Community Development Specialist - Volunteer Position - Onsite in El Salvador • North America - 2 years, plus 3 months training
Marketing & Communications, Customer Service
United States
Posted on Sep 3, 2026
About The Project
Entrepreneurs and small businesses in El Salvador are seeking to build the necessary skills to successfully launch or grow their enterprises.
The Government of El Salvador has named economic growth and tourism as national priorities, with a commitment to expanding access to financial and educational support to underserved populations. The government’s strategic plan is designed to modernize infrastructure and boost the economy by developing policies aimed at economic and social growth. Between 2019 and 2024, international tourism increased by 89%, which indicated new economic opportunities. Crucial to the economic growth of El Salvador, micro and small enterprises (MSEs) represent 96% of all businesses with over half of those MSEs led by women. MSEs face significant challenges, including limited access to financing, high informality rates, and barriers to formalization. Digitalization also represents a crucial area for improvement in this dynamic sector, and continued efforts are needed to advance this aspect.
As a Community Development Specialist, you will work with youth 18-29 to develop the skills to strengthen personal finance, entrepreneurship, and leadership skills. You will equip business owners and entrepreneurs-in-the-making to create savings groups, market goods, and develop new products. Your collective efforts will improve individual livelihoods and help the country meet its growing tourism needs.
Activities
How you and the community will make an impact together:
Conduct assessments and develop work plans based on community, small business, or organizational needs.
Provide training on project design and management practices, personal money management, business planning, marketing, digital literacy, financial management, and product design.
Facilitate entrepreneurship workshops for business owners.
Support the development of innovative business ideas.
Work with youth and individuals to promote entrepreneurial behaviors.
Facilitate the creation and strengthening of community savings groups.
Promote community engagement and active participation in economic opportunities.
You may also work on additional projects that meet the community’s interests and priorities, such as English conversation clubs.
Required Skills
Qualified candidates will have one or more of the following criteria:
Associate degree in any field and at least two years of full-time, post-high school work experience (from any combination of roles).
OR
Bachelor's degree in any field.
OR
High school diploma or GED and four years of full-time, post-high school work (from any combination of roles).
Language: Spanish
APPLY BY : January 15, 2027
KNOW BY : March 1, 2027
DEPART ON : August 15, 2027
DURATION : 2 years, plus 3 months training
Entrepreneurs and small businesses in El Salvador are seeking to build the necessary skills to successfully launch or grow their enterprises.
The Government of El Salvador has named economic growth and tourism as national priorities, with a commitment to expanding access to financial and educational support to underserved populations. The government’s strategic plan is designed to modernize infrastructure and boost the economy by developing policies aimed at economic and social growth. Between 2019 and 2024, international tourism increased by 89%, which indicated new economic opportunities. Crucial to the economic growth of El Salvador, micro and small enterprises (MSEs) represent 96% of all businesses with over half of those MSEs led by women. MSEs face significant challenges, including limited access to financing, high informality rates, and barriers to formalization. Digitalization also represents a crucial area for improvement in this dynamic sector, and continued efforts are needed to advance this aspect.
As a Community Development Specialist, you will work with youth 18-29 to develop the skills to strengthen personal finance, entrepreneurship, and leadership skills. You will equip business owners and entrepreneurs-in-the-making to create savings groups, market goods, and develop new products. Your collective efforts will improve individual livelihoods and help the country meet its growing tourism needs.
Activities
How you and the community will make an impact together:
Conduct assessments and develop work plans based on community, small business, or organizational needs.
Provide training on project design and management practices, personal money management, business planning, marketing, digital literacy, financial management, and product design.
Facilitate entrepreneurship workshops for business owners.
Support the development of innovative business ideas.
Work with youth and individuals to promote entrepreneurial behaviors.
Facilitate the creation and strengthening of community savings groups.
Promote community engagement and active participation in economic opportunities.
You may also work on additional projects that meet the community’s interests and priorities, such as English conversation clubs.
Required Skills
Qualified candidates will have one or more of the following criteria:
Associate degree in any field and at least two years of full-time, post-high school work experience (from any combination of roles).
OR
Bachelor's degree in any field.
OR
High school diploma or GED and four years of full-time, post-high school work (from any combination of roles).
Language: Spanish
- Completed 4 years of high school Spanish coursework in the past 8 years
- Completed college-level Elementary II Spanish semester (Elementary III in quarter system) within the past 6 years
- Score between 50-62 on the Spanish College Level Examination Program (CLEP) exam in the past 6 years
- Score Novice-High or Intermediate-Low on official American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI) in Spanish within the past 6 years
APPLY BY : January 15, 2027
KNOW BY : March 1, 2027
DEPART ON : August 15, 2027
DURATION : 2 years, plus 3 months training