Program Manager II - Accountability Lead

Job Posting Organization:
Catholic Relief Services (CRS) is the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. Established to assist the poor and vulnerable overseas, CRS operates in more than 100 countries, providing relief and development services without regard to race, religion, or nationality. The organization focuses on various sectors including emergency response, health, agriculture, education, microfinance, and peacebuilding. CRS is committed to safeguarding the rights and dignity of all people, especially children and vulnerable adults, ensuring they live free from abuse and harm. The agency's mission is deeply rooted in its Catholic identity, and it welcomes individuals from all faiths and secular traditions who share its values and commitment to serving those in need. With a collaborative and mission-driven culture, CRS aims to improve the lives of the poor globally, reflecting its dedication to humanitarian principles and community engagement.

Job Overview:
The Program Manager II - Accountability Lead will play a pivotal role in providing strategic leadership and technical guidance for the design and implementation of CRS’s Accountability framework and Feedback, Complaint, and Response Mechanisms (FCRM). This position is crucial in ensuring that accountability efforts are aligned with the agency's Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning (MEAL) policies, Core Humanitarian Standards (CHS), safeguarding protocols, and donor requirements. The Accountability Lead will oversee system-wide accountability initiatives, ensuring that feedback channels are contextually appropriate, safe, accessible, and confidential, particularly for vulnerable populations. This role involves leading the integration of Accountability to Affected People (AAP) principles into project design, promoting client-centered dialogue throughout the project cycle, and ensuring that community feedback is consistently utilized to inform adaptive program management. The Accountability Lead will also supervise an accountability team and oversee capacity strengthening initiatives for staff and partners, supporting evidence-based decision-making at various levels within the organization. Additionally, the position requires representation of CRS in accountability coordination forums and collaboration with cross-sectoral teams to enhance program quality and responsiveness.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The duties and responsibilities of the Program Manager II - Accountability Lead include:

• Strategic Leadership & Technical Assistance: Lead the strategic development and implementation of the country program’s Accountability framework and systems in accordance with CRS’s MEAL policies, CHS, and donor requirements. Oversee the implementation of FCRM in line with agency quality principles. Foster a culture of client-centered dialogue across all project stages, encouraging staff and partners to prioritize community voice in decision-making. Develop and implement capacity-strengthening plans for CRS and partner staff on accountability and FCRM tools. Provide line management to the Accountability team, ensuring clear roles and professional development. Analyze feedback trends and develop information products to support evidence-based decision-making. Integrate AAP principles into project design, ensuring alignment with community needs.
• Monitoring & Systems Strengthening: Oversee context analysis to align feedback channels with community preferences. Ensure effectiveness, confidentiality, and accessibility of FCRM channels for all community groups. Lead improvements in FCRM data management and reporting. Supervise audits and assessments of accountability mechanisms across projects. Ensure all feedback and complaints are documented, referred, tracked, and closed in accordance with CRS and donor guidelines.
• Learning and Adaptation: Champion adaptive management, ensuring feedback informs program adjustments. Contribute to learning reviews and program reflection sessions. Document and disseminate accountability best practices. Serve as the focal point for accountability at the country program level, representing CRS in AAP coordination forums.
• Partnership & Coordination: Strengthen partner capacity on AAP, applying appropriate partnership concepts and tools.
• Other Duties: Carry out additional duties as assigned by the supervisor and senior leadership.

Required Qualifications:
The required qualifications for the Program Manager II - Accountability Lead position include:

• A Master’s degree in international relations, management, social accountability, international development, or a related field.
• A minimum of 7 years of relevant work experience, with at least 5 years in setting up and implementing accountability systems with international NGOs.
• Professional training in accountability and protection principles is an added advantage.
• Progressive experience in accountability, preferably in emergency contexts, is highly desirable.
• Experience working with partners, participatory action planning, and community engagement.
• Proficiency in developing technical proposals.
• Strong skills in using MS Windows and MS Office packages (Excel, Word, PowerPoint) and ICT4D systems for accountability (ComCare, PBI, YouTrack).

Educational Background:
Candidates must possess a Master’s degree in international relations, management, social accountability, international development, or a related field. This educational background is essential to ensure that the candidate has the necessary theoretical knowledge and practical understanding of the complexities involved in international development and humanitarian work, particularly in the context of accountability and community engagement.

Experience:
The position requires a minimum of 7 years of relevant work experience, with at least 5 years specifically focused on setting up and implementing accountability systems within international NGOs. Candidates should have progressive experience in fields related to accountability, ideally in emergency contexts, which is highly desirable. Experience in working with partners, participatory action planning, and community engagement is also essential, as well as a proven track record in contributing to the development of technical proposals.

Languages:
The mandatory languages for this position are English and Amharic. Proficiency in both languages is crucial for effective communication with diverse stakeholders, including local communities, partners, and internal teams. Additional language skills may be considered an asset, enhancing the candidate's ability to engage with a broader range of communities and partners.

Additional Notes:
This position is offered for an indefinite period, contingent on program funding availability. The role requires travel up to 50% of the time, reflecting the need for on-the-ground engagement and oversight of accountability mechanisms. The supervisory responsibilities include managing the Accountability System management Technical Advisor, FCRM Case Management Technical Advisor, and Call Center Supervisor. CRS offers a comprehensive benefits package for U.S.-based staff, including medical, dental, life insurance, vision, and a generous retirement savings plan. For candidates employed outside the U.S., benefits packages are based on the country of employment. The agency's work culture is collaborative and mission-driven, committed to improving the lives of the poor globally. CRS is an Equal Opportunity Employer and prioritizes safeguarding the rights and dignity of all individuals, particularly children and vulnerable adults.