Recruitment Coordinator

Do you want to gain first-hand insights into a small grassroots organization whilst discovering new places? Would you like to help improve the livelihoods of low-income communities in the long term? Then join us in Peru as part of the Otra Cosa Network team!

About Otra Cosa Network:

Otra Cosa Network is a well-established UK Registered Charity and Peruvian registered not for profit (NGO), addressing the educational needs of children and vulnerable adults in an extremely impoverished area of Northern Peru. We work in informal settlements where many community members have been displaced by climate change, disaster and political instability. They live in precarious circumstances, few have running water, sewage provision and there is only sporadic electricity. Additionally, many children are forced to work instead of continuing their education, in order to boost family finances and there are no community-based facilities for learning and developing new skills in a safe environment.

Our dynamic range of activities address language skills, environmental awareness, women’s entrepreneurship, youth, employability and gender empowerment. we are seeking volunteers to work in project implementation in our new Recreation and Education Centre as well as our field office. Projects will restart as soon as the community is safely able to come out of isolation, post coronavirus. Our range of activities are implemented by national and international volunteers, allowing them to express solidarity whilst boosting their field experience. 

About the Recruitment Coordinator position:

The Recruitment Coordinator plays a critical role in ensuring that our organization is recruiting suitably qualified volunteers and that they receive adequate information, training and support. These responsibilities involve local, national and international recruitment, using traditional sourcing strategies and resources as well as developing new, creative recruitment ideas. Together with the Marketing Manger you will be responsible of volunteer communication and relationship development before and after their stay. You will also work with the field staff management team to offer the volunteers various key training and development opportunities relating to their placements.

Please note that all volunteer positions are also available as Internships. With this add-on you will receive an extra level of mentorship and where necessary all appropriate liaison with your academic institution to ensure compliance with internship placement requirements. Please see our separate internships listing for further in-depth information or check out our website at www.otracosa.org.

This position includes tasks such as:

• Updating recruitment platforms and University outreach.
• Answering applications and follows up by email.
• Following all recruitment protocol vis a vis timely follow ups of inquiries and responding to requests for information.
• Liaising with staff and coordinators to answer all queries from potential new volunteers.
• Conducting or assisting with Skype interviews of new candidates.
• Training & onboarding new volunteers which includes policies, procedures, corporate culture, in collaboration with the Volunteer Coordinator and Project Coordinator.
• Maintaining volunteer relationship with alumni

What you can expect from us:

• Personal pick-up upon arriving and walking tour through Huanchaco
• Thorough introduction to the organization 
• Certified Training in First Aid and Child Safeguarding.
• Weekly one-to-one meetings with a Manager
• 24/7 emergency support 
• Organized activities & trips (barbeques, game nights, volunteer-lunch, team building trips) with like-minded people from all over the world
• Working in a friendly beach & surf town right next to many historical sites
• The satisfying feeling of committing your work to a good cause whilst gaining insight into a new culture
• Certificate of completion detailing your role, the project(s) you participated in and the dates you volunteered in.

Requirements: 

• Current background check from your home country.
• Spanish Level: Intermediate
• English Level: Fluent
• Time Commitment: Minimum 3 months

Volunteering hours: 

• Generally 20-25 hours per week, Mon-Fri

Desired skills & Competencies:

• Knowledge/previous studies related to human resources preferred
• Excellent communication/ conflict resolution/ interpersonal skills.
• Experience in working with people from different cultural backgrounds desirable
• Mature and positive attitude with a good sense of humor.
• Flexible and enthusiastic.

Related Fields of Study:

• Human Resources
• Recruitment
• Sociology
• Psychology
• Communication Studies
• Business Management and Administration
• Sales
• International Relations
• Advertising
• Marketing

Typical Day:

Whilst there is a lot of variety in this role, on a typical day as a Human Resources Coordinator or Intern, you will pretty much always start off with a good cup of coffee in the office with the team, followed by strategizing and priority setting with the managers to decide on your task allocation for the day. First and foremost you will then answer incoming applications and implement the follow up guidelines to correspond with potential new volunteers.

You will also work closely with the Marketing Manager to see which positions need filling in the coming months and to advertise these roles according to operational requirements. You will also undertake outreach to our network of Ambassadors, volunteer alumni who represent us in a number of different countries and regions around the world.

After work there is plenty of time to catch one of Huanchaco’s world famous sunsets from the tranquility of the beach, or indeed from a surfboard. Then there are various options to fill your evening, socializing with local and other volunteers, sampling the famous Peruvian cuisine, attending talks and cultural events, music, dance, theatre, movies- the list is endless.

Huanchaco and free-time activities:

Huanchaco is a beautiful coastal town where the waves are perfect all year long, which makes this place popular among surfers. The long beaches and relaxed atmosphere attract both Peruvians from nearby cities and backpackers traveling through Peru. This gives the small town an extremely welcoming and friendly vibe where the locals, volunteers and travellers interact and getting to know each other on a daily basis. The city has adapted to this mix and hosts many cafés, restaurants, yoga studios, surf schools, gyms and other activities and sports that are available for everyone. However, the town still remains a quiet, easy-going place that retains its fishing-village ambience. Over the last three millennia, locals have stuck to traditional ways of fishing, going out on their caballitos de totora (traditional reed fishing boats), and using their nets to gather their catch for the day. Furthermore, Huanchaco is surrounded by mountains where it is possible to go hiking (tours are arranged by local guides, at reasonable prices). If you prefer cultural activities, the district is home to Chan Chan, the largest pre-Columbian city in South America and is only a few minutes away from Huaca del sol y de la luna, which are among the most well-preserved temple ruins of the old Incan empire that can be found in Peru. Trujillo, Peru’s third biggest city, is only a 30 minutes bus ride far away. The colonial city of Trujillo offers many shopping and sight-seeing opportunities accompanied by a lively big city feeling.

Inquiries and Applications

To make an application, please visit our website at www.otracosa.org or contact us on info@otracosa.org for further information.