Guatemala Coordinator

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BTS provides: 

• One work-related and one personal return flight between Canada and Guatemala per year 

• Continuing education support 

• Full international health coverage 

• Leave policy for physical and mental health, bereavement, etc. 

Work location: Based in Guatemala City, with visits to BTS partners in various parts of Guatemala (with travel costs covered), annual paid visit to the Maritimes, and online work.  

The newly hired Guatemala Coordinator will participate in a minimum three-month probation period before a permanent position is offered.  

The successful candidate will be BTS’s ongoing representative in Guatemala, enabling the deepening and growth of BTS’s relationships with its partner organizations.  

They will coordinate priority areas of work in Guatemala, including:  

• Relationships with partner organizations 

• Human rights and post-genocide transitional justice  

• Mining justice 

Working in a team relationship with the BTS Maritimes Coordinator, the Cooperant Program Coordinator, the Communications Coordinator, and with guidance from the BTS Community Council and Steering Committee, as a key BTS representative in Guatemala, the Guatemala Coordinator will enable and facilitate solidarity work in Guatemala, supporting BTS initiatives and projects. The overall role of the Guatemala Coordinator is to facilitate the deepening of BTS solidarity relationships with its Guatemalan partners. BTS priority areas are: support for work related to post-genocide transitional justice and mining justice, with gender as a cross-cutting theme in relation to the two priorities.  

As the key continuing BTS representative in relationship with its partners, the person will: 

• Maintain regular communication and face-to-face meetings with partners  

• Respond to requests for urgent actions and emergency accompaniment  

• Coordinate partner meetings (including logistics) in collaboration with the Maritimes Coordinator 

• Support partner needs that relate to BTS priorities, including participating on coalition calls (such as CAMIGUA) and attending court hearings on an as-needed basis 

• Represent BTS and partner interests in high-level advocacy spaces with the Canadian (and occasionally other) Embassies and with the Canadian Government 

In order to facilitate BTS support for human rights and post-genocide transitional justice in Guatemala, they will: 

• Stay informed, through research and regular communication with BTS partners, about human rights and post-genocide transitional justice in Guatemala 

• Send urgent actions and critical information/analyses of genocide/transitional justice to BTS listserv as needed 

• Provide accompaniment to public events, hearings, trials, etc. for BTS partner organizations and friend organizations 

• Represent BTS in coordination and advocacy spaces, including the Accompaniment Organization Coordination space, FONGI (potential), etc. 

In order to support mining justice solidarity, they will: 

• Maintain regular communications with the Xinka Parliament and communities resisting the Escobal mine; support BTS mining justice concerns in El Estor; and participate in coalition work to support other communities affected by Canadian mining companies 

• Represent BTS and advocate for mining communities at the Canadian (and occasionally other) Embassies and with the Canadian Government 

• Provide the logistics in Guatemala for Guatemalans affected by Canadian mining to attend trials, speaking engagements, etc. in Canada by obtaining passports and visas, preparing for flights, etc. 

• Occasionally accompany Guatemalans affected by Canadian mining to Canada for trials, speaking engagements, etc. 

• Represent BTS in coalitions (CAMIGUA) 

• Coordinate Topacio Award activities, including reviewing applications, selecting winner, organizing awards ceremony logistics 

The GC will support BTS committees and volunteers as they engage, learn, advocate, etc., including through delegations, speaking tours, and webinars. They will: 

• Provide general support to BTS-related work 

• Take the lead on communication with the network and serve as the main liaison for BTS local Committees 

• Provide regular work updates to co-workers and BTS Community Council and Committees 

• Regularly attend meetings of BTS volunteer committees and support the work of those committees through information gathering/sharing, timely and regular communication, and other tasks as needed 

• Participate in and provide updates to the BTS Annual Gathering and regular Community Council and Steering Committee Meetings 

• Regularly co-lead and provide logistics work in Guatemala for BTS delegations from Canada to Guatemala, in consultation with the Maritimes Coordinator and other members of the delegation planning group  

• Provide logistics in Guatemala for individuals from Guatemala invited to do a speaking tour in the Maritimes, including letters of invitation, obtaining passports and visas, preparing for flights etc. Work with the Maritimes Coordinator and the Community Council in the overall planning for the Speaking Tour 

• Develop solidarity actions to be taken during the Spring and Fall tours, in collaboration with Maritimes Coordinator  

• On occasion, accompany Guatemalan guest(s) on tours (Fall and Spring, TBD) in the Maritimes and provide support for the guest (may include translation and driving) during the tour, including meetings with BTS Local Committees in NS, NB, and PEI 

Working as a team along with other BTS staff, they will: 

• Maintain regular communications with the Maritimes Coordinator, Cooperant Program Coordinator, and Communications Coordinator including weekly/bi-weekly online meetings, and annual in-person team-building and work planning meetings (which may be supported by an outside facilitator) 

• Develop semi-annual work plans with other staff, shared with the Community Council to fulfill the mission and vision of the network 

• Coordinate support for BTS staff, volunteers, members and partners in case of emergency 

The GC will support BTS communications, in coordination with the Communications Coordinator, they will: 

• Maintain and facilitate communications between BTS network and its partners, including organizing and facilitating partner updates where possible; sending urgent actions and critical information/analyses related to BTS priorities in mining and genocide/transitional justice 

• Regularly post on social media channels including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram 

• Research and share news and information sources, including by attending press conferences and community events 

• Support Canadian staff’s lead in BTS communications through providing written updates for annual report, regular newsletter, social media, etc; occasionally provide English translation for same 

The GC is responsible for some administrative tasks. They will: 

• Participate in administrative work associated with the position, including written work plans, keeping track of hours and expenses, monitoring staff budget, etc.  

• Track, record, and submit expenses on a regular basis 

• Through regular updates, document achievements, best practices, and lessons learned  

• Renew health insurance