Senior Project Officer - Nutrition

Job Posting Organization:
Catholic Relief Services (CRS) is the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. Established nearly 60 years ago, CRS operates in more than 80 countries, focusing on saving, protecting, and transforming lives in need without regard to race, religion, or nationality. The organization engages in various programs including emergency response, health, agriculture, education, microfinance, and peacebuilding. In Ethiopia, CRS has been a leader in responding to both natural and man-made disasters, providing essential support to the most vulnerable communities. Their work extends beyond immediate relief to include disaster mitigation and recovery projects, which aim to rebuild community assets and provide livelihoods support, particularly in areas affected by drought and flooding. CRS also addresses the impacts of COVID-19, promoting equality and inclusion in their humanitarian efforts.

Job Overview:
The Senior Project Officer - Nutrition will lead the Joint Emergency Operation (JEOP) nutrition team in designated woredas, facilitating the achievement of project objectives through effective coordination and reporting on all project activities. This role involves providing technical guidance and advice to staff and implementing partners, ensuring that CRS's work aligns with best practices and continuously improves the impact of its benefits to the communities served. The officer will be responsible for managing emergency nutrition activities, including the treatment of severe acute malnutrition (SAM) cases and Infant and Young Child Feeding in Emergencies (IYCF-E). The position requires strong coordination and relationship management skills to ensure that project activities are implemented according to established guidelines and standards, ultimately contributing to the well-being of vulnerable populations.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The Senior Project Officer will be tasked with organizing and leading the implementation of all assigned project activities as outlined in the detailed implementation plan. Key responsibilities include day-to-day management of emergency nutrition activities, providing technical guidance to field staff, supporting the development of detailed implementation plans, analyzing supply requests, monitoring project performance against targets, coordinating capacity building activities, ensuring complete project documentation, and providing logistical and administrative support to staff and partners. The officer will also be responsible for preparing trends analysis reports and documenting case studies and promising practices, ensuring that all activities adhere to national SAM treatment guidelines, Sphere standards, and donor requirements.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates must possess a Bachelor's Degree in Nutrition, Health, or related fields, with a minimum of 3-5 years of work experience in project support, ideally in emergency nutrition with international and/or local NGOs. A Master's degree in the same fields is preferred, with at least 2 years of relevant work experience. Additional qualifications include experience working with partners, participatory action planning, community engagement, and monitoring projects. Proficiency in using MS Windows and MS Office packages (Excel, Word, PowerPoint) is also required.

Educational Background:
The position requires a Bachelor's Degree in Nutrition, Health, or related fields as a minimum qualification. A Master's degree in these areas is preferred and may substitute for some of the required work experience, indicating a higher level of expertise and understanding of the complexities involved in emergency nutrition projects.

Experience:
The ideal candidate should have a minimum of 3-5 years of relevant work experience in project support, particularly in the field of emergency nutrition. Candidates with a Master's degree may qualify with a minimum of 2 years of experience. This experience should ideally be with international and/or local NGOs, demonstrating a solid understanding of project management and implementation in challenging environments.

Languages:
Proficiency in spoken and written English is mandatory, along with proficiency in local languages. This bilingual capability is essential for effective communication with local partners and communities, ensuring that project objectives are met and that the needs of the population are adequately addressed.

Additional Notes:
The employment term for this position is definite, spanning from November 2025 to February 28, 202

• Candidates selected for this role should be available to start effective November 1, 202
• The position involves supervisory responsibilities over project officers based in the PDPs and requires a willingness to travel up to 50%. 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. CRS is committed to safeguarding the rights and dignity of all people, particularly children and vulnerable adults, and expects the successful candidate to adhere to the agency's Code of Conduct.