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 equality and inclusion, and mitigates the impact of COVID-19.

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.

Job Title:               Technical Advisor II – Environment and Climate Change

Band:                 X

Required number:      One

Employment Term:     Definite Term i.e from July 1, 2022 -September 07, 2026

Reports To:            Deputy Chief of Party

Department:           Programming – Resilience Food Security Activity (RFSA)

Country/Location:       CRS Ethiopia/Addis Ababa

Job Summary: 

You will provide technical advice, guidance, and support to a range of program design and implementation issues with a focus on the environment and climate change within a USAID funded five-year Resilience Food Security Activity (RFSA) in line with Catholic Relief Services (CRS) program quality principles and standards, USAID-BHA guidelines, and industry best practices to advance the delivery of high-quality programming to the poor and vulnerable. Your technical knowledge, advice and guidance will contribute to determining how effective, adaptive, and innovative CRS’ RFSA programming is within Ethiopia and also across the globe. You will work closely with all RFSA staff to ensure collaboration and learning with other activities in the implementation area. Additionally, you will improve peer-to-peer learning, knowledge sharing and application, activity-based capacity strengthening, and evidence and data utilization. You will also ensure appropriate and continued coordination and joint planning with other USAID and other donor activities (specifically the USAID food security and resilience portfolio), and GoE initiatives.

Job Responsibilities:

• Support the development of and contribute to the implementation of agency-wide strategies, standards, tools and best practices in the area of environment, climate change and natural resource management (NRM) that effectively engage partners, donors, and Government of Ethiopia. Help ensure a cross-sectoral approach integrating gender, youth protection mainstreaming, and disaster risk reduction.
• Provide technical solutions to the implementation of environment, NRM and climate change activities within the resilience food security program (RFSA), for strategic planning and how to best apply program design and implementation standards, best practices, partnership principles, tools, and monitoring and evaluation, ensuring high-quality implementation.
• Ensure that all program activities comply with Ethiopian environmental regulations and USAID environmental requirements including but not limited to 22 CFR 216 (Reg. 216).
• Develop environmental, NRM and climate change documentations (plans, tools and reports) for the program (RFSA) including an initial environmental examination (IEE), Environmental Mitigation and Monitoring Plan (EMMP), Climate Risk Management (CRM), pesticide evaluation report and safer use action plans (PERSUAPs), and water quality assurance plan (WQAP) and follow up the implementation of these documents.
• Ensure that data and experiential learning with a focus on adult needs are consistently applied throughout the activity life cycle. Use evidence, activity data, and active learning to better examine the functions, role and nuance of formal and informal institutions and social dynamics.
• Establish and manage dynamic feedback systems to capture experiential learning and unintended consequences,
• Foster collaboration across systems, initiatives, teams or organizations.
• Establish and maintain relationships with donors, peer organizations, research and other institutions. Ensure appropriate and continued coordination and joint-planning with other USAID and other donor activities (specifically the USAID food security and resilience portfolio), host-government initiatives, and private sector engagement in the area of environment, climate change and NRM to collect and share best practices and promote CRS’ work.
• Ensure robust partner engagement and consultative processes with communities, local government, civil society, other donor funded projects, local researchers and academics.
• Contribute to capacity strengthening of project staff and partners through helping develop learning and training strategies and agendas/curriculums, conducting trainings and workshops, and mentoring and coaching to CP staff.

Job Requirements

Typical Background, Experience & Requirements:

Education and Experience 

• An advanced degree (PhD or Master’s) in environment management, climate change, natural resource management plus a minimum of three years relevant work experience or a bachelor’s degree and a minimum of five years relevant experience is required. Two years of relevant experience can substitute for a master’s degree.
• Knowledge of technical principles and concepts in environment compliance, environmental monitoring, climate change, NRM, integrated Pesticide management (IPM), sustainable development or related sectors. General knowledge of other related disciplines to ensure proper cross-sectoral approach.
• Demonstrated application of technical principles and concepts in facilitating learning and knowledge sharing processes; establishing and managing dynamic feedback systems to capture experiential learning and unintended consequences.
• Experience and skills in networking and relations with large donors such as USAID/BHA, USAID/FTF preferred as well as peer organizations, faith-based and civil society partners.
• Experience in developing environmental documentations including IEE, EMMP, CRM, PERSUAP, EIA and water quality assurance plan (WQAP) following USAID environmental procedure
• Experience in leading and coordinating the development of integrated watershed management plan based on the national relevant guidelines
• Previous experience in coordinating and leading the implementation of natural resources management
• Previous experience providing technical assistance and developing successful proposals for external donor funding is required.
• Skills in analyzing, interpreting, and communicating information to a wide range or stakeholders, including producing publications and organizing public events.
• Experience in mentoring, coaching, facilitation, and training applying adult learning principles and practices.
• Experience with program monitoring and evaluation, including developing and applying data collection tools and methodologies, data analysis, and data presentation, and oversight of researchers or evaluators.
• Proficient in MS Office packages (Excel, Word, PowerPoint), Web Conferencing Applications, information and budget management, knowledge-sharing networks.

Personal Skills

• 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
• Strong presentation, facilitation, training, mentoring, and coaching skills
• Excellent relationship management skills with ability to influence and get buy-in from people not under direct supervision and to work with individuals in diverse geographical and cultural settings.
• Strong strategic, analytical, problem-solving and systems thinking skills with capacity to see the big picture and ability to make sound judgment

Required/Desired Foreign Language: English

Travel – 30% field travel required

Key Working Relationships:

Supervisory: Field based Climate Change and Environment Officers

Internal: CoP, DCoPs Programming and Youth/Gender, DCoP MEAL, RFSA Sector Leads (PMs and TAs)

External: Implementing partner organizations, Government staff managing respective Environment and Climate Change issues, other organizations working in environment and climate change.

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 

Competencies Relevant for the Specific Position (include those that are applicable):

• Will be included upon finalization of the Competency-Based Management project

Disclaimer: This job description is not an exhaustive list of the skill, effort, duties, and responsibilities associated with the position.  

How to Apply

You should fill the application form through this link: https://form.jotform.com/221584122036548 and attach your up-to-date CV on / before the application deadline June 18, 2022. 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 are highly encouraged to apply**

CRS is an Equal Opportunity Employer