Country Representative Madagascar

Job Title: Country Representative, Madagascar

Reports to: Regional Director, SARO

Department: SARO

Grade*:* 12

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.

Background:

CRS has worked in Madagascar for 60 years and is the leading International Non-Governmental Organizations (INGOs) in the country. Through local partners, CRS has implemented programs in 22 of the country’s regions, focusing on resilience, agricultural livelihood and land restoration, private sector engagement, education, health, WASH, Youth, and emergency response and recovery. CRS has significant programming concentrated in the deep south of Madagascar, implementing, and supporting humanitarian response and recovery projects. CRS is also managing a significant TB program financed by The Global Fund as Principal Recipient (PR) in selected regions of Madagascar as well as USDA Food for education as a Prime in the Antsimo Antsinana region and as a sub in the Androy and Anosy regions.

Job Summary:

As Country Representative you will lead, manage and advance the programming and operations objectives and the mission of Catholic Relief Services (CRS) to serve the poor and vulnerable. Your strategic leadership will enable you to advance CRS’ reputation and impact while you proactively manage security and mitigate security risks and liabilities.

Roles and Key Responsibilities:

• Champion and lead the vision, mission, and strategy. Lead the design of medium and long-term goals. Ensure program and operations leads coordinate their objectives in alignment with the strategy.
• Ensure that all projects meet and exceed donor expectations and are designed and implemented for maximum impact and reach. Ensure the CRS program quality standards are adhered to per MEAL policy and procedures. Ensure usage of MIRA to understand and strengthen resilience.
• Effectively manage senior programming and operations talent and supervise. Manage team dynamics and staff well-being. Provide coaching and mentoring for HOP and Head of Operations. Strategically tailor individual development plans and complete performance assessments for direct reports. Oversee the development of staffing plans for large and complex projects and the recruitment process of senior staff.
• Lead the development of strategic partnerships with national and international organizations that leverages resources, reputation, and expertise in line with CRS partnership principles. Ensure strong representation to key stakeholders, including Church partners and Catholic Church leadership, local and national government, US government and international donors. Strengthen and expand the Church Lands program.
• Manage and mitigate security 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 strong adherence to, and monitor safeguarding and protection in the CP.
• 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.
• Lead and direct the pursuit of strategic growth opportunities, prepositioning and capture planning.
• 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:

• 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.

Required Languages – French and English

Travel -40% in-country travel with occasional trips outside of Madagascar.

Supervisory Responsibilities – Head of Operations, Head of Programs, HR Manager, Partnership Coordinator, and Chiefs of Party (COPs)

Key Working Relationships:

Internal: SARO RD, DRDs Programs and Operations, RFO, S/RTAs, SARO CRs, Headquarters staff, other CRS colleagues, as applicable.

External: Host country government officials at all levels, Catholic Church leadership, donors, heads of international agencies, partners, auditors, etc.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Demonstrated experience successfully managing a variety of complex, high-value projects from multiple international donors, including USAID, Global Fund, DFID, and UN agencies; understanding 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.
• Experience in MS Office package (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Visio), Web Conferencing Applications, and information and budget management systems.

Basic Qualifications

· Master’s degree in international development, International Relations or a related field.

· 10 or more years’ experience managing complex relief and development programs.

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

***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