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. 

For nearly 60 years, CRS has taken the lead in responding to natural and man-made disasters affecting Ethiopia's most vulnerable communities. Moving beyond emergency response, CRS' disaster mitigation and recovery projects in drought and flood-prone areas have rebuilt individual and community assets through non-food aid in the form of agriculture, livestock, health, nutrition, and water and sanitation assistance. CRS's humanitarian work in Ethiopia also provides livelihoods support to farmers and entrepreneurs, promotes gender equality, mobilizes for immunization and mitigates the impact of HIV.

As part of CRS family, you will join the more than 5000 strong and vibrant individuals working globally to accomplish the mission of CRS. CRS/Ethiopia invites you, the qualified candidate, to apply for the following position.  

Position Title: Program Manager II-MEAL

Department: Program

Duty Station: CRS Ethiopia/Addis Ababa

Required Number:  One

Employment Term: Indefinite Period

Reports To: DHoP-MEAL, Planning, and Systems

Application Deadline:  December 29, 2021

Job Summary:  

You will manage and provide technical oversight for MEAL in the development and implementation of the Country Program (CP) development and emergency programming, particularly for large and complex projects, ensuring effective MEAL systems and processes are in place that support high-quality programming advancing Catholic Relief Services’ (CRS) work in serving the poor and vulnerable. Your MEAL-related management skills and knowledge will ensure that the CP delivers high-quality programming and continuously works towards improving the impact of its programming.

Job Responsibilities

• Provide management, guidance, and technical oversight for MEAL in all new and existing projects within the CP development and emergency projects throughout the project cycle to ensure project design, start-up, implementation, and close-out are in line with CRS quality principles and standards and MEAL policies, procedures, and practices, donor MEAL guidelines, and industry best practices.
• Effectively manage talent for MEAL and supervise. Manage team dynamics and staff wellbeing. Provide coaching, strategically tailor individual development plans, and complete performance management for direct reports.
• Champion the development of program learning – identify opportunities for learning, research, and publications of various projects and implementation of MEAL policies. Facilitate the dissemination of promising practices and lessons learned to contribute to the agency knowledge management agenda. Promote the application of learning to improve program quality and to strengthen agency influence among external stakeholders. Ensure integration of MEAL-related innovations and best practices.
• Contribute to the proactive pursuit of opportunities for new funding to ensure growth of the CP program portfolio in line with the agency, regional, and CP strategic priorities. Serve as the MEAL technical lead and technical writer to ensure quality proposals in WASH, Health, AgNRM, Gender, and Emergency sectors per agency and donor standards. Provide guidance and technical oversight for the design of project and sectoral theories of change, results frameworks, and Proframes for the different sectors. Contribute to MEAL budgeting and staffing plans and activities for proposals.
• Provide management, guidance, and technical oversight for the development and implementation of high-quality MEAL systems and processes, including ICT4MEAL and the application of responsible data principles as per agency and donor requirements in the various program areas. Promoting MEAL policies and industry good practices, champion the analysis and use of project performance data in different Program Areas to inform decision-making and identify lessons learned. Facilitate connections between colleagues and peers to generate and share evidence-based learning.
• Provide management, guidance and technical oversight for project or program evaluation events and research in development and emergency program areas including the development of terms of reference or study protocols that include evaluation/learning questions, a balance of qualitative and quantitative methods, appropriate consideration of ethical and data protection standards, and the necessary technical rigor. Oversee the quality of evaluation data through good data management. Support the identification, recruitment, and management of external evaluators or research partners to ensure high quality evaluation, research, and learning.
• Oversee MEAL-related technical assistance and capacity strengthening activities in development and emergency program areas for staff and partner organizations to enhance program quality and impact.
• Oversee the identification, assessment and strengthening of partnerships relevant to MEAL in different program areas and the appropriate application of partnership concepts, tools, and approaches.
• Oversees timely and appropriate project MEAL expenditures in line with financial plans and efficient use and stewardship of project material sources.

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

Job Requirements

Typical Background, Experience & Requirements:

Education and Experience

• Master's Degree in International Development, International Relations or in the field of MEAL required. Additional experience may substitute for some education.
• Minimum of 8 years’ experience in relevant field-based project management experience required, with preferably at least 4-5 years of working in the area of MEAL.
• Experience in managing moderately complex projects preferably with an international NGO.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• MEAL skills and experience required.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with ability to make sound judgment and decisions and offer innovative solutions
• Good presentation and facilitation skills
• Strong relations management abilities; Ability to relate to people at all levels internally and externally; and Strategic in how you approach each relationship
• 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/BHA.
• Demonstrated ability to write high quality technical proposals.
• Experience engaging with partner organizations.
• Exposure to ICT4D/MEAL.
• Staff management experience and abilities that are conducive to a learning environment.
• Experience using SPSS, Power BI, MS Windows, and MS Office packages (Excel, Word, PowerPoint), Web Conferencing Applications, information management systems.

How to Apply

You should fill the application form through this link CLICK HERE and attach your up-to-date CV on/before the application deadline December 29, 2021

You will be contacted only if selected for written exam/interview. Phone solicitations will not be accepted. These job opportunities are open to Ethiopian nationals only.

CRS requires its staff to treat all people with dignity and respect and to actively prevent harassment, abuse, exploitation, and human trafficking. 

** Qualified women & persons with disability are highly encouraged to apply**