Program Manager II

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 assistance without regard to race, religion, or nationality. The organization focuses on various areas including emergency response, health, agriculture, education, microfinance, and peacebuilding. CRS is committed to safeguarding children and vulnerable adults from abuse and exploitation, and it welcomes candidates from diverse backgrounds who share its values and commitment to serving those in need. The agency's work culture is collaborative and mission-driven, emphasizing the importance of improving the lives of the poor globally. CRS has a comprehensive benefits package for its staff, including medical, dental, life insurance, vision, and retirement savings plans. The organization prioritizes candidates who are citizens or permanent residents of the countries where it operates, reflecting its commitment to local engagement and support.

Job Overview:
The Program Manager II is responsible for leading and providing management and strategic oversight to the Gaza emergency and early recovery programming. This role involves managing a multi-donor portfolio and ensuring that effective systems and processes are in place to support high-quality programming in a constantly changing context. The Program Manager plays a key role in ensuring strong coordination across teams to enable effective project design and implementation, particularly in areas such as security" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">security" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">food security and emerging urban livelihoods. The position requires close collaboration with other sectors, including shelter, WASH, psychosocial-support" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">psychosocial support, supply chain, and operations. The Program Manager's strong management skills and technical expertise are crucial for delivering high-quality programming and enhancing the impact of emergency response efforts while ensuring a responsive approach to early recovery.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The Program Manager II will provide management, guidance, and technical oversight of all new and existing projects within the early recovery portfolio throughout the project cycle. This includes ensuring that project design, start-up, implementation, and close-out align with CRS quality principles and standards, donor guidelines, and industry best practices. The role requires leadership in implementing and adapting the Gaza’s Early Recovery and Livelihoods Strategy, ensuring integration across projects and alignment with agency priorities and contextual needs. The Program Manager will effectively manage talent and supervise teams, fostering positive team dynamics and supporting staff well-being. Responsibilities also include providing coaching, developing individual development plans, and conducting performance management for direct reports. The Program Manager will lead the development of program learning, identify opportunities for research and publications, and facilitate the dissemination of promising practices and lessons learned. Additionally, the role involves contributing to the proactive pursuit of new funding opportunities, overseeing technical assistance and capacity strengthening activities, and ensuring timely project expenditures in line with financial plans.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates must possess MEAL skills and experience, along with staff management experience conducive to a learning environment. Proficiency in using MS Windows and MS Office packages (Excel, Word, PowerPoint), web conferencing applications, and information management systems is required. A good understanding of project grants management, including project design for grants from multiple public donors, particularly USG funding, is essential. Candidates should demonstrate the ability to write high-quality technical proposals and reports, engage with partner organizations, and strengthen capacity. Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, along with the ability to make sound judgments and decisions, are necessary. Excellent relations management abilities and strong emotional intelligence are also important for supporting teams under high levels of stress.

Educational Background:
A Bachelor’s Degree in Humanitarian Assistance, International Development, International Relations, or a related field focused on Food Security or Urban Livelihoods is required. Additional experience may substitute for some educational requirements, but a minimum of 8 years of relevant field-based project management experience is necessary, with at least 3 years in complex emergencies.

Experience:
Candidates should have a minimum of 8 years of relevant field-based project management experience, preferably with at least 3 years working in complex emergencies. Experience managing a diverse portfolio of moderately complex projects, ideally for an international non-governmental organization (INGO), is required. Experience working with diverse teams across multiple sectors is also essential.

Languages:
Fluency in English (both written and verbal) is mandatory, while knowledge of Arabic is considered an advantage.

Additional Notes:
This position is based in Gaza, with travel required between Gaza and Jordan/Jerusalem as security allows. Regular travel to CRS’ office in Jerusalem may also be necessary. The role includes supervisory responsibilities and is expected to adhere to CRS’ Code of Conduct. The agency's processes and policies reflect a commitment to safeguarding the rights and dignity of all individuals, especially children and vulnerable adults. The successful candidate will be expected to sign and adhere to these commitments. CRS is an Equal Opportunity Employer and prioritizes candidates who can legally work in the location of the position.