Position Title: Manager, Athlete and Unified Leadership

Department: SOLA

Reports to: Organization Development Director

Organization Summary:

Founded in 1968, Special Olympics is a global movement to end discrimination against people with intellectual disabilities. We foster acceptance of all people through the power of sport and programming in education, health, and leadership. With nearly four million athletes and Unified Sports® partners and one million coaches and volunteers in more than 170 countries, Special Olympics delivers more than 30 Olympic-type sports and nearly 50,000 games and competitions every year. Learn more at SpecialOlympics.org

Position Summary:

It will be the main link between SOLA and the National Programs of Latin America, promoting inclusive and supportive communities for the development of our athletes. This role involves not only the training, empowerment, and engagement of athletes through our Athlete, and Unified Leadership initiatives, but also project management and the implementation of innovative strategies that ensure effective and sustainable integration into all activities and programs.

This position will be responsible for establishing and maintaining strategic alliances with new partners, ensuring the acquisition of additional resources for the development of these initiatives. In addition, he or she will be responsible for overseeing the evaluation and monitoring of diversity and inclusion policies, ensuring that organizational objectives are met in the region.

Primary Responsibilities:

Oversee the development of Athlete Leadership (AL) by training and engaging AL Trainers from across the region to organize AL Train-the-Trainer Courses for National Programs. Develop new partnerships to secure resources for this initiative, promote meaningful leadership roles for athletes, and coordinate Athlete Leadership Councils.

• Develop and execute the regional Athlete and Unified Leadership strategy, ensuring coherent, sustainable and quality approaches to the expansion of inclusive school communities in the National Programs.
• Support Program teams, SOLA Region team, and SOIHQ team to develop partnerships with governments, multi-lateral organizations, foundations, and others by providing subject matter expertise on Special Olympics Athlete and Unified Leadership engagement in the SOLA Region
• Provide technical assistance to Accredited National Programs to guide country-level growth of Athlete Leadership.
• Train and promote a Unified Leadership focus across the region by engaging AL Trainers to organize AL Train-the-Trainer Courses for National Programs, supporting the development of new partnerships to secure resources for the initiative, and promoting workplace inclusion
• Organizing and executing the Regional Congress of Athletes, supporting National Programs in planning their National Congresses, coordinating regional participation in the Global

Congress, engaging regional representatives like Sargent Shriver International Global Messengers, and implementing SOI’s plan to present the benefits of Unified Leadership.

• Analyze National Program Plans, support and advise SOLA staff and National Program Leaders on the continued development of Athlete Leadership and Unified Leadership.
• Coordinate with other colleagues and departments in the SOLA Region, and SOI HQ to support engagement of Athlete Leadership and Unified Leadership as part of a cross functional and integrated approach to developing Special Olympics programming and Collaborate with existing SOLA Region and global committees and working groups regarding Athlete Leadership, and Unified Leadership to allow a fully integrated and meaningful approach involving different stakeholders on national and international level.
• Participated in internal and external committees, forums and conferences regarding Athlete Leadership and Unified Leadership.
• Submit periodic reports.
• Other duties as assigned

Required Qualifications:

• 3+ years of experience with Special Olympics or a similar organization and Knowledge of work with person with intellectual disability, human right, diversity and inclusion and local development.

• A bachelor's degree or equivalent professional experience plus Three to Five years of relevant work experience in program development and management skills. Experience and/or coursework in the area of Psychology, education, social or sports sciences is a plus.

• Project and/or event coordination experience including stakeholder support, reporting and budget administration
• Speaking/writing English and Spanish
• Strong skills in presentation, innovation, collaboration, problem solving, teamwork, and vision.
• Excellent organizational, interpersonal and communications skills (both verbal and written)

Desired Qualifications:

• Excellent ability to use MS Office applications
• Able to travel (on weekends as needed)
• Experience as volunteer in Special Olympics or the non-for-profit area

Special Olympics provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.

**Special Olympics is an E-Verify Employer**