Program Manager

Job Posting Organization:
Catholic Relief Services (CRS) is the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. Established to serve those in need, CRS operates in more than 100 countries, focusing on saving, protecting, and transforming lives without regard to race, religion, or nationality. The organization engages in various programs 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 the regions in which it operates, reflecting its dedication to diversity and inclusion.

Job Overview:
The Program Manager will oversee the Country Program (CP) management for a humanitarian project funded by ECHO, implemented in the eastern region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. This role involves designing and implementing projects that align with the mission of Catholic Relief Services (CRS) to assist poor and vulnerable populations. The project aims to provide an integrated emergency response targeting internally displaced persons, returnees, and vulnerable host communities living in hard-to-reach and high-risk areas. CRS will primarily implement emergency food assistance activities through electronic voucher modalities, while a local partner will handle protection activities, including the prevention and response to gender-based violence (GBV), in close coordination with local partners. The Program Manager's management skills and technical knowledge will ensure the implementation of high-quality programs and contribute to the continuous improvement of the CP's intervention impact.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The Program Manager will manage and implement all security" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">security" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">food security activities throughout the project cycle (startup, implementation, and closure) to ensure effective and efficient execution in accordance with CRS programming quality principles and standards, donor requirements, and best practices. Responsibilities include ensuring that the project team and partners utilize appropriate systems and tools, effective talent management and supervision of staff, managing team dynamics and staff well-being, providing coaching, strategically adapting individual development plans, contributing to recruitment processes, and managing the performance of direct reports. The Program Manager will promote learning within project teams and partners, analyze and evaluate project performance data in line with MEAL policy, proactively identify issues and challenges, and use participatory approaches to overcome implementation obstacles. They will act as a key resource person for project design and proposal development in relevant programmatic areas, coordinate and support the identification of capacity strengthening needs and technical assistance for partner organizations, particularly for electronic voucher modalities, and contribute to identifying, assessing, and strengthening relevant partnerships in emergency food assistance and protection. Additionally, the Program Manager will coordinate and monitor financial and material resources related to project needs, ensuring efficient resource utilization through planning and supervision.

Required Qualifications:
The position requires a Bachelor's degree in International Development, International Relations, or a relevant field related to the project/program such as humanitarian action, food security, social sciences, public health, or any related discipline. A minimum of 2 to 3 years of relevant field experience in coordinating or managing food assistance projects of light to moderate complexity, preferably within an international NGO, is essential. Candidates should possess experience in using MS Windows and MS Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint), video conferencing applications, and information management systems. Experience working with partner organizations and contributing to the development of technical proposals is also required. Strong critical analysis and creative problem-solving skills, with the ability to make informed decisions, are necessary, along with excellent relationship management skills and the ability to work effectively with culturally diverse teams. Strong written and oral communication skills, including report writing, are essential, as is a proactive, results-oriented, and service-focused profile.

Educational Background:
Candidates must hold a Bachelor's degree in a relevant field such as International Development, International Relations, or related disciplines. A Master's degree in a relevant area is preferred, along with experience with electronic voucher systems or paper-based systems, and skills and experience in MEAL (Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning) are highly desired.

Experience:
The position requires a minimum of 2 to 3 years of relevant field experience in project coordination or management, specifically in food assistance projects of light to moderate complexity. Experience within an international NGO is preferred, and candidates should demonstrate a strong understanding of the humanitarian context and the challenges faced in implementing food security programs.

Languages:
The mandatory languages for this position are French and Swahili, along with relevant local languages pertinent to the project's intervention area. Proficiency in these languages is essential for effective communication and engagement with the communities served by the project.

Additional Notes:
The role involves travel representing 40 to 50% of the time to project implementation areas. The Program Manager will supervise the Senior Meal Officer and Project Officer Voucher. Key internal relationships include the Emergency Program Manager, program teams, operations team, and Program Director, while external relationships involve Caritas and other humanitarian actors. The position is full-time, and CRS is committed to safeguarding program participants, community members, staff, and volunteers from all forms of exploitation and abuse. The successful candidate is expected to adhere to CRS's Code of Conduct and participate in safeguarding procedures.