Deputy Head of Programming, DRC

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:

The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is one of the most populous, vast and resource rich countries in sub-Saharan Africa. Decades of conflict and other challenges over the past decades have left the Congo with an 80 percent poverty rate, an annual per capita income of just over $120, and inadequate social and health services. Given its fragility and weak institutions, the country is susceptible to health crises, including recent outbreaks of Ebola, measles, cholera, and potentially COVID-19.

Catholic Relief Services (CRS) carries out the commitment of the Bishops of the United States to assist the poor and vulnerable overseas. CRS has operated in the DRC since 1961, successfully implementing programs in nutrition, agriculture livelihoods, emergency, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), health, microfinance, and peacebuilding throughout the country. CRS/DRC currently has around 180 staff operating out of 6 offices in Kinshasa, Goma (North Kivu), Kananga (Kasai Central), Mbuji Mayi (Kasai Oriental), Kalemie (Tanganyika), and Bukavu (South Kivu).

The Deputy Head of Programming (DHoP) will contribute to the development, management and implementation of high quality programs that are needs-driven and evidence-based, adhering to CRS program quality standards for emergency and development and employing best practices based on a long history of multi-sectoral interventions in DR Congo. He or she will ensure compliance with CRS and donor requirements by effectively leveraging support from MEAL (monitoring, evaluation, accountability, and learning), technical advisors and operations staff with the projects that he or she supports.

You will contribute to providing strategic direction and management of the DRC Country Program’s (CP’s) programming complementing the Head of Programming’s efforts at ensuring the establishment and successful implementation of high-quality programs serving the poor and vulnerable. Your management and programming skills will ensure that the DRC CP delivers high-quality programming and continuously works towards improving the impact of its programming. Your focus will be on reinforcing program quality in grants management in terms of narrative reporting and budget management, working closely with project teams. With the HOP, MEAL Coordinator and MEAL team, you will also support project teams to ensure that data and learning is used in decision-making for ongoing programs and to ensure the quality of future program design. You will also support the CP’s partner capacity strengthening strategy and its activities targeted at strategic partners.

Roles and Key Responsibilities:

• Complement the Head of Programming in providing strategic direction for the design of CP strategic frameworks and plans, including resource mobilization strategies to optimize the impact of programming interventions in line with regional and agency strategic priorities.
• Lead where appropriate and contribute to high-quality project design incorporating project management standards and MEAL methods, appropriate to scope, context and technical requirements of projects. Coordinate planning of activities for particular projects to ensure integration of program interventions and efficiency in implementation.
• Effectively manage talent and supervise. Manage team dynamics and staff well-being. Provide coaching, strategically tailor individual development plans, and complete performance assessment for direct reports.
• Contribute to creating and maintaining the proper conditions for learning. Help establish a safe environment for the sharing of ideas, solutions, and difficulties and the capacity to detect, analyze and respond quickly to small deficiencies. Promote accountability, learning and knowledge management as part of the implementation of the MEAL policy.
• Coordinate with CP operations staff to ensure appropriate project budgeting and efficient use and stewardship of project material sources.
• Coordinate the identification, assessment and strengthening of appropriate partnerships and the appropriate application of partnership concepts, tools and approaches.
• Contribute where needed in the business development cycle to ensure quality proposals per agency and donor standards.
• Coordinate technical assistance and capacity strengthening for project teams and partners in project management standards and related MEAL, business development and operational activities. Help identify training opportunities, develop training curriculums and deliver trainings.

Basic Qualifications

• Master’s Degree in International Development, International Relations or relevant field.
• Minimum of 5 years work experience in a program management position with progressive responsibilities for an international NGO.
• Good experience in project grants management, including project design, budget preparation, expenditure tracking, monitoring and evaluation, reporting, etc., preferably for projects funded by multiple public donors, including USAID.
• Experience with successful business development activities capturing public and/or private donor funding.

Required Languages – English, French

Travel – Must be willing and able to travel up to 25 %.

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.
• Strong relations management abilities. Ability to relate to people at all levels internally and externally. Strategic in how you approach each relationship.
• Team leadership abilities
• Presentation and facilitation skills
• Proactive, resourceful, solutions oriented and results-oriented

Preferred Qualifications

• Excellent English writing skills.
• 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.
• Some experience and abilities in capacity strengthening – developing curricula and facilitating trainings.
• Experience using MS Office packages (Excel, Word, PowerPoint), Web Conferencing Applications, information and budget management systems, and knowledge sharing networks.

Supervisory Responsibilities: Program managers

Key Working Relationships:

Internal: Country Representative, Head of Programming, Deputy Country Representative for Operations, MEAL/ICT4D Coordinator and TAs for M&E, Learning, and ICT4D, Business Development Specialist, Gender, Protection, and Beneficiary Feedback Advisor, Finance Manager and Deputy Finance Manager for Grants and Compliance, Sub-office Operations Managers, Deputy Regional Director for Program Quality, Regional Technical Advisors, HQ based Public Donor Liaison.

External: Donors, partner INGOs and local NGOs, Caritas, and peer agencies.

Qualifications

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 is an Equal Opportunity Employer