Country Director - Brazil

Country Director - Brazil
Brasília, DF, Brazil

About Pure Earth:

Pure Earth is a growing international nonprofit addressing one of the most urgent yet solvable global health crises: toxic pollution and its profound impacts on human health. We specialize in preventing exposure to lead and other toxins in low- and middle-income countries, embedding solutions into government systems that outlast any single project or grant.

With substantial multi-year funding through the Audacious Project, Bloomberg Philanthropies, Coefficient Giving, and other partners, secured through 2033, Pure Earth is leading one of the largest concentrated efforts ever undertaken to end childhood lead poisoning. We are scaling proven interventions across dozens of countries in Latin America, Africa, and Asia, working in partnership with governments, multilateral organizations, leading philanthropies, and frontline organizations to identify exposure sources, mitigate contamination, and improve policies and regulation.

Pure Earth holds top ratings from Charity Navigator and Candid, and our work has been featured on the TED mainstage and across major news and global health outlets. At Pure Earth, you'll join an agile, mission-driven team that translates science and innovation into measurable impact, with the resources, partnerships, and ambition to deliver change at scale.

Position Overview:

The Country Director has overall responsibility for the development and leadership of Pure Earth's activities in Brazil, managing its growth, relationships, and impact. This is achieved through the development and implementation of a country strategy that is aligned with Pure Earth's mission, vision, and global strategy. The Country Director, along with their team and Pure Earth Headquarters, ensures that quality and accountability to all programmatic stakeholders is achieved. The Country Director will be focused on influencing government, donors, and other stakeholders as well as helping to implement Pure Earth’s work in Brazil.

Success in this position requires an individual with exemplary demonstrated leadership abilities who uses strong communications and interpersonal skills effectively, both internally and externally. The Country Director is expected to develop networks and build partnerships. The Country Director is directly responsible for the overall leadership and coordination of the country team; hiring, supervising, and coaching staff; leading teams to identify, design, and deliver high-quality, impactful programs; ensuring efficient stewardship of resources for results, compliance, and focused, timely reporting; and oversight of finance and operations in country.

Reporting and Team Structure:

Reports to: Regional Program Director for Latin America, Pure Earth Headquarters

Direct reports:Program Manager, Technical Manager, Communications Officer, Operations Officer, Consultants on an as-needed basis 

Key internal partners:Programs Department HQ, Technical and Research Department HQ, Development Department HQ, Communications Department HQ, Operations Department HQ, other country offices (especially country offices in Latin America)

Work Location:

Brasília, DF, Brazil

Employment Type:

Full-time

Work Authorization:

Open to candidates who are already authorized to work in Brazil, or who are eligible to obtain the appropriate visa/work authorization

Scope of Work:

Key responsibilities include but are not limited to:

Strategy, Program Quality, and Growth 

• Develop and implement a Country Strategy that contextualizes and aligns with Pure Earth's global strategy. 

• Remain well-informed about national and regional issues affecting Pure Earth, its programs, and partners. 

• Drive program quality and increase impact through consistent use of: rigorous assessment, design, and proposal development and review processes; comprehensive monitoring & evaluation, accountability and learning systems; staff development investments; and partner organization capacity strengthening. 

• Cultivate strong relationships with existing and potential partners and donors. Position Pure Earth as a partner of choice for major international donors and government. 

• Identify opportunities for appropriate expansion and growth of programs in partnership with the HQ team. 

Team Leadership and Development 

• Lead the staff by maintaining open and professional relations with colleagues, promoting a positive working environment, strong team spirit and providing guidance, oversight, and resources to enable staff to perform successfully. 

• Lead recruitment; establish team structure and reporting lines in coordination with HQ.  

• Along with the HQ team, support country team members to be well positioned as effective partners, recognized by colleagues, management, and partners as trusted, reliable, and active participants in achieving strategic goals and organizational objectives. 

• Support and mentor team members to undertake effective, efficient, and compliant implementation of high-quality programs. Provide feedback to staff to encourage optimal performance. 

• Oversee comprehensive onboarding for new staff, consultants, and contractors. 

• Assess professional development and capability strengthening needs among staff and provide relevant training opportunities. 

• Ensure employment agreements, contracts, timesheets, payment records, and tax filings are properly kept, fully supported, updated and maintained, and readily available for audit. 

• Ensure that all personnel practices, contracts, taxes, compensation, registrations, etc. are in accordance with local laws and Pure Earth policies. 

• Coach, train, supervise, and mentor staff, including communicating clear expectations, setting quarterly performance objectives, providing regular and timely positive and constructive performance feedback, and undertaking performance reviews. 

Financial, Operational, and Risk Management 

• Oversee country program finances to ensure overall fiscal transparency and financial health, including maintaining accurate budgets and expenditures to budget and ensuring compliance with procurement policy and procedures; coordination with headquarters financial systems management; and financial reporting that is accurate, timely, and in accordance with generally accepted accounting practices. 

• Lead the legal establishment and registration of Pure Earth as an operating entity in Brazil, including CNPJ registration, tax status, and compliance with Brazilian nonprofit and labor law, in coordination with HQ. 

• Partner with the HQ Program Team to actively monitor projects to ensure they are on track with deliverables and targets, on time, and on budget without overspending or underspending and that they fully meet goals as committed in project documents. 

• Support the HQ Program Team in early identification and diagnosis of off-track projects and actively determining feasible strategies to correct them. 

• Ensure all donor contractual terms and conditions are fulfilled in line with Pure Earth's policies and procedures. 

• Work with the Regional Program Director to ensure that all project modifications, adjustments, or no-cost extensions are fully justified and appropriately communicated and agreed by donors. 

• Assist the HQ Financial Department in the coordination of and response to financial reports and audits. 

• Develop and strengthen robust operations practices based on Pure Earth global policies, local conditions, and Pure Earth's legal local status. 

• Identify areas of risk and drive compliance with Pure Earth, donor, and local government regulations and requirements. 

• Ensure that appropriate safety and security procedures and awareness are maintained throughout the country program, particularly regarding lead exposure and safe use of equipment as well as team member travel. 

Representation, Influence, and Partnership 

• Develop and carry out strategies that result in strong representation with government officials, bilateral/multilateral institutions, private sector, and in NGO networks to build the Pure Earth brand and reputation as a reliable partner in the delivery of programs and as a key voice in the toxic pollution and environmental health space. 

• Develop and maintain regular contact with the in-country representatives of relevant donors and partners in order to secure funding for the country program. 

• Initiate and sustain strong partnerships with local organizations. 

• Raise the profile of the work of Pure Earth and its partners through engagement with diverse forms of media, working closely with the HQ and Regional teams. 

• Participate in drafting peer-reviewed papers and articles and funding proposals. 

• Build and maintain relationships with relevant Brazilian federal and state bodies (e.g., Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, Ministry of Health, state-level environmental agencies), leveraging a working understanding of Brazil's environmental and public health policy landscape. 

Success in the First 12-18 Months:

• Ensure successful completion of the Mass Balance Assessment report.
• Ensure successful implementation of Lead Poisoning Prevention Initiative in two selected Brazilian states.
• Oversee the implementation of the Toxic Site Identification Program and Community and Market Assessments in 2 selected Brazilian states.
• Create a positive work environment for Pure Earth Brazil staff.
• Develop strong working relationships with in-country partners and government counterparts.

Required Qualifications and Experiences:

Education

• A university degree in a relevant discipline is required; an advanced degree (Master's or equivalent) in environmental science, public health, international development, or a related field is preferred.  Or an equivalent combination of education and professional experience.

Experience

• At least 10–15 years of progressively responsible work experience, including leadership at the national level.
• Demonstrated successful team leadership and management experience. Receptive and collaborative leadership approach that contributes to a positive team environment and builds and maintains strong relationships with people from all backgrounds, genders, and viewpoints.
• Proven leadership delivering appropriate levels of oversight of a portfolio consisting of a variety of donor-funded projects, with extensive experience in strategic planning, resource mobilization, proposal development, management, supervision, and budgeting in a multi-project and multi-donor environment.
• Prior experience establishing or formally registering an organization's legal presence in a new country, including familiarity with local labor, tax, and nonprofit registration requirements; experience specific to Brazil is a strong plus.
• Background or demonstrated familiarity with environmental health, pollution remediation, contaminated sites management, public health, or toxicology programming; and understanding of the health impacts of lead is an asset.
• Experience building personal networks at a senior level, resulting in securing new opportunities for the organization.
• Extensive representation and fundraising success, including prior experience with European, US, and international donors.
• Evidence of understanding the challenges of donor and grant/contract management and the implications for program management.
• Proven ability to negotiate and work with local partner organizations. Experience with organizational capacity strengthening and partnership building.
• Opportunity-awareness: flexible, creative approach to unpredictable programming, operational and funding contexts.
• Strong problem-solving and analytical skills.
• Strong budget and fiscal oversight capacities.
• Demonstrated ability to respond to multiple priorities in a timely manner, producing high-quality results.
• Experience working effectively as a team member with colleagues based in multiple locations.
• Ability to effectively represent program context, constraints, and successes to media, government, and other senior audiences.
• Strong communication skills in English; full professional fluency in Portuguese is required, given the role's focus on engaging Brazilian government officials, donors, and communities.
• Ability and willingness to travel internationally, as needed and to work flexible hours or across time zones.
• Willingness and ability to travel domestically within Brazil to project sites, as needed.

Work Supervision:

Program Manager, Technical Manager, Communications Officer, Operations Officer, and Consultants

Work Environment:

Pure Earth Brazil works on a hybrid model. Team members are expected to be in the office twice a week with the option for remote work the other days of the week. Some weeks or external may require more in-office/in-person days. Working hours are 9 am – 5 pm, Brasília time, though there may be occasions when Country Director will be expected to attend meetings outside of work hours. Some amount of travel, within Brazil and internationally, will be expected for the role. 

Salary:

Full-time, Level L5. The salary for this position ranges from $60,750 - $91,125

How to Apply:

To apply, please submit your application through Pure Earth’s online career portal. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled.

Equal Employment Opportunity

It is the policy of Pure Earth to provide equal opportunity for all qualified persons and not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, religion, sex, gender or gender identity, age, national origin, disability, sexual orientation or any other protected status.

This job description may be revised and updated as required to meet organizational objectives.