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.

Catholic Relief Services has been working in Liberia since 1957 with a current programmatic focus targeting health, nutrition, peacebuilding, and agriculture. CRS Liberia is beginning implementation as Principal Recipient (PR) of a 12-month Malaria and Resilient and Sustainable Systems for Health (RSSH) Grant funded by the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria (Global Fund). CRS will draw on the agency’s global malaria, health systems strengthening and Global Fund expertise to oversee and strengthen vector control, malaria case management, prevention of malaria in pregnancy, health product management systems, health management information systems, and M&E, human resources for health (including community health workers), and overall program management.

About the Project
With funding from the CRS Advancing Local Leadership in the Right Way (ALLRight) Fund, CRS Liberia will support the National Commission for Justice, Peace and Caritas (NCJPC) to oversee the design, delivery, and evaluation of all efforts of the Catholic Church to deliver Charity, Development and Social Justice in Liberia. Through the ALLRight project, CRS will support NCJPC to strengthen its capacity to ensure that the organization has the operational and technical systems and staff to implement high-quality projects that are responsive to the humanitarian and development requirements and priorities of communities and donors. The ALLRight project complements and builds on years of capacity-strengthening activities that CRS and NCJPC have implemented together.

We are currently recruiting: –

Title: Program Manager I
Location: Monrovia, Liberia.
Type of Role: Fixed-term contract
Reports to: Head of Programming

Roles and Key Responsibilities
• Manage and implement all activities throughout relevant project cycles – start-up, implementation, and close-out – to ensure efficient and effective implementation in line with CRS program quality principles and standards, donor requirements, and good practices. Ensure project staff uses the appropriate systems and tools.
• Provide strategic leadership in the development, identification, and dissemination of standardized approaches and best practices to implement the project. Ensure timely identification of technical assistance needs and coordinate within CRS Liberia and externally to mobilize the appropriate assistance for capacity strengthening.
• Work with the staff of relevant program, finance, and operations sectors, to develop/adapt and provide capacity building and institutional strengthening support to the partner, based on partner needs and CRS best practices. Develop/adapt, provide, and/or oversee capacity-strengthening activities with partners, including accompaniment and mentoring.
• Ensure the effective sharing of information, including key decisions, status updates, successes, and challenges, with the appropriate people within CRS and NCJPC (in keeping with situational demands and the requirements of established agreements).
• Ensure appropriate application of CRS’ partnership and capacity-strengthening principles, concepts, tools, and approaches.
• Champion learning with project staff and partner teams, including through quality planning and facilitation of quarterly project review and planning meetings and other formal and informal opportunities for learning. Analyze and evaluate project performance data following MEAL policy. Proactively identify issues and concerns and use participatory processes and appropriate engagement of CRS and partner leadership to overcome implementation obstacles.
• Coordinate and monitor financial and material resources relevant to project needs. Through planning and oversight, ensure efficient use of project resources. Provide leadership for project financial management, including budget planning, analysis, and reporting, in coordination with partner staff and finance colleagues.

Basic Qualifications
• Master’s degree in international development, international relations, or related field required. Additional experience may substitute for some education.
• Minimum of 5 years of relevant field-based experience in coordinating or managing light to moderately complex projects required, preferably with an international NGO.
• Experience collaborating or working with local development or humanitarian actors, with specific experience strengthening the capacity of local/national organizations required.

Required Languages – Strong written and spoken English required.

Travel – Travel within the country is required as needed to attend program-related meetings and workshops. Must be willing and able to travel up to 20%.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
• Strong critical thinking and creative problem-solving skills with the ability to make sound judgments.
• Strong partnership and relationship management skills with the ability to influence and get buy-in from people, not under direct supervision and to work with individuals in diverse geographical and cultural settings.
• Independent work ethic and ability to complete tasks with minimal supervision.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to write clear reports.
• Proactive, results-oriented, and service-oriented.
• Knowledge of and/or experience using adult learning approaches.

Preferred Qualifications
• Experience working with culturally diverse groups, participatory action planning, and community engagement.
• Experience monitoring projects and collecting relevant data.
• Experience using MS Windows and MS Office packages (Excel, Word, PowerPoint), Web Conferencing Applications, and information management systems.

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

Supervisory Responsibilities: None

Key Working Relationships:

Internal: Country Program programming and operations staff; Regional Technical Advisor for Partnership and Capacity Strengthening; other Technical Advisors from the WARO, based on the needs of NCJPC; CRS HQ ALLRight Fund Sr. Program Manager.

External: NCJPC Board, Executive Director, and staff.

Applications:
Please send a resume/CV to LR_HR@crs.org by May 31, 2023, with the subject line “Program Manager I.” No phone calls, please. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

We thank all applicants for their interest in this opportunity; however, if you didn’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.

***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.

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.