Strategic Learning Lead – Girma (RFSA) Program, Niger

JOB DESCRIPTION Job Title: Strategic Learning Lead – Girma (RFSA) Program, Niger Reports to: Chief of Party Department: Program Salary Grade: 10

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 Strategic Learning Lead (SLL) will promote a culture of coordination, collaboration and continuous learning across all activities in the Girma program, the USAID/BHA funded Resilience and Food Security Activity (RFSA) implemented by CRS in Niger. The SLL will work closely with the Food Security Technical Coordinator and Monitoring and Evaluation Lead to include active, intentional, and adaptive learning exercises within and across its multi-sectoral activities and to improve peer-to-peer learning, knowledge sharing and application, activity-based capacity strengthening, evidence and data utilization, and collaborating, learning, and adapting (CLA).

RESPONSIBILITIES

Roles and Key Responsibilities:

• Organize and implement an appropriate system that captures, analyzes, exploits and disseminates learning elements useful for the RFSA program.
• Take the lead in collecting best practices and lessons learned on CRS’ achievements and organize relevant reviews of program activities on the team level.
• Leverage lessons learned, best practices, program data, evaluations, and other information to generate donor communication pieces, proposal annexes, success stories, case studies and other high-quality, results-based documentation.
• Promote an evidence-based results approach for disseminating best practices.
• Ensure robust stakeholder coordination by activity staff with local partners, USG, host country government, international donors, multilateral organizations and private sector investments.
• Contribute to the capacity building efforts of project staff, in consultation with the HR department.
• Provide mentoring to CRS and partner RFSA staff to increase capacity and to achieve annual performance and development plans.
• Work with MEAL and IT staff to maximize the value and utility of ICT4D in MEAL initiatives.

QUALIFICATIONS

Basic Qualifications

• Master’s Degree in International Development, International Relations or in the field of Monitoring and Evaluation, or Statistics 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 MEAL,
• Experience in managing MEAL for moderately complex projects preferably with an international NGO.

Required Languages – French and English fluency, including excellent oral and written skills, required.

Travel – Must be willing and able to travel up to 50 %.

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
• 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 REDI Competencies (for all CRS Staff):

• 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.

Supervisory Responsibilities: Project MEAL staff

Key Working Relationships:

Internal: Program team, Head of Programs, MEAL Coordinator, Finance Manager, Deputy Regional Director for Program Quality, Regional Technical Advisors, HQ based Project Support teams

External: Partner MEAL staff; M&E USAID BHA, Other USAID Implementing Partner staff

***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 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 prioritizes candidates who are citizens/ permanent residents of the countries where we have CRS offices.

CRS is an Equal Opportunity Employer