Challenge Fund Manager, Sudan

Job Title: Challenge Fund Manager

Reports to: Chief of Party

Department: Programs

Salary Grade: 10

*This position is contingent on receipt of donor funding

About CRS

Catholic Relief Services is the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. CRS works to save, protect, and transform lives in need in more than 100 countries, without regard to race, religion or nationality. CRS’ relief and development work is accomplished through programs of emergency response, HIV, health, agriculture, education, microfinance and peacebuilding.

Job Summary

As Challenge Fund Manager, you will work as part of a team on a large project and provide oversight of a key function of the anticipated Bina’ Aljusur USAI D Farmer-to-Farmer (F2F) associate award to serve the poor and vulnerable. You will lead the design, marketing, and management of the Bina’ Aljusur Challenge Fund, a grant mechanism that will catalyze private sector investments in value chains, develop new agriculture-related businesses, and reduce risks associated with acquiring assets and skills required in agricultural market systems. Your management and technical knowledge will ensure the delivery of high-quality programming.

Roles and Key Responsibilities

• Manage the the development, implementation and consolidation of Challenge Fund under the Bina’ Aljusur F2F associate award. Serve as a point of contact on area of responsibility with public, private and non-government stakeholders, when needed.
• Manage Challenge Fund to meet donor expectations in terms of timely and quality results and budget. Ensure compliance with USAID regulations, the award objectives and requirements. Contribute to ensuring coordination between program and operations leads. Contribute to ensuring the CRS program quality standards are adhered to per MEAL policy and procedures.
• Establish, implement, and monitor the Challenge Fund grant management process, such as designing scoping studies, developing technical materials, facilitating selection process, preparing grant agreements and negotiation memos, overseeing due diligence assessments, overseeing monitoring and technical assistance for recipients, and overseeing grant closeout processes in line with CRS grant management guidance and donor rules and regulations.
• Coordinate with Chief of Party, Technical Advisors, and Finance staff on grant design and selection to ensure activities stimulate economic opportunities in agricultural value chain and are feasible, economically viable, and compliant with all relevant USAID and CRS policies and procedures.
• Effectively manage talent and supervise.
• Promote, uphold and model a commitment to the efficient use of agency and donor resources. Help ensure compliance with USAID grants, including financial tracking and oversight of grant budgets, finance, administration and reporting to USAID.
• Maintain relationships with key staff of partner organizations in area of responsibility. Contribute to coordination of the roles and activities of staff from other partner organizations in implementation in line with CRS partnership principles.
• Create and maintain proper conditions for learning. Establish a safe environment for sharing of ideas, solutions, and difficulties and the capacity to detect, analyze and respond quickly to deficiencies. Contribute to generation and documentation of learning drawn from the grant mechanism.

Required/Desired Foreign Language – Fluency in English is required. Arabic language strongly preferred.

Base and Travel — Based in East Darfur, Sudan. Must be willing and able to travel up to 30% in country.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Strong relationship management skills with ability to influence and get buy-in from people not under direct supervision and to work with individuals in diverse geographical and cultural settings
• Good strategic, analytical, problem-solving and systems thinking skills with capacity to see the big picture and ability to make sound judgment. Strong analytical skills to identify and assess credibility of organizations eligible for grants
• Strong technical writing skills
• Strong data collection and research skills and ability to interpret and analyze data
• Presentation, facilitation, training, mentoring, and coaching skills
• Proactive, resourceful, and results-oriented

Supervisory Responsibilities: Directly supervise two staff and provide leadership to Challenge Fund team

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in project management, financial and organization management or any other related field
• 4 to 6 years’ relevant experience managing and administering US government Federal contracts and/or grants with grant making components.
• Minimum of two years of supervisory/management experience.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree is highly preferred.
• Experience working with US government supported projects and knowledge of financial rules and regulations, including fiscal controls and fund accounting procedures.
• Recognized technical experience and qualifications in grantmaking and private sector engagement
• Grants management training experience highly preferred.
• Staff management experience and abilities that are conducive to a learning environment.
• Experience engaging partners and strengthening partnerships, especially on grant management and reporting. Knowledge of CRS partnership strategy a plus.
• Excellent representational and communication skills, written and oral.
• Experience in MS Office package, Web Conferencing Applications, and information and budget management systems.

***Our Catholic identity is at the heart of our mission and operations. Catholic Relief Services carries out the commitment of the Bishops of the United States to assist the poor and vulnerable overseas. We welcome as a part of our staff people of all faiths and secular traditions who share our values and our commitment to serving those in need. CRS’ processes and policies reflect our commitment to protecting children and vulnerable adults from abuse and exploitation.

CRS’ talent acquisition procedures reflect our commitment to safeguarding the rights and dignity of all people – especially children and vulnerable adults – to live free from abuse and harm.

CRS is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Catholic Relief Services carries out the commitment of the Bishops of the United States to assist the poor and vulnerable overseas. Our Catholic identity is at the heart of our mission and operations. We welcome as a part of our staff and as partners people of all faiths and secular traditions who share our values and our commitment to serving those in need.