Country: Ethiopia

Organization: Catholic Relief Services

Closing date: 25 Nov 2022

*Anticipated start date July 2023

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/Ethiopia is the lead agency of USAID's Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance emergency food aid program, Joint Emergency Operation (JEOP), to address acute food security shocks in Ethiopia. The JEOP is national emergency food distribution program targeting transitory or acute food insecure households in 80+ USAID approved woredas through a project participant targeting process led by the Government of Ethiopia’s (GOE) National Disaster Risk Management Commission (NDRMC). On average, the JEOP serves as a food pipeline for up to 33% of the emergency-affected parts of Ethiopia with a large consortium of national and international INGO implementing partners. The JEOP operational area covers the highlands of eastern Tigray and Amhara regions to the North, as well as the eastern highlands and lowlands of eastern Oromia Region, with additional locations in the lowland Rift Valley of central Oromia Region and eastern Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples Region (SNNPR). The JEOP budget is projected to average $200-300m annually over the next 5 years period (2022-2027).

Job Summary

Chief of Party Sr is to lead program/project vision, team, and platform forward. Chief of Party Sr will provide overall leadership and managerial oversight for the program/project and is responsible for ensuring timely, successful project implementation, oversight and reporting of activities, sound resource mobilization strategies, and all project deliverables. Working closely with the community of practice consortium, staff, partner organizations, and key stakeholders. Chief of Party Sr will also ensure the administrative and financial integrity of the project. Provide high-level donor and stakeholder representation and is responsible for overall consortium management and member relationships.

Roles and Key Responsibilities

• Lead all aspects of the development, implementation and consolidation of the JEOP project, including sharing how the project contributes to the thought leadership of the industry. Serve as the primary point of contact to USAID as well as public, private and non-government stakeholders.

• Ensure the project is designed and implemented to meet donor expectations in terms of timely and quality results and budget, including strategies for phase out and sustainability. Ensure coordination between program and operations leads. Ensure the CRS program quality standards are adhered to per MEAL policy and procedures.

• Effectively manage senior programming and operations talent. Manage team dynamics and staff well-being. Provide coaching and mentoring. Strategically tailor individual development plans and complete performance assessments for direct reports. Oversee the development of staffing plans and the recruitment process of senior staff.

• Manage and mitigate risk through monitoring national and regional issues that may impact staff and programming. Ensure all staff understand and adhere to CRS staff safety and security policies and plans and ensure the updating of such plans.

• Promote, uphold and model a commitment to the efficient use of agency and donor resources. Ensure compliance with USAID grants, including financial tracking and oversight of partner budgets, finance, administration and reporting to USAID. Approve program expenditures, budget adjustments, and cost modification requests to donors.

• Represent CRS programming in international circles, highlighting innovative work. Publish program results and deliver presentations. Oversee the development of communication strategies and materials, complying with donor and CRS’ branding and marketing requirements and procedures.

• Manage relationships with consortium partner organizations, including organization of review/planning workshops. Coordinate the roles and activities of staff from other consortium member organizations in implementation in line with CRS partnership principles.

• 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. Identify performance gaps and training opportunities for CRS and partner staff and ensure the design and delivery of high-quality training and technical assistance.

• Promote safeguarding across the national JEOP consortium. Ensure quality implementation of CRS safeguarding policy and principles across both operations and programs. With support from technical advisors, ensure capacity building efforts and technical guidance to CRS staff and partners, in line with CRS principles and standards, donor guidelines, and industry best practices.

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 relations management abilities. Ability to relate to people at all levels internally and externally. 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

• Established leader in sector as demonstrated by peer reviewed publications, conference presentations etc.

• Demonstrated experience of successful program management, including management of complex, high-value, multi-activity projects, with complicated logistics.

• Experience engaging partners and strengthening partnerships. Knowledge of CRS partnership strategy a plus.

• Ability to represent and present at high levels.

• Experience in MS Office package (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Visio), Web Conferencing Applications, and information and budget management systems.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

Deputy Chief of Party for Program Quality, Deputy Chief of Party for Compliance & Capacity Strengthening, and Deputy Chief of Party for Operations.

Key Working Relationships:

Internal: CRS Ethiopia Country Representative & senior management team, EARO Regional Director/Deputy Regional Directors/TAs, HQ IDEA, PIQA and MARCOM staff.

External: USAID/BHA Ethiopia and DC, US State Department Ethiopia, US Ambassador to Ethiopia, Consortium Member Staff & associated Country Directors, Government of Ethiopia counterparts at regional & federal levels, UN Agencies.

Qualifications

Basic Qualifications

• Master’s degree in International Development, International Relations or a relevant technical area. PhD preferred.

• Minimum 15 years of senior-level experience creating, leading, and managing large programs or platforms internationally

• Minimum 8 years of experience in consortium management on large, multi-sectoral programs, particularly in the areas of emergency, relief food/cash aid, nutrition, or food security environments.

• Minimum 7 years’ experience managing donor funds, including multi country or large scale grants. Excellent knowledge and experience in budget management, particularly, adhering and complying to CRS and USAID sub-granting mechanisms

• Minimum 5 years of staff management experience and abilities that are conducive to a learning environment. Experience coaching and mentoring senior program staff.

• Ability to think strategically and deliver results

• Excellent public relations and communications skills, both internally and externally

• Experience working with Catholic and other faith-based communities and institutions in the U.S. and overseas

• Ability to travel internationally and domestically

• Excellent English language oral and written communication skills

• Fluency in English required, with fluency in either Spanish or French preferred

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 safeguarding the rights and dignity of all people – especially children and vulnerable adults – to live free from abuse and harm.

EOE/M/F/D/V - CRS is an Equal Opportunity Employer. (For all US and International positions)

About the Team

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

How to apply

CLICK HERE