure timely delivery of all agreed outputs, in coordination with the RLAC office;
3.Provides technical assistance on electoral integrity and democratic governance to partners, national institutions and other stakeholders;
4.Conceptualizes, plans and facilitates training programmes, workshops, seminars and conferences in accordance with the approved workplans and project objectives;
5.Coordinates and represents International IDEA with local, national, regional, and intergovernmental bodies in consultation with the Regional Director, and maintains effective working relationships with governments, donors, and key stakeholders;
6.Ensures oversight of project funds in line with donor and International IDEA policies and procedures and in collaboration with the RLAC office;
7.Monitors and analyses political developments in Guatemala and provides timely project updates, risk assessments, and recommendations for programme adjustments to the RLAC office;
8.Promotes dialogue and consensus building among political actors in Guatemala;
9.Manages the project’s Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E), ensuring adherence with the M&E plan outlined in the project document, responding to donor needs and aligned with International IDEA’s M&E results framework;
10.Documents lessons learned, success stories, and case studies related to the delivery of the programme’s results;
11.Contributes to the development of communications and visibility materials including reports and digital content in collaboration with the RLAC office and in line with donor and organizational communication guidelines;
12.Ensures a rights-based approach and a gender and inclusion perspective are integrated in project planning and implementation of activities;
13.Oversees the Project risk identification, assessment and management, actively manages risks and regularly updates the risk management strategy in line with International IDEA’s policies and procedures.
General Profile
- Combines in-depth knowledge of governance, elections, democracy, acquired through academic achievements, and management skills and relevant experience in his/her field.
- Manages assigned projects throughout the project lifecycle, i.e., from strategic planning and project design, funding and budgeting, to project evaluation and accountability; leads meetings and discussions, oversees publications and external vendor input.
- Contributes to publications on the project`s relevant topic; is recognized as a knowledge resource in his broad professional community as the thought leadership to integrate innovation into its field of expertise.
- Directly and effectively manages a team of project collaborators, including staff members and, possibly, consultants.
- Promotes team activities in their unit; collaborates with other entities of the Institute, particularly other projects with activities in Central America.
- Acts as a role model and mentor for his colleagues.
- Is expected to travel to any geographical area involved in the implementation of the Project’s activities;
- Follows internal procedures to ensure high standards of performance and compliance with institutional guidelines.
- Acts in accordance with International IDEA’s core values of respect, integrity and professionalism.
- Integrates a gender and inclusion perspective in all activities.
Reporting line
- Director, Latin America and the Caribbean Region
Education and Experience
- University degree in political science, public administration, international relations, social sciences or other relevant discipline;
- A minimum of five (5) years relevant experience working on democratic governance, electoral integrity, civic engagement and participation and political institutional challenges in Guatemala and/or Central America;
- A minimum of three (3) years of solid experience in successful project management and team management.
- Experience with EU funded projects and requirements, as well as familiarity with their processes and systems;
- Experience of monitoring and evaluation approaches and procedures is essential;
- Experience from an international and/or regional organization, civil society organization or think-tank working on democracy assistance would be considered an asset;
- Fluency in English and Spanish, both written and spoken is required. Proficiency in any other widely spoken language in an International IDEA priority region would be considered an asset.
Terms of Contract:
- This post is advertised subject to the confirmation of funding
- International Post
- Two (2) year fixed term appointment
- Remuneration – EUR 4 728 NET per month + benefits
Applying for this position:
APPLY ONLINE AT https://careers.idea.int/jobs/7313375-project-manager-guatemala
- Applications should be submitted no later than 23:59 (CET) 24 March 2026.
- Please note that all applications must be made in English.
Selection Process:
- Evaluation of qualified candidates will include a written test assessment and up to two (2) interviews.
- Candidates selected to proceed to the next stage of the process will be contacted once all applications have been carefully reviewed.
- All candidates will be notified on the status of their application via email once the process has been finalized
Use of AI in Recruitment
International IDEA places strong emphasis on human input in recruitment. Candidates must disclose any use of AI tools. All application materials, written assessments, and interview responses (as applicable) must be entirely human-generated and reflect the candidate’s own knowledge, skills, and experience. The use of AI to generate content or misrepresent qualifications is not permitted. AI‑powered assistive technologies (such as screen readers or speech‑to‑text tools) may be used for accessibility purposes to ensure equal access to the recruitment process
International IDEA is an equal opportunity employer which seeks to further diversify its staff in terms of gender, culture and nationality
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