Partnership and Capacity Strengthening Manager

Job Posting Organization:
Catholic Relief Services (CRS) is the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. Established in 1943, CRS works to save, protect, and transform lives in need in more than 100 countries, without regard to race, religion, or nationality. The organization is committed to improving the lives of the poor and vulnerable through various programs including emergency response, health, agriculture, education, microfinance, and peacebuilding. CRS has a collaborative, mission-driven culture and welcomes individuals from all faiths and secular traditions who share its values. The agency prioritizes safeguarding children and vulnerable adults from abuse and exploitation, and its processes reflect this commitment. CRS operates in over 100 countries and employs a diverse workforce dedicated to humanitarian efforts.

Job Overview:
The Partnership and Capacity Strengthening Manager will be responsible for managing and providing technical oversight of the development and implementation of the Country Office (CO) partnership strategy. This role is crucial in ensuring that high-quality programming is delivered effectively, particularly in serving the poor and vulnerable populations. The manager will lead initiatives aimed at capacity strengthening for both faith-based and secular organizations, ensuring that systems and processes are in place to support these efforts. The position requires a strategic approach to partnership management, fostering collaboration, knowledge sharing, and the integration of best practices throughout the project lifecycle. The manager will also oversee the deployment of monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEAL) systems, ensuring adherence to financial and programmatic standards while documenting best practices and safeguarding assessments. This role is pivotal in representing the CO in coordination with various stakeholders, including donors, government agencies, and partners, to advance collaborative efforts and sustainability planning across initiatives.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Provide strategic leadership in the development and implementation of partnership and capacity strengthening initiatives for PCS/LL.
• Design, evaluate, and execute tailored capacity strengthening plans for organizations; deliver technical training and coaching.
• Manage the deployment of standardized MEAL systems within PCS/LL; ensure adherence to standards and document best practices.
• Represent PCS/LL in coordination with donors, peer organizations, and government agencies.
• Oversee management and technical direction of all projects within the CO PCS/LL portfolio.
• Manage talent and supervise PCS/LL teams, fostering productive team dynamics.
• Lead program learning by identifying opportunities for research and implementing MEAL policies.
• Contribute to identifying and pursuing new funding opportunities for the CO PCS/LL sector portfolio.
• Oversee technical assistance and capacity building initiatives for internal staff and partner organizations. 1
• Supervise the identification and strengthening of PCS/LL partnerships, ensuring appropriate application of partnership tools.

Required Qualifications:

• MEAL skills and experience required.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Experience engaging with partner organizations.
• Good presentation and facilitation skills.
• Proactive, resourceful, solutions-oriented, and results-oriented.
• Experience in project grants management, including project design, preferably for grants from multiple public donors.
• Demonstrated ability to write high-quality technical proposals.
• Staff management experience conducive to a learning environment.

Educational Background:
A Bachelor’s degree in international development, Project Management, or a related field is required; a Master’s degree is preferred.

Experience:
A minimum of 8 years of relevant field-based project management experience is required, with at least 3 years of working experience in PCS/LL. Experience in partnership and capacity strengthening is essential, and curriculum design experience is an advantage.

Languages:
English is required to perform the job effectively. Proficiency in additional languages may be beneficial but is not mandatory.

Additional Notes:
The position may require travel up to 30%. Supervisory responsibilities are included. CRS offers a comprehensive benefits package for U.S. based staff, including medical, dental, life insurance, vision, and a generous retirement savings plan. Benefits for candidates employed outside the U.S. 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 agency needs. CRS is committed to safeguarding program participants and expects the successful candidate to adhere to the agency's Code of Conduct.