Director, Learning and Impact

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 Learning & Impact Director will manage and advance the strategic and divisional objectives of Mission and Mobilization (M2) to build to scale a movement of millions in the Unites States and thereby to increase the Church’s influence in achieving the mission of Catholic Relief Services (CRS). The Director’s strategic leadership will advance CRS’ reputation and impact through advocacy and fundraising throughout the United States by build ing and championing a robust process for monitoring, evaluation, and learning across the department to ensure that the department’s efforts are aligned and support the M2 strategy to build, activate, grow, retain, and develop a network of campaign supporters, chapters, clubs, and cadre of most highly engaged partner and volunteer leaders.

Roles and Key Responsibilities:

• Lead the establishment of Cross-Functional Teams (CFTs) focused on departmental goals and comprised of key stakeholders from within the department, across M2, and if applicable, the organization. Ensure that CFTs function as desired to improve coordination, efficiency, innovation through focused collaboration and use data and analysis to apply learning that is incorporated throughout our divisional plans, tactics, and tools.
• Lead and direct strategic research, analysis, learning and adaptation within our strategy to acquire large scale campaign supporters and successfully acquire diverse volunteer leaders who are deeply committed to the mission of CRS.
• Lead the departmental progress planning, analysis and review and inform departmental and divisional annual planning processes rooted in and resulting from ongoing analysis and learning.
• Champion the vision, mission and strategy of Mission and Mobilization. Lead the design of medium and long-term goals within the Learning & Impact Team in adherence to M2 strategic objectives, goals, KPIs and other operational metrics. Ensure that the Learning and Impact Team’s objectives are in alignment with the M2 strategy.
• Critical member of the department’s leadership team. Plays an active role to build trust within and between the team and its members, engages in vigorous debates about ideas as part of the team, commits to decisions and plans of action of the team, holds members of the leadership team accountable for delivering against those plans, and focuses on delivery on the achievement of collective results.
• Ensure that all activities meet and exceed divisional expectations and are implemented for maximum impact and reach. Ensure that M2 quality standards are adhered to per M2-specific MEAL processes.
• Effectively manage direct reports and supervise. Manage team dynamics and staff well-being. Provide coaching and mentoring for staff. Strategically tailor individual development plans and complete performance assessments. Oversee overall staffing plans for the unit and the recruitment process of vacant positions when applicable.
• Ensure Leadership & Impact Team members understand, adhere to, and comply with applicable CRS staff policies.
• Promote, uphold, and model a commitment to the efficient use of agency resources. Oversee departmental expenditures related to this team’s activities and participate in departmental annual budgeting and annual planning processes.
• 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 among the team, application of M2-specific MEAL policies, processes, and operational norms, as well as cross-department learning and cross-divisional learning.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience. Master’s degree in Non-Profit Management or equivalent preferred.
• 10 years senior management experience or the equivalent combination of education and experience.

Required Languages English.

Travel – Occasional domestic and international travel as needed.

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 relationship management abilities. Ability to relate to people at all levels. 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

• Demonstrated experience overseeing plans for continuous improvement for large teams, including reviewing and analyzing performance of various business outputs and developing and identifying best practices and other improvement practices.
• Experience with Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) systems and processes appropriate for the U.S. non-profit and public policy campaigning and advocacy context.
• Experience leading Cross-Functional Teams or equivalent without direct supervisory responsibility.
• Staff management experience and abilities that are conducive to a learning environment. Experience coaching and mentoring staff at all levels.
• Ability to represent the agency at high levels.
• Experience in MS Office package (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Visio), Web Conferencing Applications, Salesforce, and other relevant information and budget management systems.

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

Supervisory Responsibilities: Two (2) Advisor positions and one (1) Coordinator II positions

Key Working Relationships:

Internal: All units within the department, all M2 divisions, particularly S & O. Marketing & Communications and Charitable Giving as it relates to identification and application of best practices, sharing data and research and

External: Partners, constituents and other supporters across all levels of engagement and audience segments for end user surveying purposes.

***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 a nd policies reflect our commitment to protecting children and vulnerable adults from abuse and exploitation.

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

CRS’ talent acquisition procedures reflect our commitment to protecting children and vulnerable adults from abuse and exploitation.

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.