Job Description
About CRS: Catholic Relief Services (CRS) 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, 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.
Position: Senior Project Officer-Agriculture and Livelihood
Duty Station: CRS Ethiopia/Addis Ababa
Employment Term: Definite term (i.e. up to January 31, 2024)
Report to: Project Manager-Ethiopian Food Crisis Response Project
Application Deadline: February 24, 2023
Job Summary:
As a lead for the Ethiopian Food Crisis Response project team, you will facilitate the achievement of project objectives through coordinating and reporting on all project activities and providing technical guidance and advice to staff and implementing partner(s) advancing Catholic Relief Services’ (CRS) work serving the poor and vulnerable. Your coordination and relationship management skills will ensure that the project for which you are responsible applies best practices and constantly works towards improving the impact of its benefits to those we serve.
Job Responsibilities:
- Organize and lead the implementation of all assigned project activities as outlined in the detailed implementation plan in line with CRS program quality principles and standards, donor requirements, and good practices.
- Ensure learning properly accompanies project activities throughout the project cycle. Support accountability through coordinating project evaluation activities and guiding partners in their efforts to reflect on project experiences. Analyze implementation challenges and report any inconsistencies and/or gaps to inform adjustments to plans and implementation schedules.
- Coordinate and oversee working relationships with all local project stakeholders and serve as the liaison between them and the project team to mobilize local actors and promote project activities and impact.
- Coordinate and lead the overall project start up, implementation, monitoring, evaluation reporting and phase out strategy for the assigned projects in line with CRS program quality principles and standards, donor requirements, and good practices.
- Ensure beneficiary participation, accountability, and protection in designing and implementing project interventions.
- In coordination with implementing partners lead the process in developing project data collection and reporting formats.
- Coordinate and lead different project related lead assessments and studies.
- Conduct regular field visits and providing necessary technical support to implementing partner(s).
- Collate project data, analyze and write monthly project progress update and quarterly and annual reports per established reporting schedule.
- Support project manager in managing the project budget. Reviews advance requests and liquidation documents from partner(s) for accuracy and ascertain that project expenses are in line with approved budget line items and reflects implementation plan. Submit project liquidation and advance request documents to Finance for further processing and follow up advances and liquidation are processed. Review and prepare quarterly cash forecasts to meet spending needs of project. Ensures all financial resources managed as per donor and CRS regulations guidelines.
- Assist in establishing, strengthening, and maintaining partnership with implementing partner(s), government, private sector and NGOs.
- Monitor projects progresses through regular field visits, reports and discussion with partners and beneficiaries.
- Contribute to the development and documentation of best practices and their dissemination to a variety of internal and external audiences.
- Ensure that effective M&E and accountability mechanisms are in place and that relevant information, statistics and analysis are provided in a timely way for donor reports, situation reports, project proposals, case studies and communications.
- Collect information on staff capacity needs and technical assistance needs of partner organizations, assist partner(s) in conducting and facilitating trainings, and monitor capacity building and technical support activities to ensure effective impact.
- Support the development of training modules for the different training activities planned in the project.
- Supervise and perform ad-hoc inspections of various processes and resources at project sites to ensure timely project activities implementation and adherence to established process standards and procedures. Ensure proper tracking of resource use for project activities through periodic budget reviews and follow-up with and assistance to implementing partner.
- Support and coordinate capacity building and technical support activities to ensure assigned project activities are implemented per project guidelines and standards.
- Coordinate provision of any logistical and administrative support to staff and partners.
- Ensure project documentation for assigned activities is complete with all required documents and is filed per agency and donor requirements. Assist with preparation of trends analysis reports and documentation of case studies and promising practices
- Performs other related tasks given by line manager
Job Requirements
Typical Background, Experience & Requirements:
Education and Experience
- MSc/MA Degree in Natural Resources Management, agriculture, rural development, and related field of study
- Minimum of 5 years of work experience in project support, ideally in the field of Natural Resource Management, agriculture, rural development and for an NGO.
- Experience in monitoring projects and collecting relevant data and report writing
- Experience in managing project budget. Strong financial skills including budget development and management
- Ability to write reports and effectively present information
- Experience working with partners, participatory action planning and community engagement.
- Staff supervision experience is a plus.
- Experience using MS Windows and MS Office packages (Excel, Word, PowerPoint).
Personal Skills
- Analysis and problem-solving skills with ability to make sound judgment.
- Good relationship management skills and ability to work closely with local partners.
- Proactive, results and objective oriented, service-oriented with excellent planning, management & coordination skill
- Attention to details, accuracy, and timeliness in executing assigned responsibilities.
- Excellent writing skills in English
- Excellent communication skill and with good team player and facilitation skills
Required/Desired Foreign Language: Very good in English
Travel Required (include percentage of required travel, if applicable): Frequent travel to project implementation sites.
Key Working Relationships:
Supervisory: Ethiopian Food Crisis Response Project Manager
Internal: DHOP, Operation (HR, finance, admin, logistics), DCOPs, other PMs, MEAL PM, WASH, Health and Nutrition, SILC sectors
External: Partners, Ethiopian Forestry Development (EFD), Ministry of Agriculture, Regional Bureau of Agriculture, other relevant 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.
· Serves with Integrity
· Models Stewardship
· Cultivates Constructive Relationships
· Promotes Learning
Disclaimer: This job description is not an exhaustive list of the skill, effort, duties, and responsibilities associated with the position.
***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. CRS’ processes and policies reflect our commitment to protecting children and vulnerable adults from abuse and exploitation
You should fill the application form through the link, and attach your up-to-date CV on / before the application deadline February 24, 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 and Persons with Disabilities are highly encouraged to apply**
CRS is an Equal Opportunity Employer
