Project Officer - Emergency Food Assistance

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 individuals from all faiths and secular traditions who share its values and commitment to serving those in need. The agency's processes and policies reflect its dedication to protecting the rights and dignity of all people, especially the most vulnerable. CRS is an Equal Opportunity Employer and prioritizes candidates who are citizens or permanent residents of the countries where it operates.

Job Overview:
As a member of a humanitarian project team funded by ECHO, based in Goma, the Project Officer will be responsible for monitoring and reporting on all project activities related to emergency food assistance implemented through electronic voucher modalities (e-vouchers). This role is crucial in contributing to the mission of Catholic Relief Services (CRS) in serving poor and vulnerable populations. The Project Officer will ensure a rigorous, service-oriented, and quality-focused approach to guarantee the consistent application of best practices and continuous improvement of the impact of interventions benefiting targeted communities. The position requires a proactive attitude, strong analytical skills, and the ability to work closely with local partners and communities to ensure effective project implementation and accountability.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The Project Officer will support the coordination and implementation of all assigned project activities in accordance with the detailed implementation plan, CRS program quality standards, donor requirements, and humanitarian best practices. Key responsibilities include:

• Supporting the operational implementation of e-voucher activities on the ground, including beneficiary targeting and verification, market-based distributions, coordination with vendors and financial service providers, and post-distribution monitoring to ensure safe, dignified, and accountable interventions.
• Monitoring and reporting on challenges, constraints, and discrepancies identified to inform adjustments to implementation plans and timelines, and assisting partners in analyzing project experiences.
• Supporting accountability to affected populations through assistance with complaint and feedback mechanisms, participant awareness, and post-distribution monitoring, in line with ECHO expectations.
• Contributing to project evaluation activities and assisting partners in collecting and analyzing data related to e-vouchers using approved tools and systems, ensuring data quality and compliance.
• Collaborating with local partners to prepare reports according to the established schedule.
• Working closely with local partners, vendors, and field teams to ensure accurate documentation, reconciliation, and reporting of e-voucher activities, in compliance with CRS and donor requirements.
• Collecting information on capacity-building needs of staff and partner organizations, and following up on capacity-building and technical assistance activities to ensure effective impact.
• Completing project documentation for assigned activities and contributing to the identification of elements for case studies and reports on best practices and promising approaches.

Required Qualifications:
The ideal candidate will possess the following qualifications:

• Proficiency in MS Windows and MS Office tools (Excel, Word, PowerPoint).
• Strong observational, active listening, and analytical skills, with the ability to make informed judgments.
• Excellent relationship management skills and the ability to work closely with local partners and communities.
• A keen attention to detail, rigor, and respect for deadlines in executing assigned responsibilities.
• A proactive, results-oriented, and service-oriented attitude.
• Experience in monitoring cash transfer and voucher assistance projects (CVA) or emergency food assistance, particularly in humanitarian contexts and e-voucher implementation, as well as in collecting relevant data.
• Experience working with NGOs, local partners, vendors, or financial service providers.
• Experience in post-distribution monitoring, price monitoring, accountability mechanisms, or protection integration is a plus.

Educational Background:
A bachelor's degree in a relevant field for the project, such as international development, humanitarian action, security" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">security" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">food security, economics, social sciences, or any other related discipline is required.

Experience:
A minimum of 2 years of professional experience in supporting project implementation is required; recent graduates may be considered. Experience in participatory planning and community mobilization/engagement is also necessary.

Languages:
Required languages include French, Swahili, and relevant local languages for the project's intervention area. Proficiency in these languages is essential for effective communication and engagement with the communities served.

Additional Notes:
The position may require up to 80% travel to project implementation areas. There are no supervisory responsibilities associated with this role. The successful candidate is expected to adhere to CRS's Code of Conduct and safeguarding policies. The anticipated duration of the assignment for expatriates is informed by a term limit based on the type and level of the job and the needs of the agency. CRS prioritizes candidates who are citizens or permanent residents of the countries where CRS offices are located.