Program Director, Gold Threat-Finance Disruption, Western Hemisphere, Washington DC

Program Director, Gold Threat-Finance Disruption, Western Hemisphere

Position Description

About PADF

The Pan American Development Foundation (PADF) believes in creating a hemisphere of opportunity, for all. We work across Latin America and the Caribbean to make our region stronger—more healthy, peaceful, just, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable for current and future generations. For over 60 years, we have served the most vulnerable communities, investing resources throughout the hemisphere. We partner with and enable civil society, governments, and the private sector for the greater good of the region. 

Position Overview

PADF, through its Peace, Justice, and Security thematic area, is pursuing an opportunity to implement a 24-month regional counterterrorism program funded by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Counterterrorism (CT). The program is designed to disrupt and sever the revenue that Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs) and allied transnational criminal organizations derive from illicit gold mining in Colombia, Peru, and Ecuador. The program maps the illicit gold value chain from mine to market, identifies the highest-value chokepoints, and equips partner-nation institutions to investigate, prosecute, and dismantle the financial and logistical networks that convert illicit gold into FTO revenue, while protecting legitimate miners and lawful trade.

As part of this preparatory process, PADF is identifying experienced professionals who may be suitable for leadership and technical roles on the program. Interested candidates are encouraged to submit their profiles for consideration.

The Program Director is the in-region leader and technical integrator for the program, providing overall leadership, strategic direction, and management across Colombia, Peru, and Ecuador, and serving as a primary liaison with the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Counterterrorism, INL posts, and U.S. Embassy country teams. The Program Director owns the program’s Assessment-to-Action method, which turns assessment findings into prioritized chokepoints, country intervention roadmaps, and coordinated network-disruption activity.

This is a full-time, key-personnel position, preferably based in Bogotá, Colombia, with frequent travel throughout Colombia, Peru, and Ecuador.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities 

Strategic Leadership and Program Vision:

Provide overall leadership and strategic direction for program implementation across Colombia, Peru, and Ecuador. Ensure the program is aligned with U.S. Department of State CT Bureau priorities, including disrupting FTO and transnational-criminal financing derived from illicit gold. Guide program strategy to remain responsive to evolving regional threats, partner-country needs, and U.S. Government policy priorities.

Program Management and Operations:

Lead development and execution of work plans, implementation strategies, and performance-monitoring processes. Direct the Assessment-to-Action loop, translating mine-to-market analysis into sequenced, CT-approved disruption roadmaps. Ensure timely, efficient, and compliant delivery of all activities, deliverables, and reporting requirements.

Technical Oversight and Quality Assurance:

Provide high-level technical oversight to ensure quality, strategic relevance, and alignment with CT outcomes. Guide technical assistance and coordination mechanisms related to financial investigations, counter threat finance, and supply-chain disruption. Ensure implementation reflects rule-of-law principles, institutional accountability, and Do-No-Harm to legitimate miners and lawful trade.

Donor, Government, and Regional Engagement:

Serve as PADF’s primary liaison with the CT Bureau, INL posts, and U.S. Embassy country teams throughout the period of performance. Coordinate with partner governments, including law enforcement, prosecutors, FIUs, customs, and mining authorities, to ensure complementarity and avoid duplication. Build and maintain partnerships with national and regional counterparts and implementing partners.

Team Leadership and Surge Management:

Supervise senior technical, operational, and country implementation personnel. Oversee recruitment, deployment, and quality assurance of mentors, investigators, and subject-matter experts, including the program’s surge roster. Use performance data and lessons learned to drive adaptive management and strengthen results.

Competencies

Nurture knowledge – Models continuous learning, builds systems that institutionalize knowledge, and uses insights to drive strategic decisions. Be creative and promote creativity– Drives a culture of innovation and aligns creative initiatives with organizational strategy. Lead & inspire – Inspires at organizational scale through values-driven leadership. Adapt– Leads strategic adaptation, anticipating change and ensuring organizational agility. Optimize resources– Drives organizational excellence through strategic resource allocation and systems that support continuous improvement. Communicate effectively – Communicates vision, strategy, and priorities with clarity and inspiration to diverse internal and external audiences.

Qualifications

Required

Advanced degree (Master’s or higher) in law, criminology, international relations, public policy, security studies, finance, or a related field. Minimum of twelve (12) years of progressively responsible experience managing complex international security, counterterrorism, rule-of-law, or counter-threat-finance programs, preferably multi-country in scope. Strong technical expertise in one or more of the following areas: Counter threat finance and terrorist-financing disruption Criminal investigations and prosecutions Illicit commodities, extractive-sector crime, or supply-chain disruption Demonstrated experience translating strategic analysis into operational interventions and partner-nation action plans. Experience engaging U.S. Government agencies, U.S. Embassies, and host-nation institutions. Excellent written and oral communication skills in English and Spanish.

Preferred 

Prior experience as Chief of Party, Program Director, Deputy Chief of Party, or equivalent senior leadership role on a U.S. Government-funded program. Experience with U.S. Department of State CT Bureau or INL programs or cooperative agreements. Familiarity with the FTO, terrorist-financing, and illicit-gold threat landscape in the Andean region. Experience living or working in Latin America.

Salary Range: $130,000 - $160,000

A candidate’s salary is determined by multiple factors including, but not limited to, relevant work experience, job-related knowledge, skills, abilities, and internal organizational equity.

More About PADF

PADF is an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization established by the Organization of American States (OAS) in 1962.  

PADF’s core values. “H-E-A-R-T” = Honesty, Excellence, Authenticity, Respect, and Trust.

EEO Statement. We actively seek a diverse applicant pool and encourage candidates of all backgrounds to apply. PADF does not discriminate based on ability, age, national origin, race and ethnicity, religious beliefs, sexual orientation, or criminal record.

PADF is committed to safeguarding employees and those we serve, addressing inappropriate behavior, discrimination, and harassment. We take an intersectional approach, promote gender equality, and follow our Global Code of Conduct emphasizing our H.E.A.R.T. values. The code covers various aspects, including anti-trafficking, PSEAH (Protection against Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Harassment), whistleblowing, and online safety.

PADF is an Equal Opportunity Employer