Project Officer Sr – Homes and Communities ( Malawi Nationals only) at Catholic Relief Services

About CRSCatholic 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.

Job Summary:

As a lead for the Homes and Communities Strategic Change platform, you will facilitate the achievement of project objectives through managing, coordinating and monitoring of all project activities and providing technical guidance and advice to staff and implementing partners advancing Catholic Relief Services’ (CRS) work serving the poor and vulnerable. Your project management skills and knowledge of the program area will ensure that the CP delivers high-quality programming and continuously works towards improving the impact of this project.

Roles and Key Responsibilities:

• You will lead technical, budget management, monitoring and reporting activities through most of the project cycle – start-up, implementation and close-out – in line with CRS program quality principles and standards, donor requirements, and good practices.
• Effectively manage talent and supervise. 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.
• Ensure learning properly accompanies project activities throughout the project cycle. Support accountability through coordinating project evaluation activities following MEAL Policy. Proactively identify issues, report them to inform adjustments to plans and implementation schedules.
• Engage and strengthen partnerships relevant to Homes and Communities applying appropriate application of partnership concepts, tools and approaches.
• Represent the organization with donors, INGO working groups, UN, relevant local partners and relevant local government and community actors for Homes and Communities Project
• Coordinate activities required for ensuring the financial, material and human resources for the quality implementation of the project. Conduct periodic budget reviews and follow-up with partners on timely submission of financial reports to facilitate proper tracking of resource use.
• Identify staff capacity needs and technical assistance needs of partner organizations and contribute to capacity strengthening and required interventions to support quality project implementation.
• Assist with preparation of trends analysis reports and disseminate results. Review project documentation to ensure project file is complete with all required documentation and is filed per agency and donor requirements.

Basic Qualifications

• BSc. Degree in business administration, project management, engineering, or related fields. Those with master’s degree in Business Administration or related field will have an added advantage.
• Minimum of 5 years of work experience at project management level, ideally in the field of non-agriculture markets development, shelter and WASH.
• Previous experience working with an NGO
• Research and program piloting experience is a plus.
• Malawian Nationals only

Professional experience

• Relevant grant management experience, especially for USG or other public donors, a plus.
• Staff supervision experience.
• Experience working with stakeholders at various levels and strengthening community partnerships.
• Ability to contribute to the development of technical proposals, a plus.
• Experience analyzing data and contributing to evaluation reports.
• Experience using MS Windows and MS Office packages (Excel, Word, PowerPoint), Web Conferencing Applications, information management systems.

Required Languages – Proficiency in English and Chichewa

Travel – Must be willing and able to travel up to 50% to rural areas.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Critical thinking and creative problem-solving skills with ability to make sound judgment.
• Strong relationship management skills and the ability to work effectively with local stakeholders. Representation abilities.
• Ability to write comprehensive reports
• Proactive, results-oriented, and service-oriented
• Attention to details, accuracy and timeliness in executing assigned responsibilities

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 & Stewardshi

Supervisory Responsibilities:

• No direct supervisory responsibilities are assigned
• He/ She will be able to co-supervise Humanitarian Technical staff and sector Administration staff

Working Relationships:

Supervisory: Humanitarian Development unit Program Manager

Internal: Humanitarian staff, PSE officer, Cash and Markets officer; finance and admin staff

External: Partner staff; peer agencies/ Shelter TWG cluster coordination

***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.

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

Note:  All positions requiring residence or frequent travel outside their home country must undergo and clear a pre-employment medical examination.

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)

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.

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