Catholic Relief Services
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.
CRS has been working in the Central African Republic (CAR) since 1999. CRS supports programs in social cohesion, community-based early warning systems, peacebuilding, reconciliation, food security, agricultural recovery, and livelihood support. Building on current and recent experience, and in response to continued inter- and intro-community violence (for example between agriculturalists and pastoralists, and IDPs and residents), the country program continues to prioritize mainstreaming social cohesion and conflict mitigation programming throughout all sectors.
Job Summary:
The I Londo I Mai (“rise up and grow together” in Sango language) is a proposed 36-month project that seeks to provide integrated interventions in agriculture (crop and livestock), non-farm livelihoods, disaster risk reduction, food security and market recovery in communities approaching recovery and resilience. Over the course of the project, CRS with its implementing partner, NGO All for Peace and Dignity (APADE), will strengthen adaptive and absorptive capacities, and in particular economic resilience, of targeted households. The project will provide households with skills, resources, and opportunities to increase their agricultural income, diversify household assets and reduce their dependency on humanitarian assistance. An estimated 15,810 individuals will be reached across the sub-prefectures of Bouar, Bossemtélé and Bozoum.
You will manage and provide technical oversight of the development and implementation of I Londo I Mai programming, ensuring effective systems and processes are in place that support high-quality programming advancing Catholic Relief Services’ (CRS) work in serving the poor and vulnerable. Your management skills and knowledge will ensure that the CP delivers high-quality programming and continuously works towards improving the impact of its emergency and humanitarian response programming.
Responsibilities
Roles and Key Responsibilities:
- Provide management, guidance, and technical oversight of all I Londo I Mai activities throughout the project cycle to ensure project design, start-up, implementation and close-out are in line with CRS quality principles and standards, donor guidelines, and industry best practices.
- Effectively manage talent for I Londo I Mai program staff and supervise. Manage team dynamics and staff well-being. Provide coaching, strategically tailor individual development plans, and complete performance management for direct reports.
- Lead the development of program learning – identify opportunities for learning, research and publications in the area of humanitarian assistance, specifically food assistance and shelter, and implementation of MEAL policies. Facilitate the dissemination of promising practices and lessons learned to contribute to the agency knowledge management agenda. Ensure integration of innovations and best practices.
- Contribute to the proactive pursuit of opportunities for new funding to ensure growth of the CP development and humanitarian response portfolios in line with agency, regional, and CAR CP strategic priorities. Serve as the technical lead and technical writer to ensure quality proposals per agency and donor standards. Contribute to budgeting and staffing plans and activities for proposals.
- Oversee technical assistance and capacity strengthening activities in the domains of agriculture (crop and livestock), food assistance, savings and credit schemes, and conflict management.
- Oversee the identification, assessment and strengthening of I Londo I Mai and CP partnerships relevant to development and humanitarian responses, and the appropriate application of partnership concepts, tools and approaches.
- Ensure timely and appropriate project expenditures in line with financial plans and efficient use and stewardship of project material sources.
Qualifications
Basic Qualifications
- Master’s Degree in International Development, International Relations or in the field of humanitarian response required. Additional experience may substitute for some education.
- Minimum of 5 years’ experience in relevant field-based project management experience required, with preferably at least 2-3 years working in the area of food assistance and/or agriculture.
- Experience in managing moderately complex projects preferably with an international NGO.
Required Languages– Fluency in French required. Professional proficiency in English strongly desired.
Travel– This position will be based in Bouar and will require regular travel to remote field sites as well as the capital, Bangui. Must be willing and able to travel up to 30%.
Supervisory Responsibilities: Anticipated supervisory responsibilities include Senior Project Officers (3), and project Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) staff (1), project Finance and Administrative staff (2).
Key Working Relationships:
Internal : Country Manager, Head of Programs, CP Operations and Finance Staff, CP Technical Advisor for Gender, Protection and Safeguarding, CP MEAL Coordinator and other CP programming staff
External : I Londo I Mai partner staff, UN coordination meetings, local community and religious leaders
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with ability to make sound judgment and decisions and offer innovative solutions
- Strong relations management abilities. Ability to relate to people at all levels internally and externally. Strategic in how you approach each relationship.
- Good presentation and facilitation skills
- Proactive, resourceful, solutions-oriented and results-oriented
Preferred Qualifications
- Good experience in project grants management, including project design, preferably for grants from multiple public donors, including USAID.
- Demonstrated ability to write high quality technical proposals.
- Experience engaging with partner organizations
- MEAL skills and experience required.
- Staff management experience and abilities that are conducive to a learning environment.
- Experience using MS Windows and MS Office packages (Excel, Word, PowerPoint), Web Conferencing Applications, information 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
***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 and 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