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 are accomplished through programs of emergency response, HIV, health, agriculture, education, microfinance, and peacebuilding.

Position Title:          Program Manager II –Agriculture and Livelihoods

Department:                Programing

Duty Station:                 CRS Ethiopia/Addis Ababa

Employment Term:       Indefinite term (contingent to program funding)

Reports To:                     Deputy Head of Programs - Program Quality

Application Deadline:   March 29, 2023

Job Summary:

You will manage and provide technical oversight of the development and implementation of the Country Program (CP) Agriculture & Livelihoods programming, particularly for large and complex projects, 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 Agriculture &Livelihoods programming.

Job Responsibilities:

• Provide management, guidance, and technical oversight of all new and existing projects within the CP Agriculture & Livelihoods program 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 Agriculture & Livelihoods 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 Agriculture & Livelihoods and implementation of MEAL policy. 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 Agriculture & Livelihoods program portfolio in line with agency, regional, and CP Agriculture & Livelihoods strategic priorities. Serve as the technical lead and technical writer to ensure quality proposals in Agriculture & Livelihoods per agency and donor standards. Contribute to budgeting and staffing plans and activities for proposals.

• Oversee technical assistance and capacity strengthening activities in Agriculture & Livelihoods for staff and partner organizations to enhance program quality and impact.

• Oversee the identification, assessment and strengthening of strategic partnerships relevant to Agriculture & Livelihoods 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.

• Review annual and quarterly implementation plans and ensure resources are properly planned and managed. Conduct periodic budget reviews and follow-up with partners on timely submission of financial reports to facilitate proper tracking of resource use.

• Monitor progress of Agriculture & Livelihoods projects through field visits, reviewing reports, meetings with partners and beneficiaries and provide feedback to partners. Coordinate/prepare quarter, annual, terminal reports.

• 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.

• Represent CRS in cluster meeting such as the DRM ATF.

Job Requirements

Education and Experience

• MSc/BSc Degree and above in agriculture, international development, natural resource management, climate change adaptation, food security and livelihood, and related field with 7 years' relevant experience for MSc or 10 years' relevant experience for BSc degree of which 4 years in managerial post.

• 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 and reports.

• Experience engaging with partner organizations.

• MEAL skills and experience

• 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.

Personal Skills

• 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

Required/Desired Foreign Language

Travel Required (include percentage of required travel, if applicable)

Key Working Relationships:

Supervisory: PM I, project managers, Land restoration TA, agriculture project officers

Internal: DHoPs, DCR-Programming, CR, DCR-Operation, COPs, DCOPs, other PMs, MEAL PM

External:  Partners, Ministry of Agriculture, Regional Bureau of Agriculture, USAID/BHA, HCT

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.

• Trusting Relationships 

• Professional Growth 

• Partnership 

• Accountability 

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: CLICK HERE and attach your up-to-date CV on/before the application deadline March 29, 2023.

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**