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:                        Program Manager I (Roving) - Commodity Risk and Compliance Monitoring

Band:                              IX

Required number:        One

Department:                 JEOP

Employment Term:      Indefinite- contingent upon funding of JEOP 2.0 project

Reports To:                   Deputy Chief of Party II - Operation and CRM

Country/Location:       CRS Ethiopia/Addis Ababa

Job Summary:

As a member of the JEOP team, you will manage the JEOP commodity risk and compliance monitoring unit in Tigray. You will facilitate achievement of JEOP program objectives by coordinating and reporting on commodity risk and compliance monitoring activities, providing operational and technical guidance and advice to the monitoring team, and implementing partners to advance CRS’ work in serving the poor and vulnerable. Your communication, coordination and management skills, and knowledge will ensure that risk and compliance monitoring activities apply best practices and constantly work towards improving impact of the JEOP program benefits to the participants. In liaison with CRS Field Office in Mekelle and the JEOP senior management team (SMT) in Addis, you will ensure day-to-day managerial support for the risk and compliance staff in Tigray. You will plan for and arrange team building activities to ensure team cohesion. 

Job Responsibilities:

Coordination and implementation of commodity management risk and compliance monitoring activities

• Coordinate and supervise activities of Tigray-based JEOP commodity risk and compliance monitoring unit. Directly supervise the Senior Project Officers (Commodity Risk Monitoring Team Leaders) and the Project Officers (Compliance monitors) to ensure they have necessary support produce quality results.

• Oversee and manage JEOP risk and compliance activities in Tigray to ensure effective implementation of the JEOP minimum standards.

• Coordinate the development of and review FDP monitoring plans by the monitoring teams and refines them into workable weekly and monthly plans based on JEOP food distribution rounds (cycles) and partner activity implementation schedules.

• Prepare and share weekly/monthly monitoring plans tied to food distribution rounds with consortium partners, and the JEOP Deputy Chief of Party in Addis.

• Ensure safety and security of the monitors by considering security issues in coordination with CRS Security Focal Point, Field Office Managers and JEOP Deputy Chief of Party prior to approving field monitoring travels.

• Liaise with Senior Project Officer for JEOP Operation, Mekelle Primary Distribution Point (PDP), and Field Office Management food dispatches and distribution monitoring.

• Oversee JEOP related commodity risk and compliance monitoring activities for the consortium partners per the agreements signed with each partner. Ensure JEOP monitors and consortium partner staff use the appropriate systems and tools in monitoring food dispatch and distribution and reporting.

• Develop monitoring plans, and ensure they are implemented based upon risk model developed through JEOP ICT4D system and other relevant monitoring and reporting tools.

• Ensure relationships with partners are managed professionally and respectfully by the monitors.

Consortium Capacity Support and Learning

• Provide input for and co-chair regular technical working group meetings with partners to discuss relevant commodity issues, discuss learning, share challenges, and ensure partner commodity management practices meets USAID/BHA regulations and JEOP minimum standards.

• Ensure that JEOP minimum standards for commodity management, GACAP (Generally Accepted Commodity Accounting Principles) and donor principles are adhered and implemented during risk monitoring data collection in the field and commodities handled in line with those standards.

• Champion learning with monitoring team and partners. Analyze and evaluate JEOP commodity risk monitoring data following commodity management minimum standard. Proactively identify issues and concerns and use participatory processes to overcome operational obstacles.

• Facilitate technical trainings covering logistics, commodity and distribution required for FDPs to meet JEOP minimum standards.

• Ensure that adequate control procedures are in place at FDPs to minimize risk of food commodity misappropriations.

• Collaborate closely with JEOP Operation and Program Quality teams in identification of corrective actions to bring commodity management in compliance with USAID/BHA regulations, JEOP minimum standard and other commodity management principles.

• Act as a key resource person in project design and proposal development, gap-filling and taking on growth responsibilities, as needed.

• Support the identification of staff capacity and technical assistance needs of partner organizations and capacity strengthening and required interventions to support quality project implementation.

• Help identify, assess, and strengthen partnerships relevant to food assistance and food security, applying appropriate application of partnership concepts, tools and approaches.

• Maintain contact with the relevant government entities and consortium partners, UN agencies and other humanitarian organizations.

Supervisory Responsibilities

• Directly supervises 2 Risk Monitoring Team Leaders and Project Officers for Compliance, coordinating their activities and ensuring that monitoring standards needed for electronic data collection (JEOP ICT4D data collection system through Commcare, PowerBI, smartphones and iPads etc.) are in place.

• Periodically travel to partners offices to inspect monitoring teams and visit partners’ FDPs;

• Oversee performance management of the risk and compliance Monitoring unit, including Team Leaders and Risk and Compliance Monitors; and

• Provide necessary capacity building opportunities to risk monitoring team leaders and Risk and compliance monitors, ensuring that they are abreast with CRS (CRS Warehouse Management and Commodity Handling Manual) and USAID regulations (Regulation 11) relating to commodity management and accountability and JEOP Minimum Standards for Commodity Management; and

• Train risk and compliance monitors on use of the JEOP commodity monitoring system and use of the risk model for monitoring activities.

• Manage team dynamics and staff well-being. Provide coaching, strategically tailor individual development plans, contribute to the recruitment process of project staff, and complete performance management for direct reports.

Job Requirements

Typical Background, Experience & Requirements:

Education and Experience

• Master’s degree in international development, International Relations, Management, Economics, and related fields required.

• Minimum of 5 years of relevant field-based experience in coordinating or managing light to moderately complex projects required, preferably with an international NGO.

• Additional experience may substitute for some education.

Personal Skills:

• Proven supervisory experience and ability to manage large teams.

• Knowledge of USAID/Title II rules and regulations.

• Excellent technical knowledge and experience in humanitarian food assistance programming and monitoring.

• Excellent organizational and prioritization skills and attention to details.

• High degree of initiative, integrity and accountability.

• Strong written and verbal communication skills with ability to write reports. Skill in report writing.

• Ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines.

• Skill in the use of computers and software related to the job.

• 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.

• Proactive, results-oriented, and service-oriented

Required/Desired Foreign Language: English, Tigrigna and or other major languages spoken in Ethiopia.

Travel Required: Involves extensive travel to partner activity sites up to 50% of time. 

Key Working Relationships:

Supervisory: Directly supervises Senior Project Officers in-charge of Commodity Management Risk Monitoring and Project Officers for compliance.

Internal: Works closely and in collaboration with Project Managers i/c risk and compliance monitoring, JEOP PQ team, and JEOP Operation unit, and Mekelle PDP/Logistics unit.

External: Working relationship with implementing partner and government stakeholders.

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

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: You should fill the application form through THIS LINK and attach your up-to-date CV on / before the application deadline June 3, 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**

CRS is an Equal Opportunity Employer