Junior Professional Program

This program is open to female applicants only.

As the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States, CRS carries out the commitment of the Bishops of the United States to assist the poor and vulnerable overseas. CRS works to save, protect, and transform lives in more than 100 countries, without regard to race, religion, or nationality. CRS’ relief and development work are accomplished through integrated programming in emergency response, health, agriculture/livelihoods, education, peacebuilding and more. We welcome as a part of our staff and as partners people of all faiths and secular traditions who share our values and our commitment to serving those in need.

Program Summary

The Junior Professionals Program (JPP) is a unique career-building opportunity for women who are passionate about relief and development work and have the skills, attitude, and approach to excel in positions with CRS. This structured and intentional field-based learning program is designed to prepare Junior Professionals for a range of rewarding positions with CRS.

Under the supervision of experienced staff, Junior Professionals actively support CRS’ relief and/or development projects while building foundational skills in programming and operations. During the 12-month program, Junior Professionals gain experience in project management (including monitoring and evaluation), project design and proposal development, partnership and capacity building, budget and resource management, supply chain, logistics, human resources and more. With this practical training and the support of strong mentors, graduates of the JPP are strong candidates for onward positions with CRS.

We are currently recruiting:

Title: Junior Professional

Location: Monrovia, Liberia.

Roles and Key Responsibilities:

Project Management

• Support implementation of current projects (e.g. participate in planning/review workshops, support development of capacity building/awareness raising materials)

• Support monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning activities (review/develop survey instruments, oversee the periodic collection of monitoring data, train data collectors, support evaluations, document lessons learned, etc).
• Support appropriate management of cash and in-kind resources (monitor/analyze spending on project budgets, prepare cash forecasts, participate in financial reporting to donors, study & support commodity management, etc).
• Support timely and accurate reporting (review/synthesize data to report on project indicators, draft/edit narrative reports in collaboration with CRS staff and partners, etc).

Project Design and Proposal Development

• Support research & analysis to inform project design (primary & secondary data collection, needs assessments, problem identification, stakeholder analysis, gender analysis, gap analysis, theory of change, etc).
• Support proposal development for CRS and partners (draft sections of technical narratives and budget, package/edit proposals for submission).

Partnership & Capacity Building

• Support CRS partners with activity planning & implementation, project design, monitoring, evaluation, accountability, and learning.
• Support partnership strengthening and capacity building (e.g. participate in partnership reflection workshops, partner assessments and monitoring visits).

Finance, Supply Chain, HR, Compliance

• Support strong financial management by analyzing budgets, monitoring & forecasting spending, and reviewing supporting documentation for financial transactions by CRS and sub-recipients.
• Support supply chain management by reviewing systems for delivery, storage and distribution of goods, assisting with inventory counts, data collection, analysis & verification.
• Support procurement by assisting with bid analysis and vendor selection, contracting, receipt and warehousing of goods.
• Support human resources by preparing job descriptions and reviewing applications/shortlisting candidates.
• Support audit and compliance by reviewing internal controls, and systems for fraud prevention, and studying CRS policies and donor regulations.
• Support security by reviewing security protocols and manuals and updating them as needed.

Basic Qualifications

• Master’s degree in a related field (e.g., Economic Development, Agriculture, Health, Business, Administration, Finance, Human Resources, Supply Chain)
• Received Master’s degree within 24 months of program start date (October 2024)
• At least six months of relevant work experience (e.g., internship, practicum, volunteer, or paid work)
• Citizen of Liberia
• Excels in a collaborative multicultural environment.
• Willingness to be based in field offices outside of the capital city during the JPP program year and after program completion.

Required Languages – English

Travel – Must be willing and able to travel up to 25 %.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Strong analytical, problem-solving and research skills
• Agile, proactive, resourceful, and results-oriented
• Strong presentation and facilitation skills

Agency-wide Competencies (for all CRS Staff)

These are rooted in the mission, values, and guiding principles of CRS and are used by each staff member to fulfil his or her responsibilities and achieve the desired results.

• Integrity
• Continuous Improvement & Innovation
• Builds Relationships
• Develops Talent
• Strategic Mindset
• Accountability & Stewardship

Key Working Relationships:

Internal: CRS Liberia staff members

External: CRS partner organizations

Applications:

Please send the following documents to LR_HR@crs.org by June 30, 2024, with the subject line “Junior Professional”

• Motivation Letter that addresses factors influencing sustainable development in Africa
• Current CV/Resume.
• Degree

Please complete the online form as soon as possible by clicking the link Junior Professional.

Strong candidates will be contacted in August for an in-person interview. We will extend the offer to the finalists in September 2024, after conducting background and reference checks. The 2024 Junior Professionals Program will begin in October.

We thank all applicants for their interest in this opportunity; however, if you don’t hear from us after two months of the vacancy deadline, kindly note that your application was not successful.

CRS follows an equal opportunity policy and actively encourages diversity welcoming applications from all especially women and people living with a disability.

By applying to this job, I understand and acknowledge that CRS requires its staff to treat all people with dignity and respect and to actively prevent harassment, abuse, exploitation, and human trafficking. Further, I understand that if I am a successful candidate, I will be subject to a comprehensive background check, and my personal/professional references will be asked to evaluate my behaviours related to the above safeguarding-related topics.

***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 skills, effort, duties, and responsibilities associated with the position.

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.