Program Manager I – Food Security and Nutrition, Myanmar

JOB DESCRIPTION

Job Title: Program Manager I – Food Security and Nutrition, MyanmarReports to: Deputy Head of Programming

Department: ProgramsSalary Grade: 9

Location: Yangon, Myanmar

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 Myanmar for more than a decade in partnership with Karuna Mission Social Solidarity (KMSS, or Caritas Myanmar), serving vulnerable populations with agriculture, nutrition, and water and sanitation programming. CRS supports KMSS emergency response programming to conflict-related and natural disasters across the country. CRS has worked in partnership with the multi-donor Livelihoods and Food Security Fund (LIFT) since 2015 in Chin State. In 2023, CRS is launching the multi-year USAID-funded Cultivating Rural Opportunities for Productivity Strengthening (CROPS) project to support smallholder farmers to sustain and increase the production and marketing of key food security crops.

Job Summary:

You will provide guidance and support during program design and implementation across food security and nutrition programming, with a focus on ensuring strong program quality in line with CRS principles and standards, donor guidelines, and industry best practices. Your management skills and knowledge will ensure that the CP delivers high-quality programming and continuously works towards improving the impact of its programming. You will contribute to effective monitoring, evaluation, accountability, and learning (MEAL) processes for programs to ensure that outcomes and impact are measured and reported. You will contribute to program growth by leveraging food security and nutrition programs to pursue new funding opportunities, and making significant contributions to proposal development.

Roles and Key Responsibilities:

• Provide program quality guidance and management support throughout relevant project cycles – project design, start-up, implementation and close-out – to ensure efficient and effective implementation in line with CRS program quality principles and standards, donor requirements, and good practices. Ensure project team and partner staff use the appropriate systems and tools. Ensure high-quality, evidence-based donor reporting.
• Effectively manage talent and supervise. Manage team dynamics and staff well-being. Provide coaching, strategically tailor individual development plans, contribute to the recruitment process of project staff, and complete performance management for direct reports.
• Champion learning with project staff and partner teams. Analyze and evaluate project performance data following MEAL policy. Proactively identify issues and concerns and use participatory processes to overcome implementation obstacles.
• Act as a key resource person in project design and proposal development in respective programming area, gap-filling and taking on growth responsibilities, as needed. Support proposal coordination and contribute technical and non-technical writing to proposal applications.
• Leveraging existing programs, contribute to the proactive pursuit of opportunities for new funding to ensure growth of the CP programming portfolio in line with agency, regional, and CP strategic priorities.
• Coordinate the identification of staff capacity and technical assistance needs of KMSS and other partner organizations and capacity strengthening and required interventions to support quality project implementation.
• Help identify, assess and strengthen partnerships relevant to food security and nutrition programming, applying appropriate application of partnership concepts, tools and approaches.
• Coordinate and monitor financial and material resources relevant to project needs. Through planning and oversight ensure efficient use of project resources.
• Act as surge support during project start-up and/or close-out processes, providing technical assistance and general PQ guidance, as needed.

Required Languages – Fluent English required. Proficiency in Burmese preferred.

Travel – Must be willing and able to travel up to 25% to project sites in Myanmar and occasional regional travel. Travel in Myanmar is contingent on security considerations and travel authorizations.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

MEAL Officer (1). Additional supervisory responsibilities within the food security and nutrition programming may be assigned as needed.

Key Working Relationships:

Internal:Head of Programming, Deputy Head of Programming CROPS Chief of Party, CROPS Deputy Chief of Party, Program Managers, MEAL Manager, Regional Technical Advisers, Country Manager, Head of Operations, Operations team

External:KMSS Program and Project Coordinators at the national and diocesan level, private sector actors in relevant programming sectors, peer agencies (NGO and UN)

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Strong critical thinking and creative problem-solving skills with ability to make sound judgment.
• Strong relationship management skills and the ability to work effectively with culturally diverse groups.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with ability to write reports
• Proactive, results-oriented, and service-oriented

Preferred Qualifications:

• Project management experience in agriculture, food security, and/or nutrition is highly desirable.
• Experience engaging with partner organizations.
• Experience contributing to the development of technical proposals.
• MEAL skills and experience preferred.
• Prior working experience in Myanmar a plus.
• Experience using MS Windows and MS Office packages (Excel, Word, PowerPoint), Web Conferencing Applications, information management systems.

QUALIFICATIONS

Basic Qualifications:

• Master’s Degree in International Development, International Relations, Agriculture, or Nutrition required. Additional experience may substitute for some education.
• Minimum of 2 years of relevant field-based experience in coordinating or managing light to moderately complex projects required, preferably with an international NGO.
• Additional experience may substitute for some education.

Agency REDI Competencies (for all CRS Staff):

Agency competencies clarify expected behaviors and attitudes for all staff. When demonstrated, they create an engaging workplace, help staff achieve their best, and help CRS achieve agency goals. 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 – Consistently takes responsibility for one’s own actions.
• Acts with Integrity – Consistently models values aligned with CRS Guiding Principles and mission. Is considered honest.
• Builds and Maintains Trust – Shows consistency between words and actions.
• Collaborates with Others – Works effectively in intercultural and diverse teams.
• Open to Learn – Seeks out experiences that may change perspective or provide an opportunity to learn new things.

Agency Leadership Competencies:

• Lead Change – Continually looks for ways to improve the agency through a culture of agility, openness, and innovation.
• Develops and Recognizes Others – Builds the capacity of staff to reach their full potential and enhance team and agency performance.
• Strategic Mindset – Understands role in translating, communicating, and implementing agency strategy and team priorities.

***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