Hello
from
my name is María José Rodríguez Escobar and I’m from El Salvador. Together with my colleague Natalia Romero Mora from Costa Rica, I coordinate and advise a transnational team of 15 GIZ communicators. Our role is to bundle public relations work in Central America so that, as a region, we speak more strongly with one voice. This involves bringing communication expertise, solutions and resources together across borders.
I really enjoy working with Natalia. Our work is very diverse. For example, as a region, we have a social media presence, we have standardised our corporate design and we advise country directors and project managers on how they can best reach and address different target groups.
For our region, we would like to convey the message that GIZ has been working with partners in Central America for more than half a century to make the region more inclusive, equitable and resilient. Through our communications work, we support GIZ’s efforts to protect the natural environment and adapt the region to climate change.
Since Natalia and I manage the team together, we touch base virtually several times a day. It is a challenge to make all the decisions together, but we also enhance each other with our experience of press and public relations work. Co-leadership is still rare in our region. I appreciate being able to try out this concept and learn from it.
I see GIZ as a place of continuous learning. After almost two and a half years with the company, there are still things I need to work on. My employer gives me the time to learn and to prepare things really well. This was not the case in previous jobs I’ve had. Since completing my studies in corporate communication, I have held various positions, including at the Central American Integration System (SICA) and the Salvadorean Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
My current work often takes place online because our team is spread across different countries. That’s why a balance is important to me. Two days a week I work from home where I live with my mother and brother. I like to cook, and we eat together in the garden. I live in La Libertad on the coastal road and enjoy the sea views. The other days I spend at the office in Santa Tecla and I like to have lunch with my colleagues, who have also become my friends. Here in Central America, we are sociable, communicative and like to work in teams – the ideal basis for our day-to-day work!
Saludos cordiales,
María José Rodríguez Escobar
July 2024