Program Manager II - El Niño Preparedness

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 worldwide. The organization is committed to improving the lives of the poor and vulnerable, regardless of race, religion, or nationality. CRS's work encompasses various sectors, including emergency response, health, agriculture, education, microfinance, and peacebuilding. The agency fosters a collaborative, mission-driven culture and welcomes individuals from diverse faiths and secular traditions who share its values. CRS is dedicated to safeguarding children and vulnerable adults from abuse and exploitation, ensuring that its processes and policies reflect this commitment. The organization prioritizes candidates from the regions in which it operates, and its talent acquisition procedures emphasize the safeguarding of rights and dignity for all individuals.

Job Overview:
The Program Manager II will play a crucial role in providing time-bound program management, technical support, and training to EMPOWER partners in South America, focusing on strengthening El Niño preparedness and readiness for rapid, partner-led emergency response. This position involves coordinating preparedness programming across priority countries and hotspots, translating various analyses into actionable readiness actions, quality program designs, and activation-ready response plans. The Program Manager will work closely with technical and operational colleagues to align program strategies with logistics, cash and voucher assistance, and distribution readiness. The role is essential in helping partners identify and address program bottlenecks, test readiness arrangements, and maintain an integrated package that can be quickly adapted when an EMPOWER/RAPID response is activated. The position requires strong program management and technical skills across emergency preparedness, rapid needs assessment, response design, and implementation, ensuring that all activities align with CRS program quality principles and standards.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The Program Manager II will lead the El Niño preparedness process across South America, coordinating with EMPOWER partners and various stakeholders. Key responsibilities include developing and maintaining an integrated workplan, coordinating hazard and vulnerability analyses, supporting partners in developing contingency plans, defining program quality standards, and validating proposed relief kits. The manager will also integrate market and logistics findings into program design, support partner readiness for cash and voucher assistance, and lead the development of activation-ready program packages. Additional duties involve providing management and technical oversight throughout the preparedness and response cycle, collaborating with MEAL colleagues to establish preparedness indicators, and ensuring that safeguarding and inclusion principles are integrated across all activities. The role also includes designing and facilitating training sessions, contributing to partner capacity strengthening, supporting donor engagement, and documenting lessons learned and best practices.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates must possess strong program management and technical skills in emergency preparedness and response, with a proven ability to synthesize complex information into actionable strategies. Experience in grants management and budgeting, as well as MEAL and information management, is essential. The ability to facilitate partner-led processes and build trust is crucial, along with excellent planning, coordination, and organizational skills. Strong relationship management and communication skills are necessary for effective collaboration with diverse stakeholders. Proficiency in Microsoft Office and information management systems is required, along with a proactive and culturally sensitive approach to problem-solving.

Educational Background:
A Bachelor's degree in international development, international relations, humanitarian response, disaster risk management, security" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">security" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">food security, public health, social sciences, or a related field is required. A Master's degree in a similar field is preferred, along with knowledge of humanitarian principles and emergency program quality requirements.

Experience:
Candidates should have a minimum of five years of progressively responsible experience in humanitarian program management, emergency preparedness, and response, including field-based experience in complex emergencies. Experience managing moderately complex projects across multiple countries or geographic areas is preferred, along with a demonstrated ability to translate assessments into effective response strategies and program designs.

Languages:
Professional fluency in English and Spanish is required, with professional proficiency in Portuguese strongly preferred. Knowledge of French is advantageous for engagement across target regions.

Additional Notes:
The position is primarily remote, with potential travel to priority partners and countries as operationally required. The selected candidate must be willing to travel up to 50 percent within South America. CRS offers a comprehensive benefits package for U.S.-based staff, including medical, dental, life insurance, vision, and retirement savings plans. For candidates employed outside the U.S., benefits packages are based on the country of employment. The anticipated duration of the assignment may be informed by a term limit based on job type and agency needs. CRS is committed to safeguarding program participants and expects the successful candidate to adhere to its Code of Conduct.