Country Manager, Yemen

CRS Yemen:

CRS is newly registered in Yemen and is starting-up a team and program to serve the complex needs of the country. CRS is planning to operate in both Aden and Sana’a with programming in health, WASH, education, and livelihoods. This is a dynamic opportunity to build a program from the ground up, working in close coordination with governmental representatives and civil society stakeholders.

For the past few years, CRS/Iraq has been overseeing programs and finances in Yemen. Given operational challenges and opportunities, this arrangement will continue until Yemen Country Program is fully established. Therefore, the Country Manager in Yemen will work closely with CRS/Iraq team and the Country Representative, with dotted lines to EMECA Regional Director.

Job Summary:

As Country Manager you will manage and represent the country program office, advancing programming and operations objectives and the mission of CRS to serve the poor and vulnerable. Your management and representation skills will enable you to advance CRS’ reputation and impact while you proactively manage security and mitigate security risks and liabilities.

Roles and Key Responsibilities:

• Hire and onboard team members. The CM will oversee the development of staffing plans for the office and the recruitment process of staff across the Country Program.
• Effectively supervise, manage, and mentor programming and operations talent. Strategically tailor individual development plans and complete performance assessments for direct reports.
• Manage team dynamics and staff well-being, especially given the high security environment in Yemen. Promote measures in staff care and ensure that staff have access to appropriate resources and are actively encouraged and supported to cope with stress.
• Lead and champion the vision, mission, and Country Strategy of Yemen as a new Country Program (CP). Lead the design of short, medium, and long-term goals as CRS establishes a presence in-country.
• Lead the establishment of a new CRS CP in Yemen, ensuring that CRS develops strong and strategic relationships with key stakeholders including local governments, international donors, national and international NGOs, the UN and other international and local actors operating in Yemen.
• Ensure that all projects meet and exceed donor expectations and are designed and implemented for maximum impact and reach. This should ensure compliance with humanitarian standards and CRS program quality standards including MEAL policy and procedures.
• CRS will prioritize working with local partners. The CM will ensure proactive engagement with partner leadership and ensure that relationships are conducted in accordance with CRS guiding principles, and that all CP staff are familiar with these principles.
• Manage and mitigate risk through monitoring national and regional issues that may impact staff and programming. Ensure that risks are actively discussed and examined and that appropriate measures are put in place to mitigate these. This will be particularly important given access constraints and the fluid operating environment inside Yemen which could lead to periods of effective remote management of programs.
• Ensure all staff understand and adhere to CRS staff safety and security policies and plans and ensure the updating of such plans. Ensure that security is proactively managed by security focal points and that security contingency plans are regularly updated and well understood by all staff.
• Promote, uphold and model a commitment to the efficient use of agency and donor resources. Ensure compliance in operations functions. Provide oversight and analysis regarding monthly expenditures.
• Oversee the pursuit of strategic growth opportunities, prepositioning and capture planning. Ensure that the Yemen Country Program is forward thinking and looks to include recovery and resilience activities alongside emergency programs.
• 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.
• Promote accountability, learning and knowledge management overseeing application of the MEAL policy, as well as cross-sectoral and cross-department learning.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Strong strategic, analytical, systems thinking, and problem-solving skills, with capacity to see the big picture and ability to make sound judgment and decisions.
• Very good relations management abilities. Ability to relate to people at all levels internally and externally.
• 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.
• Should have the ability to function well in a stressful environment, stay focused, and maintain sufficient work-life balance with limited options for downtime activity.

Required Languages – Fluency in Arabic is highly desirable.

Candidates from Yemen and countries in the region are strongly encouraged to apply.

Travel– The position will be based in Aden at the beginning with possibility to be based in Sana’a over time. Travel will include frequent visits to the Sana’a or Aden office for short trips. Where field travel is possible within Yemen, this is limited to short day trips. Regional and global travel for meetings will take place as needed.

Supervisory Responsibilities: Head of Programming (50%), Admin/Finance Manager, Program Quality and Partnership Coordinator, other staff positions as designed in time and hired

Key Working Relationships:

Internal:Regional Director, Deputy Regional Director for Operations, Deputy Regional Director for Program Quality, Regional Finance Officer, Regional Security Adviser

External:Houthi authorities and de facto government in Yemen including all relevant ministries and Security Agencies, UN agency representatives in country, Donor focal points in country, Country Representatives from other organizations operating in Yemen, Directors of local implementing partner organizations.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Demonstrated experience successfully managing high-value projects from multiple international donors, including USAID, DFID, and UN agencies; knowledge of relevant donor regulations.
• Experience engaging partners and strengthening partnerships. Experience working with Church partners a plus.
• Staff management experience and abilities that are conducive to a learning environment; Experience coaching and mentoring senior program staff.
• Ability to represent the agency at high levels; Ability to work with complex and difficult government agencies and ministries.
• Experience in MS Office package (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Visio), Web Conferencing Applications, and information and budget management systems.

QUALIFICATIONS

Basic Qualifications:

• Masters degree in International Development, International Relations or a related field.
• 5 or more years’ experience managing complex relief and development programs.
• Demonstrated experience successfully managing a variety of complex, high-value projects from multiple international donors, including USAID, DFID, and UN agencies; understanding of relevant donor regulations. Experience with emergency donors would be particularly important.

Agency REDI 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.

• Personal Accountability
• Acts with Integrity
• Collaborates with Others
• Builds and Maintains Trust
• Open to Learn
• Strategic Mindset
• Develops and Recognizes Others
• Leads Change

Additional Information related to the posting:

• This is a non-accompanied post.
• Living conditions are compound based, in an area of town where the majority of INGOs and UN agencies are located.
• Strict security measures will be in place, including limited mobility within the duty station and curfews.
• Due to the restrictive environment, international staff will be entitled to R&Rs outside of the country, in addition to Home Leave.

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.

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