Exciting Opportunity: Join Us as Regional Coordinator for Gender and Diversity Policies in Education Unions Across Latin America

Education International Latin America is looking for a Regional Coordinator to focus on Gender and Diversity Policies in Education Unions. This position is based in our office in San José, Costa Rica.

Education International (EI) is the largest Global Union Federation, representing over 32.5 million teachers and education staff in 178 countries. We work to uphold the right to quality public education for all, aiming for social equality in education. Our efforts include strengthening education unions, enhancing working conditions, and fighting against discrimination.

In Latin America, women make up about 70% of the education workforce. Therefore, it is crucial for education unions to have strong strategies that promote women’s representation and participation. This is especially important as the sector faces numerous challenges, including budget cuts, labor rights violations, and discrimination based on gender and sexual orientation. To tackle these issues, EI is seeking a Regional Coordinator dedicated to advancing gender equality and diversity within education unions.

If you care about building fairer conditions for everyone and believe in the power of the union movement, this could be the right role for you. We’re looking for someone who is knowledgeable, collaborative, and willing to travel across Latin America to support local initiatives.

This role reports directly to the Regional Director in Costa Rica and the General Secretary in Brussels. You’ll work as part of a small, dedicated team within the Regional Office, contributing to strategies developed by the Regional Committee made up of union leaders from Latin America.

Your main responsibility will be to guide education unions in creating policies that promote gender equality and diversity. This includes ensuring that women’s voices are heard in decision-making processes and integrating a gender perspective into union practices and negotiations.

Key tasks in this role will involve:

• Coordinating regional strategies that encourage women’s participation and inclusivity in education unions.
• Designing training and policy initiatives with education unions to advance equality and inclusion.
• Working with national and regional partners, including teachers’ organizations and governments.
• Supporting women unionists in institutional dialogues and strategic alliances.
• Planning activities, conducting research, and running awareness campaigns with the team.
• Preparing reports and project updates for donors and stakeholders.
• Managing research consultants for the “Sumando Igualdad” Observatory.
• Building alliances with global unions and labor federations on gender and diversity issues.
• Working closely with the EI Head Office in Brussels.
• Providing information for political actions and documentation for the Regional Committee.

To be a successful candidate, you should have:

• Experience in developing and strengthening unions and social organizations in Latin America.
• At least eight years of coordinating regional projects.
• Strong relationship-building skills with institutional and international partners.
• Experience in planning and executing projects focusing on gender equality.
• Background in creating training programs for unions or social groups.
• Facilitating skills for meetings and political discussions.

Preferred qualifications include:

• Experience with trade unions, women’s organizations, or social movements.
• Speaking at forums or conferences.
• Comfortable working in multicultural teams.

As for your educational background, you should have:

• A university degree in Social Sciences, Humanities, Education, or Project Management from a recognized institution in Latin America.

Language skills needed:

• Fluency in Spanish, and good English communication skills.
• Ability to write clear reports and materials.
• Portuguese skills are a plus.

We also require you to:

• Live in Costa Rica and have the legal right to work there.
• Travel independently across the region.
• Adapt well to diverse environments and work with various people.

What do we offer?

• A supportive work environment focused on equality and work-life balance.
• Competitive salary and benefits according to Costa Rican regulations.
• Start date to be discussed following the selection process.

Interested candidates should submit a resume and a cover letter that details how you meet the required qualifications by contacting the EI General Secretary. All applications will remain confidential.

We appreciate all applicants but will only contact those selected for interviews.