Deputy Chief of Party (DCoP)

Job Posting Organization:
Catholic Relief Services (CRS) is the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. Established to save, protect, and transform lives in need, CRS operates in more than 100 countries, providing relief and development assistance 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 children and vulnerable adults from abuse and exploitation, ensuring that all staff and partners respect and protect the dignity and rights of everyone involved in their work. The agency's work culture is collaborative and mission-driven, dedicated to improving the lives of the poor throughout the world. CRS welcomes candidates from the countries and regions in which they operate, reflecting their commitment to diversity and inclusion in their workforce.

Job Overview:
The Deputy Chief of Party (DCoP) will play a pivotal role in an anticipated CDC-funded global childhood immunization project aimed at reaching zero- and under-immunized children in Northern Nigeria, particularly in fragile and conflict settings. The DCoP will serve as the Senior Technical Advisor for the project, providing essential technical advice, guidance, and support across various design" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">program design and implementation issues. This position is critical in ensuring that the project adheres to Catholic Relief Services' program quality principles and standards, donor guidelines, and industry best practices. The DCoP will also ensure that the Country Program teams deliver high-quality programming to the poor and vulnerable populations. The role requires a strong technical background in immunization programming, as the DCoP will contribute to the effectiveness, adaptability, and innovation of CRS' immunization initiatives throughout the project.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The DCoP will be responsible for providing technical leadership to the project, ensuring that expected results are achieved within the designated time frame. Key responsibilities include serving as the primary technical liaison to the CDC and government technical staff, fostering high levels of coordination and nurturing relationships with stakeholders at both national and sub-national levels. The DCoP will support the Chief of Party (CoP) in liaising with other implementing partners to ensure coordination and harmonization of immunization efforts. The role involves overseeing implementing partners, advising on technical issues, and ensuring the timely preparation and submission of high-quality project deliverables and reports. The DCoP will direct the preparation of annual work plans and project updates, represent the project in various technical and policy forums, and identify lessons learned for external dissemination. Additionally, the DCoP will provide technical solutions to project teams, contribute to capacity strengthening initiatives, and engage in knowledge management and learning activities.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates must possess excellent relationship management skills, with the ability to influence and gain buy-in from individuals across diverse geographical and cultural settings. Strong strategic, analytical, problem-solving, and systems thinking skills are essential, along with the capacity to see the big picture and make sound judgments. The DCoP should have strong written and oral communication skills, as well as presentation, facilitation, training, mentoring, and coaching abilities. Initiative, resourcefulness, and a results-oriented mindset are also critical for success in this role. Previous experience providing technical assistance related to infectious diseases and child immunization is highly preferred, along with demonstrated knowledge of USG frameworks addressing childhood immunization in fragile contexts. Leadership qualities, including technical, management, and evaluation expertise for complex programs in resource-constrained countries, are also required.

Educational Background:
A Master’s degree in medicine or public health with a concentration in immunization and global health is required for this position. Candidates should have a strong academic background that supports their understanding of immunization strategies and public health principles, particularly in the context of global health initiatives.

Experience:
The ideal candidate will have a minimum of eight years of relevant international working experience in an advisory or management role, ideally with an international NGO. This experience should include at least five years of working on programming interventions in international health programs, with a focus on immunization and infectious diseases. Experience in building the capacity of national non-government partner organizations to achieve CDC's localization goals for future funding is also essential.

Languages:
Proficiency in English is mandatory for this position. Strong communication skills in English, both written and oral, are crucial for effective collaboration and reporting.

Additional Notes:
The DCoP position may require travel up to 70% of the time. Supervisory responsibilities include overseeing Immunization Systems Strengthening and Surveillance Systems Strengthening Leads. 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 anticipated duration of the assignment for expatriates is informed by a term limit based on the job type and level, as well as the agency's needs. CRS is committed to safeguarding program participants and expects all staff to adhere to the organization's safeguarding policies and procedures.