Private Sector Relations Officer

This Volunteer Placement is Located in: Medellin, Colombia

Start Date: October 2026

Placement Length: 5 months

Language Requirements: Spanish Level 4-Advanced

Please submit a Spanish Resume and Statement of Interest

Eligibility: Open to Canadian Citizens and Permanent Residents of Canada only

The Volunteer’s Role

Cuso International invites passionate individuals to join our international volunteering program dedicated to empowering women, girls, and marginalized communities in Colombia. We are looking for two dynamic candidates who can engage potential companies in partnership with A Kasa and Cuso International, focusing on inclusive employment strategies.

Our SHARE Global Volunteer Cooperation Program connects with a diverse range of partners worldwide to bolster economic resilience for those in need. Volunteers will deliver targeted technical assistance in entrepreneurship and vocational training (TVET), creating vibrant opportunities for women, youth, LGBTQ+ individuals, and other marginalized groups.

In this exciting role, you’ll identify key stakeholders, particularly within the Canadian private sector, to bridge the gap between vocational education and market demands. The aim is to support the identification of skills needs among Canadian private sector companies, to align technical and vocational education and training with these needs and, in doing so, promote young people’s access to decent employment.

Therefore, in this role, we seek to empower our partners to adapt to new market realities, make the transition to becoming agents of economic facilitation and demonstrate economically significant results (e.g. employment, competitiveness, supplier readiness), rethink their value propositions in commercial terms and foster the potential for new partnerships.

Join us in making a difference!

As a volunteer, you will:

• Skills Needs Assessment: Conduct consultations and surveys with local businesses to identify skill gaps and compare with existing training, guiding curriculum adjustments.
• Capacity-Building Workshops: Train partners on financial facilitation, market-based approaches, and private sector engagement; provide tools to enhance value propositions and measure economic impact.
• Business Networking & Partnerships: Facilitate networking events and support supplier initiatives linking disadvantaged groups with market opportunities, promoting employment of women and youth in growth sectors.
• Monitoring & Learning Framework: Develop indicators to track job creation and resilience; train partners in data collection and analysis; use data to improve programs and demonstrate impact.

Essential Qualifications:

• Undergraduate and/or postgraduate degree in disciplines pertinent to the role's goals, such as business administration, engineering, or areas connected to organizational development, marketing, sales, and relationship management, ideally with experience in private sector companies.
• An MBA qualification is an asset.

Essential Background:

• Familiarity with sales and marketing in the Canadian private sector, ideally involving Spanish-speaking companies.
• Background in the private sector, including networking within this industry.
• Proven experience collaborating with multidisciplinary and multicultural teams.

What’s in it for YOU? A life-changing experience!

About Us

Cuso International (Cuso) is an international cooperation and development organization based in Canada that works to create social and economic opportunities for equity-deserving groups. Building on over sixty years of impactful work, we address global challenges by tackling the root causes of inequality. Working alongside our partners, we are focused on efforts to improve economic resilience, advance equity and inclusion for all, and deliver progress on climate action. We believe that by sharing skills, we can build better futures. Guided by our values of courage, inclusion, sustainability and accountability, Cuso combines innovative strategies and enduring partnerships to create lasting, meaningful change in communities across Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean, and Canada.
Project: Sharing Canadian Expertise for Inclusive Development and Gender Equality (SHARE)

Partner: Fundacion A-Kasa

Benefits

Volunteer Support and Requirements

Support Package

Cuso International provides a comprehensive support package to ensure volunteers maintain a modest and healthy lifestyle aligned with local standards. This includes:

• Monthly living allowance
• Accommodation
• Health insurance (including required vaccinations and antimalarial medication)
• Round-trip airfare and visa/work permit costs
• Pre-placement, in-country and reintegration training (along with access to self-directed materials and online resources)
• Ongoing local support
• Access to the Employee Assistance Program during and after placement

Selection and Screening

If you are shortlisted, you will need to:

• Confirm passport or permanent resident details for travel
• Provide two professional references and one personal reference
• Complete a language assessment during the initial phone interview
• Pass a police check and medical clearance before departure
• Comply with anti-terrorism checks
• Agree to uphold the Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) policy and Code of Conduct

Residency and Citizenship: Candidates are responsible for confirming how volunteering internationally may affect their citizenship or residency status. Canadian Permanent Residents should verify requirements with Immigration Canada before travel.

Inclusion and Accessibility: Cuso International welcomes applicants from diverse backgrounds and equity-deserving groups. We provide reasonable accommodations throughout recruitment and placement. If you have accessibility needs, please contact us for support.

Ready to Make a Difference? Apply to volunteer today!