Program Coordinator

Title: Program Coordinator

Reports to: Managing Director of Programs

Location: Americas-based, remote

Hours: Full-Time

Salary Range: Contingent on experience and location

Job Summary

The Program Coordinator is an experienced coffee professional who is responsible for the operations of CQI projects and provides vital technical, operational, and administrative support for the Post-Harvest Processing (PHP) Program.

The ideal candidate will be a multi-lingual self-starter with field-level experience in the coffee sector, international development sector, or both. Relevant experience includes any and all of the following: coffee production, post-harvest processing, coffee marketing, project and program management in coffee-producing countries. This experience should include working internationally, particularly through engagement with international development agencies on projects funded by public donors, foundations, or corporations, and/or through substantial project management experience with coffee companies that invest meaningfully in the communities where their coffees are grown. Familiarity or prior experience with CQI as an educator, learner, or project collaborator is highly desirable.

About CQI

CQI is a nonprofit organization working since 1996 to improve the quality of coffee and the lives of the people who produce it. We deliver our mission by providing technical expertise on coffee quality through education in post-harvest processing, marketing, production and by creating a common language for quality and helping to turn improvements in coffee quality into improvements in the lived realities of the people who produce coffee. CQI is committed to building and maintaining a diverse team that looks like the coffee sector we serve, creating opportunities for members of historically disadvantaged groups, and creating a welcoming working environment for everyone.

CQI is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status.

Responsibilities

The primary responsibilities of the Program Coordinator include, but may not be limited to:

Project Management and Operations (60%)

Post-Harvest Processing

• Support the Post-Harvest Processing Program in its ongoing implementation, development, and continuous improvement, working closely with the Senior PHP Program Manager;
• Review, update, and contribute to the development of technical materials and curricula as needed to ensure relevance, quality, and alignment with program goals;
• Assist in the planning and delivery of in-house trainings led by CQI as indicated by the Senior PHP Program Manager;
• Support the recruitment, hiring, and management of consultants and volunteers for short-term technical work in connection with CQI’s work;
• Coordinate communications with external consultants and subject-matter experts involved in program activities;
• Collaborate closely with the Program Department colleagues to ensure alignment across programs, timelines, and educational standards;
• Support program growth planning, including projections for expansion and educator development pathways;
• Contribute to the training and development of educators through seminars, courses, and fast-learning, collaborative work environments;

Global Coffee Fund and Projects

• In collaboration with the Managing Director of Programs, contribute to the design and delivery of program activities, whether funded by external donors, CQI’s Global Coffee Fund, or both;
• Contribute to the full proposal cycle, including but not limited to, concept and program development, proposal writing, budgeting, monitoring and evaluation, contracting, logistics, reporting, invoicing, and close-out of all program activities;
• Coordinate project-level engagements across a broad range of external stakeholders, including donors, implementing partners, consultants, volunteers, industry allies, and others;
• Support department and organizational leadership in the identification of strategic investment opportunities for the CQI Global Coffee Fund;
• Support the recruitment, hiring, and management of consultants and volunteers for short-term technical assistance assignments in connection with CQI’s project work;
• Track program expenditures and CQI in-kind contributions, in cooperation with Director of Finance, to ensure CQI implementation stays on budget and meets contractual requirements;
• Develop and maintain systems to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness and impact of CQI project activities and investments, on both the project and program levels;
• Produce required documentation and reporting, including scope of work, trip reports, quarterly reports, semi-annual and annual reports;
• Serve as primary operational liaison with donors/investors, and ensure compliance with contract/agreement policies, terms, and conditions; and
• Serve as an internal reference for colleagues regarding CQI, donor, contract policies and procedures, and implementation logistics, especially as they relate to overseas project work.

Business Development (30%)

• Support strategic engagement with external stakeholders in the public, corporate, foundation, and non-profit sectors to identify and seize opportunities to advance the CQI mission;
• Support business development efforts by researching new business opportunities, tracking the business development pipeline, gathering key information required for proposals; supporting proposal writing and budgeting, and other tasks as needed;
• Represent CQI as needed at external events, including trade shows, conferences, and networking events; and
• Support the Managing Director of Programs in building and maintaining collaborative relationships with coffee-sector organizations, government agencies, NGOs, producer organizations, local partners, private and public-sector donors, industry allies, etc.

Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (10%)

• Coordinate the development and implementation of monitoring, evaluation, and learning systems for CQI projects and at the program level;
• Collect, analyze, and mine project data to support continuous improvement efforts, donor reporting, and external communications.
• Design and ensure maintenance of tools and templates used for the collection and analysis of program results; and
• Work with the Marketing and Communications team to support external communications related to CQI’s project work and impact.

Supervisory Responsibilities

• None.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or higher in economics, international development, agriculture, program management, or related field;
• Extensive experience with the full project cycle, including concept and project development, grant writing, budgeting, contracting, operations, monitoring and evaluation, reporting, etc.;
• Track record of participation on winning proposal development teams;
• Track record of success in turning strong concepts into strong projects;
• Experience in the design, implementation, and management of monitoring, evaluation, and learning systems;
• Demonstrated commitment to project and program quality;
• Particularly skilled at working in small teams and with partners around the globe
• Experience working with and through local and international implementing partners;
• Familiarity with CQI education and/or previous experience with CQI as a learner highly desirable; previous experience as a CQI educator a plus;
• International experience, especially in Africa, Asia, and/or Latin America;
• Experience in the coffee sector, preferably at origin.
• Fluency in multiple languages, including English;
• Demonstrated adaptability, initiative, and a strong capacity for collaborative work in dynamic, international, and cross-cultural contexts.
• Experience with all Microsoft products including Outlook, Teams, Excel, Word, PowerPoint, SharePoint, etc.;
• Strong writing skills, including both technical writing for project proposals and reports and writing for general audiences;
• Strong analytical ability, experience mining project data and synthesizing findings for project and program improvement, reporting, and other communications efforts;
• Ability to work effectively both independently and as part of a cross-departmental team;
• Demonstrated ability to thrive while working in a remote/virtual environment;
• High attention to detail and exceptional customer service, both internally and externally;
• Experience in mission-driven organizations and willingness to address needs as they arise to serve the CQI mission, even if they are beyond the scope of the normal responsibilities of the role.

Candidates must be proficient in English and comfortable using English as their primary working language in a professional environment.

Spanish proficiency is highly desired, and additional language skills are welcomed and valued.