Chief of Party II– Agroforestry and Climate Change

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.

Country Background

CRS has worked in Uganda since 1965 and has a vibrant portfolio of projects. Our current strategic priority areas include Health and Social Services Systems Strengthening, Resilient Food Systems, Emergency Preparedness and Management, Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation, and Local Leadership. These areas are supported by four cross-cutting priorities mainstreamed into programs: youth, gender, social cohesion, and safe and dignified programing. CRS Uganda implements its programs through partnerships with other organizations, including international and local NGOs, Ugandan government departments and ministries, the Catholic Church, community-based organizations and private sector companies and academia for maximum impact and sustainability. CRS Uganda employs around 190 staff and has its main office in Kampala, with sub-offices in Moroto, Yumbe, and Hoima. In 2021, CRS served over 1,260,868 people in Uganda.

CRS Uganda has prioritized climate change adaptation and mitigation in line with the CRS Global Agency Vision 2030 Strategic Change Platform for Transforming Lives and Landscapes. To catalyze transformational change, CRS is scaling land restoration models and approaches for resilient livelihoods within agricultural landscapes to improve food and livelihood security while adapting to climate change realities. Through its leadership of the Global Evergreening Alliance partnership in Uganda, CRS has developed strategic partnerships with international and local NGOs to support these scaling efforts. It is within these strategic partnerships, in particular with the International Centre for Research in Agroforestry (ICRAF), World Vision and CARE, and through our network of local civil society partners, that we look to scale evidence-based approaches using our people-centered, co-investment with farmers through four restoration models—drylands regreening, watershed restoration, water-smart agriculture and multistory agroforestry, to effect meaningful change. The IFPA-CD project aims to improve sustainable management of forests and protected areas and increase benefits to communities from forests in target landscapes, including in refugee and host community settlement areas; it presents an exciting opportunity to further explore sustainable, contextualized, climate considered approaches to transforming lives and landscapes.

Note: This position is contingent upon donor approval and funding.

Job Summary:

As Chief of Party II – Agroforestry and Climate Change you will provide vision, leadership and overall management of the Ministry of Water and Environment, funded by the World Bank, Investing in Forests and Protected Areas for Climate-Smart Development (IFPA-CD) project to serve the poor and vulnerable. Your strategic leadership, management and technical knowledge will ensure the delivery of high-quality programming and advance the position of CRS as a leading agency in Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation and Resilient Food Systems fields, contributing to the Transforming Livelihoods and Landscape strategic change platform. As a senior leader you will proactively manage security and mitigate security risks.

Roles and Key Responsibilities:

• Lead all aspects of the development, implementation and consolidation of the IFPA-CD project, including sharing how the project contributes to the thought leadership of the industry. Serve as the primary point of contact to World Bank and the Ministry of Environment and Water (MoWE)as well as public, private and non-government stakeholders.
• Ensure the project is designed and implemented to meet donor expectations in terms of timely and quality results and budget, including strategies for phase out and sustainability. Ensure coordination between program and operations leads. Ensure the CRS program quality standards are adhered to per MEAL policy and procedures.
• Effectively manage senior programming and operations talent. Manage team dynamics and staff well-being. Provide coaching and mentoring. Strategically tailor individual development plans and complete performance assessments for direct reports. Oversee the development of staffing plans and the recruitment process of senior staff.
• Manage and mitigate risk through monitoring national and regional issues that may impact staff and programming. Ensure all staff understand and adhere to CRS staff safety and security policies and plans, and ensure the updating of such plans.
• Ensure compliance with Government of Uganda policies and procedures, with specific reference to Ministry of Water and Environment and Uganda Wildlife Authority, Uganda National Forestry Authority, Uganda Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities, and NEMA
• Promote, uphold and model a commitment to the efficient use of agency and donor resources. Ensure compliance with World Bank grants, including financial tracking and oversight of partner budgets, finance, administration and reporting to World Bank. Approve program expenditures, budget adjustments, and cost modification requests to donors.
• Represent CRS programming in international circles, highlighting innovative work. Publish program results and deliver presentations. Oversee the development of communication strategies and materials, complying with donor and CRS’ branding and marketing requirements and procedures.
• Manage relationships with consortium partner organizations, including organization of review/planning workshops. Coordinate the roles and activities of staff from other consortium member 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. Identify performance gaps and training opportunities for CRS and partner staff and ensure the design and delivery of high quality training and technical assistance.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Excellent strategic, analytical, systems thinking, and problem-solving skills, with capacity to see the big picture and ability to make sound judgment and decisions.
• Excellent relations management abilities. Ability to relate to people at all levels internally and externally. Strategic in how you approach each relationship.
• Team leadership abilities with diverse/multi-disciplinary teams. Coaching/mentoring skills.
• Strong communications and presentation skills; able to develop tailored and persuasive messaging for varied audiences.
• Proactive, resourceful, solutions-oriented and results-oriented.

Preferred Qualifications

• Established leader in sector as demonstrated by peer reviewed publications, conference presentations etc.
• Demonstrated experience of successful program management, including management of complex, high-value, multi-activity projects, with complicated logistics.
• Experience engaging partners and strengthening partnerships. Knowledge of CRS partnership strategy a plus.
• Ability to represent and present at high levels.
• Experience in MS Office package (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Visio), Web Conferencing Applications, and information and budget management systems.

Required Languages – Excellent command of written and spoken English required

Travel– Must be willing and able to travel up to 15% to project locations.

Supervisory Responsibilities: Program Manager (PM) II – Community Engagement, PM II – Environment, PM II – Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL), Technical Advisor II – Resource Mapping and GIS, Finance Manager, and others as assigned

Key Working Relationships:

• Internal – Program Manager (PM) II – Community Engagement, PM II – Environment, PM II – Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL), Technical Advisor II – Resource Mapping and GIS, consortium members, Head of Programming, Country Representative, Head of Operations, CP M&E Manager, EARO and CRS HQ Technical Advisors, other Uganda CP Program Managers
• External – World Bank, Uganda Ministry of Water and Environment, Uganda Wildlife Authority, Uganda National Forestry Authority, Uganda Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities, NEMA, Office of the Prime Minister, UNHCR, District Local Government, donors and other stakeholders

Basic Qualifications

• Master’s degree in International Development, International Relations or a relevant technical area such as Natural Resources. PhD preferred.
• 10 or more years’ relevant management and technical experience in environment, land use or natural resources management and planning and/or community forestry
• 7 years experience managing donor funds, including multi country grants. Excellent knowledge and experience in budget management. Experience with World Bank grants an advantage.
• 5 years of staff management experience and abilities that are conducive to a learning environment. Experience coaching and mentoring senior program staff.

Agency-wide Competencies (for all CRS Staff)

These are rooted in the mission, values, and guiding principles of CRS and used by each staff member to fulfill his or her responsibilities and achieve the desired results.

· Integrity

· Continuous Improvement & Innovation

· Builds Relationships

· Develops Talent

· Strategic Mindset

· Accountability & Stewardship

***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.

Disclaimer: This job description is not an exhaustive list of the skill, effort, duties, and responsibilities associated with the position.

Note: All positions requiring residence or frequent travel outside their home country must undergo and clear a pre-employment medical examination.

To ensure the safety of our staff, our partners, and the people we serve, CRS requires that staff be vaccinated against Covid-19. CRS complies with all federal and state laws to allow for accommodations, as needed with supporting documentation. However, accommodations may limit the roles that candidates are eligible for based on role requirements (e.g., travel, meetings with staff, partner, donors).

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 welcomes candidates from the countries and regions in which we work. In the event the successful candidate is an expatriate or global telecommuter, the anticipated duration of the assignment is informed by a term limit, based on the type and level of the job and the needs of the agency.

CRS is an Equal Opportunity Employer