Job Title:  Climate Program Manager for Latin America

Reports to:  Director of Programs and Communications for Latin America 

Supervises: Technical facilitator of projects for Latin America; consultants as needed  

Location: Remote; based in Latin America (preferably in Mexico or Brazil) 

Status:  Full-time staff contractor (with Fortnight Friday Benefit)

Start Date:  1 January 2025 

Posting Date:  14 November 2024 

Posting Closing Date:  1 December 2024 

Organizational Overview

Health Care Without Harm (HCWH) is an international nongovernmental organization (NGO) that works to transform healthcare worldwide so that it reduces its environmental footprint, becomes a community anchor for sustainability, and a leader in the global movement for environmental health and justice. With regional offices and teams on four continents, partners around the world, and global and regional initiatives, HCWH is leading the global sustainable healthcare movement.

Global Green and Healthy Hospitals (GGHH), a program of Health Care Without Harm, is an international network of hospitals, healthcare facilities, health systems, and health organizations dedicated to reducing their environmental footprint and promoting public and environmental health. GGHH has over 1,150 institutional members in Latin America, which represent the interests of over 27,600 hospitals and health centers in the region.

Our Climate Work in Latin America 

Health Care Without Harm is looking for a senior professional to lead the implementation of its regional climate program for Latin America. 

HCWH has a growing body of work aimed at facilitating the transition towards climate-smart healthcare worldwide. It has been at the forefront of global advocacy efforts to place the climate-health nexus high on the agenda of several multilateral processes. 

In 2021, HCWH joined the government of the United Kingdom and the World Health Organization (WHO) in a partnership that launched the COP26 Health Programme , which called on national governments to commit to the development of climate resilient, sustainable and low carbon health systems; 85 countries have adopted these commitments so far, including 12 Latin American nations (Argentina, Bahamas, Belize, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Jamaica, Panama, and Peru). In 2022, WHO launched the Alliance for Transformative Action on Climate and Health (ATACH) to support these countries’ implementation efforts, establishing five working groups (HCWH co-chairs the WG on Low Carbon and Sustainable Health Systems). HCWH has also led advocacy efforts in the G7 and G20 spaces, facilitated country endorsements for the COP28 Declaration on Climate and Health (signed by more than 140 countries) and supported the adoption of a Climate Change and Health Resolution at the 77th World Health Assembly. 

At the policy level, HCWH LAC collaborates with governments in the region to promote a health-in-all-policies approach that considers climate change in a comprehensive way. In 2021, HCWH published the Global Road Map for Health Care Decarbonization, which charts the path towards zero emissions and climate-resilient healthcare by 2050, and launched the Operation Zero project to develop a methodology for governments to establish their own decarbonization roadmaps. Some countries in the Latin American region have led the first implementation efforts at the national level. Between 2021 and 2024, HCWH has provided technical assistance to the governments of Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru, focusing on healthcare decarbonization. HCWH has also worked with national health systems, such as the Mexican Institute for Social Security, and a number of subnational governments. In addition, the organization has supported regional and sub-regional efforts, such as providing training on estimating the carbon footprint of health systems and facilities to representatives of the six Andean ministries of health, in coordination with the Andean Health Organization. It has also been admitted to official relations status before the Pan American Health Organization.  

At the health systems and facilities level, HCWH works with multiple institutions to support them in the design and adoption of climate action plans towards more sustainable and climate-resilient health care. The LAC team developed an emissions calculator, specifically designed to estimate the carbon footprint of a health facility, called the Climate Impact Checkup tool, which is now available online for all GGHH members worldwide. HCWH has also developed the world’s first initiatives to foster hospitals and health systems’ engagement in climate action. For example, at COP21 in 2015, where the Paris Agreement was adopted, the organization launched the Health Care Climate Challenge, which calls on health systems and facilities to make public commitments on climate resilience, mitigation and leadership, and annually report on their progress. The Challenge currently has over 400 participants, representing the interests of more than 26,000 hospitals and health centers in 49 countries. HCWH is also the official health partner for the UN Race to Zero campaign, by means of which, so far, more than 70 health care institutions representing the interests of over 14,000 hospitals and health centers in 26 countries have committed to reaching net-zero emissions by 2050. The LAC team has also recently launched the Community of Action for the Reduction of Emissions (CARE) for high-ambition GGHH members.

HCWH also leads regional efforts to build capacity among health professionals in order to become leading voices in the global movement for ambitious climate action. Among other things, the LAC team has an open access Climate Leadership Training Program for Health Professionals, has organized a Mentorship Program for health professionals leading advocacy projects focused on fossil fuel phaseout, and runs a monthly newsletter for the regional community of health professionals engaged in climate action. Additionally, the LAC team works with journalists and media outlets in the region and internationally to promote media coverage of climate change from a health angle, including the publication of a guide for journalists and a number of capacity-building activities. 

Position Description 

The Latin America Team is now looking for a seasoned professional, with strong relationship and management skills, to oversee this body of work, expand its scope thematically and geographically, and provide a strong regional push for the advancement of the climate and health agenda in the region.   

Primary Objectives  

• Lead the implementation of HCWH’s climate strategy for Latin America, including coordinating with HCWH’s Global Climate Team to ensure its coherence and integration with the organization’s International Network Strategic Plan (2024-2028). 
• Strengthen HCWH's international and regional profile by representing the organization in multilateral fora and other spaces of political influence and interacting with partners, stakeholders, media, public and private institutions, and donors according to needs.
• Oversee HCWH’s policy work in the region, including by leading the design of approaches, country programs, and initiatives to facilitate more active participation of the region in ATACH proceedings and other multilateral processes relating to climate change and health. 
• Monitor and secure the successful completion of existing initiatives with countries in the region, as well as explore new collaborations with national and subnational governments around climate-resilient health care that mitigates and adapts, prioritizing ATACH members. This includes exploring the potential participation of a LAC country in future phases of he participation of LAC countries in capacity building, baselining and roadmapping initiatives for low carbon and resilient health systems, and other cross-regional collaborations.
• Manage the implementation of the joint work plan with the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and the submission of annual progress reports. 
• Oversee the advancement of all climate initiatives for health systems and facilities in the region, including CARE, the Health Care Climate Challenge, the Race to Zero, the HCWH Commitment to Action with the Clinton Global Initiative, and the deployment of the Climate Impact Checkup tool and its online course. This includes producing technical resources, coordinating member-facing activities, monitoring progress, and coordinating the elaboration of internal reports in collaboration with other members of the team, as well as progress reports for donors. 
• Coordinate the LAC Team’s health professional engagement work, by overseeing capacity-building activities and organizing special events, supervising the publication of the monthly newsletter, facilitating interaction between members of the regional community of health professionals for climate action, and looking for potential funding opportunities to eventually turn the community into a formal regional network.  
• Produce technical recommendations, policy briefs, concept notes, side-event proposals, and other resources as needed to advance the climate and health agenda regionally and globally. 
• Support the Director of Programs and Communications for Latin America in the development of activities, training programs, and resources for journalists and media outlets to promote media coverage of climate change from a health angle. 
• Support the Communications Specialist for Latin America in the development of communications strategies to mobilize health ministries, systems, and facilities, as well as health professionals, to build a strong regional movement that advocates for robust climate and health policies.
• In close partnership with the Communications team, identify communications opportunities to strengthen the work and amplify the key messages in the region, and contribute content to communications efforts (such as presentations, articles, reports, webinars, and podcasts).
• Supervise the Technical Facilitator of Projects for Latin America on the implementation of the climate portfolio of projects with GGHH members, as well as various consultants supporting climate initiatives in the region. 
• Evaluate the effectiveness and success of the programs and projects they lead and redesign working plans according to the identified needs.
• Participate in recruitment processes and management of consultants for the projects that they lead.
• Build and maintain productive working relationships with team members across HCWH.
• Provide content and support for Latin America-specific grant proposals and reports.
• All other duties as requested and needed to meet organizational goals.

The activities outlined above are expected to require a full-time commitment. The position requires availability to participate in virtual meetings and coordination calls during working hours and, in some exceptional cases, beyond regular working hours (scheduled in advance). 

Coordination with HCWH staff throughout the project will take place remotely, but some of the activities might require in-person participation (agreed to in advance). Availability to travel internationally around 6 times a year (less than a week each time) is required. 

Qualifications & Competencies   

The ideal candidate will have the following qualifications and competencies:

• Education: Degree in environmental sciences, public health, political science and/or international relations. Advanced degree in public health, environmental health, climate change and/or public policy, sustainability, or equivalent work experience in these fields is a plus.
• Experience: 
  • At least eight years of experience in policy development, ideally in the public sector, NGO and/or think tank setting in a Latin American country, is desired. Development and advocacy of climate policies, NDCs and/or sectoral health plans, in addition to participation in regional climate networks, is preferred.
  • Development and analysis of climate policies, and multilateral political processes addressing the climate crisis. Familiarity with the health sector, public health, and environmental issues in the LAC region is a plus. 
  • Technical knowledge of climate change science and sectoral solutions is required; knowledge of its links to health and of the health sector is a plus. 
  • Knowledgeable in the health care sector in at least one of the prioritized countries (Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Brazil), as well as work experience with stakeholders in the health sector at the national, sub-national or regional level (e.g. PAHO / WHO, among others), is desired.
  • A proven track record of engaging in regional or international sustainability and/or health processes (G20, UNFCCC, and other relevant high-level multilateral fora) is highly desirable. 
  • Program coordination and team management skills are a must.
  • Experience working in multicultural teams required; experience coordinating projects in the LAC region is highly desirable. 
  • Experience in the development of advocacy campaigns and the coordination of multi-stakeholder processes is desirable. 
• Languages: Spanish (native). Proficiency in English (both written and spoken) is a must. Fluency in Portuguese is not required but highly desirable. 
• Skills and character traits:
  • Excellent writing and organizational skills are required.
  • Expert knowledge of Microsoft Office, Excel, and Google Drive. Experience with data processing and analysis is a plus.
  • Ability to think proactively, take initiative, and see tasks through to completion with appropriate follow-up.
  • Ability to think creatively and strategically, and to respectfully interact in multicultural and multilingual environments.
  • Self-disciplined, action-oriented style that can prioritize tasks to meet deadlines. Strong work ethic.
  • Flexibility to provide expertise to a team or independently to meet goals in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment. Self-directed to take action and resolve issues.
  • Ability to establish and maintain positive working relationships with others in an intercultural environment to achieve the organization's goals. 
• Location: Remote; must be based in Latin America (preferably in Mexico or Brazil).

General Competencies  

• Accountability: takes responsibility for all work activities and personal actions; follows through on commitments; implements decisions that have been agreed upon; maintains confidentiality with sensitive information; acknowledges and learns from mistakes without blaming others; meets deadlines and satisfies promises; recognizes the impact of one's behavior on others.
• Adaptability: responds to changing circumstances by being innovative and altering behavior to better fit different situations; consistently exhibits optimism and energy; learns new skills, performs work in different ways; successfully works with new colleagues; professionally deals with personal discomfort in a changing work environment; willing to be flexible; remains calm in stressful situations.
• Initiative: takes action to improve a situation without waiting for explicit instructions; understands how one's own actions relate to the organization(s)' and department's strategic goals; recognizes and responds to opportunities in order to reach a goal; seeks new and improved techniques, solutions, and approaches to completing assignments.
• Managing Resources: allocates time and resources efficiently and effectively; prioritizes work and delegates as appropriate; works to minimize institutional risk by acting as a responsible steward for the organization(s); chooses priorities to align with organizational mission and priorities.
• Service Orientation: acts professionally and calmly at all times when interacting with others; consistently demonstrates concern and courtesy towards colleagues and customers; treats all people respectfully; takes personal responsibility for correcting problems; “owns” problems and seeks to achieve resolution to them appropriately; follows up with individuals to ensure satisfaction with the level of service they have received.
• Valuing Diversity: treats all individuals fairly and respectfully, works effectively with others, regardless of their background, position, or status; ensures that opportunities are equally available to all; respects different values and viewpoints.
• Working Collaboratively: works collegially with others, cooperating in both interpersonal and team relationships; fosters enthusiasm and maintains mutual trust, candor and respect; adds value in collaborative processes rather than merely passing challenges forward. If applicable, manages groups effectively and builds partnerships with others.
• Administrative Literacy: demonstrates appreciation of the organizational imperatives of the organizational administrative function, and contributes to effective and efficient organizational operations; submits forms completely in a timely manner; seeks clarification about organizational administrative matters when in doubt; models responsiveness to administrative necessities; complies with organizational policy.
• Clear Communication: expresses oneself clearly and effectively when speaking and/or writing to individuals or groups; listens attentively; ensures that information is understood by all parties; shares information in a timely manner using the most appropriate method; presents well-organized information in a group setting; chooses appropriate audience(s) for communications.
• Organization/Project Management: organizes large amounts of information by creating and maintaining well organized systems; follows logical approaches to completing work; brings a project from inception to successful completion, and follows up, as appropriate; translates strategies into step-by-step plans for action; monitors work progress to completion; effectively prioritizes and chooses projects to support and advance coherent organizational mission; pays close attention to detail.
• Technology/Specialized Knowledge: demonstrates ability to use technology effectively and productively; continually updates skills and knowledge; addresses problems as they arise or seeks help as appropriate.
• Problem Solving: generates creative approaches to addressing problems and opportunities; identifies and weighs options, makes sound decisions after reviewing all relevant information; anticipates and plans for potential problems; takes calculated risks; recognizes impact of solutions.
• Managing Conflict: ensures productive resolution of conflict; recognizes different viewpoints; brings conflict into the open, and encourages those involved to find appropriate solutions.
• Managing Performance: sets clear goals and expectations performance review process; fosters learning and development.

What’s In It For You? 

• Join an organization where your colleagues share a profound commitment to the mission and a global network of partners collaborate to support it.
• Play a vital role in helping drive growth, influence impact, and further advance our efforts to create a more sustainable health care sector and planet.
• Be part of an inspirational global network. 
• Flexible and supportive work environment.
• Enjoy a better work-life balance with our "Fortnight Friday" perk: every other Friday off! This provides staff an extra day off every other week, reducing full-time hours from 160 to 144 hours per pay period (month).

To Apply or Inquire

To apply, upload a cover letter along with your resume in English, addressed to Carolina Gil Posse, Director of Programs and Communications for Latin America at this link . Questions can be addressed to jobs@hcwh.org. Only competitive candidates will be invited to participate further in the recruitment process. Closing date to apply is December 1, 2024. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. 

Health Care Without Harm and Practice Greenhealth are committed to cultivating and sustaining culturally and ethnically diverse organizations and to the principles that promote inclusive practices. We believe systems can only be transformed when a diversity of voices, perspectives, and lived experiences are a part of the movement for change. We are dedicated to building a diverse staff with expertise and interest in addressing systemic racism within our organization and to serve the mission of the organizations in respectful ways. Health Care Without Harm/Practice Greenhealth is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Reference for one of the screener questions

For the screener question asking for your range for professional fees expectations per month in USD, for a contract as a full-time staff contractor (with Fortnight Friday benefit), please refer to the Rate Considerations for Staff Located Outside U.S.  document at this document link for further reference.