Senior 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 save, protect, and transform lives in need, CRS operates in over 100 countries, providing relief and development assistance without regard to race, religion, or nationality. The organization focuses on various sectors including emergency response, health, agriculture, education, microfinance, and peacebuilding. CRS has been active in Vietnam since 1992, with an office established in Hanoi in 1994, working closely with local counterparts to build capacity in critical areas such as inclusion of people with disabilities, disaster risk reduction, and emergency response. The organization emphasizes collaboration with national and sub-national government actors, private sector partners, and local NGOs to address pressing challenges and promote sustainable development, particularly for marginalized and vulnerable groups.

Job Overview:
The Senior Program Manager will play a pivotal role as a member of the Cambodia and Vietnam Country Program (CP) Senior Management Teams. This position is responsible for providing strategic direction, leadership, and management of the CP’s programming, ensuring the establishment and successful implementation of high-quality programs that serve the poor and vulnerable populations. The Senior Program Manager will leverage their leadership and management skills to ensure that the CP delivers impactful programming while continuously seeking to improve its effectiveness. Additionally, the role involves proactive management of security" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">security and mitigation of security risks, ensuring a safe environment for staff and program participants. The Senior Program Manager will also coordinate with various stakeholders to optimize program interventions and resource mobilization strategies, aligning with regional and agency strategic priorities.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The Senior Program Manager will collaborate with the Country Representative for the Mekong Sub-region and the Country Manager for Vietnam to provide strategic direction for the design of the CP strategic frameworks and plans. This includes developing resource mobilization strategies to enhance the impact of programming interventions. The role requires leading high-quality project design that incorporates project management standards and MEAL (Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning) methods tailored to the specific context and technical requirements of projects. The Senior Program Manager will coordinate planning across various projects to ensure integration of program interventions and efficiency in implementation. Effective talent management and supervision are crucial, including coaching, developing individual development plans, and conducting performance assessments for direct reports. The role also involves creating a conducive learning environment, promoting accountability, and overseeing the implementation of the MEAL policy. The Senior Program Manager will coordinate with operations leads to ensure appropriate project budgeting and stewardship of resources, oversee the business development cycle, and ensure quality proposals are developed in line with agency and donor standards. Additionally, the role includes identifying and strengthening partnerships, providing technical assistance, and delivering training to project teams and partners.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates must possess a Bachelor's Degree in International Development, International Relations, or a relevant field. A minimum of 5-8 years of relevant field-based program management experience is required, including at least 2 years in a senior management role. Applicants should have experience in developing successful proposals, reports, strategic alliances, project design, project management, and monitoring and evaluation. Experience in partner capacity strengthening, staff development, training, mentoring, team building, and strategic planning initiatives is essential. Familiarity with community development, community mobilization, and project grants management is also required, particularly for projects funded by multiple public donors. Preferred qualifications include a Master’s Degree in a relevant field and previous experience as a Head of Programming.

Educational Background:
The position requires a Bachelor's Degree in International Development, International Relations, or a relevant field. A Master’s Degree in a related discipline is preferred and may enhance the candidate's qualifications for the role.

Experience:
The ideal candidate should have a minimum of 5-8 years of relevant field-based program management experience, with at least 2 years in a senior management capacity. This experience should encompass successful proposal development, project design, management, and monitoring and evaluation, particularly in contexts involving multiple public donors.

Languages:
Proficiency in English is mandatory for this position. Knowledge of Khmer and/or Vietnamese is preferred, as it will facilitate communication with local partners and stakeholders.

Additional Notes:
The position may require travel up to 30%, including travel within Vietnam to project and partner locations, as well as to Cambodia. 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., salary and benefits packages will be based on the country of employment. CRS is committed to safeguarding program participants and staff from exploitation and abuse, and the successful candidate will be expected to adhere to the organization's Code of Conduct. The organization prioritizes candidates who are citizens or permanent residents of the countries where CRS operates.