Project Manager - Infrastructure

Job Posting Organization:
Catholic Relief Services (CRS) is the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. Established to serve the poor and vulnerable, CRS operates in more than 100 countries, providing assistance without regard to race, religion, or nationality. The organization focuses on various sectors including emergency response, health, agriculture, education, microfinance, and peacebuilding. CRS is committed to safeguarding children and vulnerable adults from abuse and exploitation, ensuring that its processes reflect a dedication to the rights and dignity of all individuals. The agency fosters a collaborative, mission-driven culture aimed at improving lives globally, and welcomes staff from diverse faiths and secular traditions who share its values.

Job Overview:
The Project Manager for Infrastructure will be responsible for managing, coordinating, and monitoring project activities and relationships with partners and stakeholders to achieve the objectives of the STaR Project (Stabilization and Reconciliation in the Lake Chad Region). This role requires strong project management skills and knowledge of infrastructure programming to ensure high-quality, conflict-sensitive, and community-driven infrastructure delivery. The Project Manager will oversee the entire project cycle, from start-up through implementation to close-out, ensuring compliance with CRS program quality principles, donor requirements, and local regulations. The position demands a proactive approach to identifying issues and implementing solutions, as well as fostering partnerships with local stakeholders and ensuring accountability through effective monitoring and evaluation practices.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The Project Manager will lead technical, budget management, monitoring, and reporting activities throughout the project cycle. Key responsibilities include: managing talent and supervising technical staff, site supervisors, and contractors; ensuring team dynamics and staff well-being; providing coaching and contributing to the recruitment process; ensuring learning accompanies project activities; coordinating project evaluation activities; identifying and reporting implementation issues; engaging with relevant partnerships; representing the organization with various stakeholders; coordinating financial and resource management; conducting budget reviews; identifying staff capacity needs; assisting with trend analysis reports; and reviewing project documentation to ensure compliance with donor requirements.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates must possess critical thinking and creative problem-solving skills, strong relationship management abilities, and the capacity to work effectively with local stakeholders. They should demonstrate strong representation skills, be proactive and results-oriented, and have a keen attention to detail. Preferred qualifications include relevant grant management experience, staff supervision experience in infrastructure roles, and the ability to contribute to technical proposals. Familiarity with MS Office and construction design tools is advantageous.

Educational Background:
A Bachelor's Degree is required, with a Master's degree in civil engineering, construction management, architecture, infrastructure planning, or a related field being a plus. Candidates must also be registered members of relevant construction professional bodies such as COREN, NSE, NIA, NIQS, or equivalent recognized regulatory bodies. Additional experience in infrastructure design or contract management may substitute for some educational requirements.

Experience:
A minimum of 5 years of work experience in project management is required, ideally in infrastructure programming, construction supervision, or community infrastructure development within an NGO or development organization. Candidates should have experience managing projects through various stages and working with diverse stakeholders.

Languages:
English is mandatory, while Hausa is strongly preferred. Knowledge of Kanuri and Fulfulde is considered an added advantage.

Additional Notes:
The position requires a willingness to travel up to 60%. The Project Manager will have supervisory responsibilities over infrastructure staff, site supervisors, and contractors. CRS offers a comprehensive benefits package for U.S.-based staff, including medical, dental, life insurance, vision, and a retirement savings plan. For candidates employed outside the U.S., benefits packages are based on the country of employment. The anticipated duration of the assignment for expatriates is informed by a term limit based on job type and agency needs. CRS is an Equal Opportunity Employer and prioritizes candidates who are citizens or permanent residents of the countries where CRS operates.