JOSE MANUEL LABARCA

Address:6010 Namakagan Road, Bethesda, MD 20816

Telephone:cell (202) 340-4180

Email:

DEVELOPMENT,CIVIL SOCIETY AND GOVERNANCE EXPERT

KEY QUALIFICATIONS:

Seasoned Program manager and program specialistwith over 10 years of experience in democratic governance, modernization of electoral systems and processes, civic education and encouragement of civic participation in multilateral organizations, government and non-profits.

Expertise in political analysis and project monitoring and evaluation, particularly concerning electoral systems and institution building initiatives, often targeting poor, indigenous, and disenfranchised populations especially in the Latin American context.

Skilled in full-cycle project management including contract drafting and negotiation, and logistics implementation. Significant experience working with a range of country teams, civil society, national partners, and technical experts to coordinate complex logistics and events.

Veteran donor relations specialist with a track record of building solid partnerships with grassroots organizations, political parties and OAS partners such as UNICEF, UNDP, UN, IADB, and IIN, World Bank, IMF.

Multi-national experience in Bolivia, Nicaragua, Colombia, El Salvador, Peru, Dominican Republic, Guyana, Ecuador, Panama, Venezuela, Haiti, Chile, Guatemala, Belize, and Saint Lucia; Bi-lingual with excellent communications skills in English and Spanish.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:

Secretariat for Political Affairs June 2010 - December 2012

Specialist, PUICA – Universal Civil Identity Program in the Americas,

Department of State Modernization and Governance, Washington D.C., USA

  • Program Countries: Bolivia, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Haiti, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, Ecuador, Panama, Caribbean: Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada Saint Kitts and Nevis and Saint Lucia
  • Involved in the planning, management, and implementation of a range of technical assistance projects inLatin America and the Caribbean, particularly concerning the modernization of civil registry institutions to ensure access to a range of civil rights for indigenous and poor people in a range of countries.
  • Part of team that actively expanded program throughout the Americas from its launch in three countries (Guatemala, Mexico and El Salvador) to thirteen different countries throughout the region.
  • Actively participated in organizing and conducting a major training initiative for Haitian operators on the use of databases, resulting in the registration of 4.2 million people over the age of 18 registered;developed financial programs and conducted financial analysis to support the projects.
  • Oversaw the training and mentoring of qualified officials on the operations of modern civil registries, ensured comprehensive transfer of knowledge in registering citizens and modernizing processes (including in El Salvador, Peru and Guatemala).
  • Coordinated and collaborated with civil registry authorities and key personnel of other institutions in strengthening and promoting registration and awareness campaigns in multicultural contexts. This resulted in 8.59 million historical registries digitized into a new database in Paraguay, 5 million new historical records in Honduras, and a large campaign in Guatemala focused on 90 municipalities, training indigenous leaders and communities.
  • Provided technical assistance in the installation and implementation of a new birth registration system in various hospitals based in El Salvador, effectively reachingin the first 15 months of operations it has registered the births of more than 5000 newborns and in the country’s second largest hospital in Sonsonate registered 500 births per month people.
  • In Peru, launched campaign to re-register large groups of multicultural individuals in rural and marginalized poor zones, helping them to obtain benefits that were lost to them when their civil registry books were destroyed during the Sendero Luminoso campaign of the 1990s.
  • Established and maintained positive relationships with OAS partners such as UNICEF, IADB, and IIN.

Organization of American States (OAS) April2006 – 2010

Specialist, Department of Electoral Cooperation and Observation (DECO), Washington D.C., USA

  • Prepared and produced reports on the electoral situations in over twenty countries for the Director and staff, ensured all electoral issues are resolved and updated through diligent follow up on the ground, and from HQ, working closely with local and international staff and observers.
  • Participated in 15-25 electoral missions annually, including Colombia, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Peru, Guyana, Guatemala, Paraguay, Panama, Bolivia, El Salvador and Venezuela.
  • Advised and recommended improvements concerning electoral and administrative matters to strengthen modernization of electoral systems and processes.
  • Assessed and analyzed political and electoral events and trends that affect the electoral situation in the specific regions, proposing appropriate action plans to assist the DECO Director in decision making.
  • Drafted reports, briefing papers, talking points, and speeches for the Director; prepared and reviewed strategies, proposals or reports for projects, activities, and other initiatives.
  • Represented the Director in various meetings, seminars, and conferences, actively participating and contributing valuable inputs; built and fostered rapport with stakeholders.
  • Assisted in project to modernize the National Identification System and Civil Registry in Haiti, resulting in the opening of 141 ONI offices, 600,000 + new citizens registered, and creating over 350 permanent jobs.

Specialist, Department of Human Resources, Washington D.C., USA January2005 - April 2006

  • Provided technical assistance and expertise in developing and implementing new automation systems for CPR (contract for result) requests for the OAS. Assessed, reviewed and analyzed all Contracts for Result (CPR) for the Department of Human Resources. The new system resulted in smoother, faster and more efficient contracting of consultants.
  • Drafted and provided internal departments with guidelines for the new CPR approval process, streamlining the bureaucracy.

Amnesty International September 1999 – January 2000

Program Manager, Human Rights and the Environment Program, Washington D.C., USA

  • Created a national strategy, including the development of a marketing and advocacy kit, focused on educating political and business leaders on the relationship between human rights and environmental protection, and defending global environmental activists.
  • Established solid partnerships with two of the largest grassroots movements in the US, AI and the Sierra Club with a grant from the Goldman Foundation ($2.5M) to pursue worthy projects and programs.
  • Participated actively on campaigns and advocacies to influence the administration and Congress to shape appropriate policies and to encourage corporations to adopt responsible business practices. Accompanied human rights experts from other countries as they testified before the US Congress.

International Child Art Foundation (ICAF) June1999 – December 2000

Logistics Director, Child Art 2000 Festival, Washington D.C, USA

  • Prepared, studied and negotiated all contracts with vendors and George Washington University for theChild Art 2000 Festival.
  • Coordinated arrangements for all of the 80 international participants attending the festival with theWhite House and Embassy staff.
  • Developed logistics plans for the International Summit on Children’s Creativity and the Millennium, Child Art 2000 Awards Ceremony, World 2000 Mural Creation, and Embassy booths, among others.
  • Organized recruitment, coordination and placement of volunteer staff with assisting festival program, events, workshops and lectures.
  • Selected venues for meetings, conferences, festivals, events, and receptions sponsored by ICAF for theDiplomatic dignitaries and First Ladies of Latin America, Africa and Asia

Very Special Arts May1998 – August 1999 International Coordinator, Washington D.C, USA

Organization of American States July1993 – November 1996 Environmental Development Specialist, Washington D.C, USA

Mission Cultural Center June1988 – April 1993

Program Director, San Francisco, CA

EDUCATION:

Master of Business Administration 2003

University of Phoenix, Phoenix, AZ

Bachelor of Arts in International Relations 1990

San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA

COUNTRIES/LANGUAGES/CERTIFICATIONS/COMPUTERS:

Geographic Experience: Bolivia, Nicaragua, Colombia, El Salvador, Peru, Dominican Republic, Guyana, Ecuador, Panama, Venezuela, Haiti, Chile, Guatemala, Belize, and Saint Lucia

Languages: Fluent in English and Spanish

Professional Affiliations/Licenses: Certificate on Logical Framework Approach for Project Design

Certificate on Result Based Monitoring and Evaluation

Computer Skills:Proficient in Oracle Financial Systems

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