Project Director

Job Posting Organization:
Catholic Relief Services (CRS) is the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. Established in 1943, CRS works to save, protect, and transform lives in need in more than 100 countries, without regard to race, religion, or nationality. The organization operates with a mission to alleviate human suffering and foster the development of people in need. CRS employs a diverse workforce and has a collaborative, mission-driven culture committed to improving the lives of the poor throughout the world. The agency's work encompasses various sectors, including emergency response, health, agriculture, education, microfinance, and peacebuilding. CRS is dedicated to safeguarding children and vulnerable adults from abuse and exploitation, and it welcomes candidates from the countries and regions in which it operates.

Job Overview:
As the Project Director, you will be responsible for providing leadership and overall management of a multi-county child development, care, and protection project in Malawi. This role involves ensuring that effective systems and processes are in place to support the project's objectives and advance CRS' mission of serving the poor and vulnerable. You will be accountable for day-to-day project leadership, ensuring donor compliance, managing subawards, and coordinating effectively with consortium partners and government stakeholders. Your leadership and technical expertise will be crucial in delivering high-quality programming and enhancing CRS' position as a leading agency in the field of child development, care, and protection. The role also requires proactive management of security" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">security and mitigation of security risks, ensuring a safe environment for all project stakeholders.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Relationship Management: Act as the lead relationship manager and representative with all in-country stakeholders, including government ministries, foreign governments, civil society partners, and community networks. Oversee the identification, assessment, and strengthening of partnerships relevant to the project, applying CRS' partnership principles and tools.
• Project Management: Lead the development, implementation, and consolidation of the project in Malawi, ensuring alignment with CRS quality principles, donor guidelines, and industry best practices. Manage integration of project processes with the global project team and establish a safe environment for sharing ideas and addressing challenges.
• Supervision: Oversee staffing plans and recruitment processes for senior staff, manage team dynamics, provide coaching and mentoring, and ensure adherence to CRS safety and security policies.
• Program Quality: Ensure technical assistance and capacity strengthening activities enhance program quality and impact, meeting donor expectations for timely and quality results.
• Program Learning: Lead program learning initiatives, identify opportunities for research and publications, and facilitate the dissemination of promising practices and lessons learned.
• Stewardship: Promote efficient use of agency and donor resources, ensure compliance with donor guidelines, and oversee financial tracking and reporting.
• Communications: Develop communication strategies and materials that comply with donor and CRS branding requirements.

Required Qualifications:

• Demonstrated understanding of service delivery systems in the health sector and the role of governmental, civil society, and faith-based partners.
• Strong relationship management abilities, with the capacity to lead and manage high-level partner relationships.
• Proven experience in successful program management, leading diverse teams, and strong strategic, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, with the ability to develop tailored messaging for varied audiences.
• Proficiency in MS Office applications and budget management systems.

Educational Background:
A Bachelor’s degree in a health-related field, international development, or international relations is required. A Master’s or Doctorate Degree in social work, education, health, or a related field is preferred, along with recognized leadership in the sector demonstrated by peer-reviewed publications and conference presentations.

Experience:
A minimum of 8 years of relevant management and health technical experience is required, including at least 5 years managing donor funds, particularly multi-country grants. Candidates should have a strong knowledge of budget management and at least 2 years of experience managing staff in a conducive learning environment, with experience coaching senior program staff.

Languages:
Fluent English and Chichewa are required. Additional languages may be beneficial but are not specified as mandatory.

Additional Notes:
The position involves supervisory responsibilities for a project team of 6 staff, including program managers and technical project officers. The role requires willingness to travel up to 25% to remote low-resource locations. CRS offers a comprehensive benefits package for U.S.-based staff, including medical, dental, life insurance, vision, and retirement savings plans. Benefits for candidates employed outside the U.S. 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 committed to safeguarding program participants and expects successful candidates to adhere to the agency's Code of Conduct.