Job Title: Head of Programming I, Rwanda
Job Type: Regular, full-time
Reports To: Country Representative
Job Location: Kigali, Rwanda
About CRS
Catholic Relief Services is the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. CRS works to save, protect, and transform lives in need in more than 100 countries, without regard to race, religion or nationality. CRS’ relief and development work is accomplished through programs of
emergency response, HIV, health,
agriculture, education,
microfinance and peacebuilding. Present in Rwanda since 1960, the country program (CP)’s key programming areas in-country include
nutrition and
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WASH, youth, agricultural livelihoods and
social cohesion. The CRS Rwanda team implements its projects through local and international partners, with strong
coordination with Government of Rwanda structures. The FY22 program value is approximately $11 million.
Job Summary:
As a member of the Country Program (CP) Senior Management Team, you will provide strategic direction, leadership, and management of the CP’s programming to ensure the establishment and successful implementation of high-quality programs serving the poor and vulnerable. Your leadership, management and knowledge will ensure that the CP delivers high-quality programming and continuously works towards improving the impact of its programming.
Roles and Key Responsibilities:
- In collaboration with the Country Representative (CR) provide strategic direction for the design of the CP strategic frameworks and plans, including the development of resource mobilization strategies to optimize the impact of programming interventions in line with regional and agency strategic priorities.
- Lead high-quality project design incorporating project management standards and MEAL methods, appropriate to scope, context and technical requirements of projects. Coordinate planning of activities across various projects from different sectors to ensure integration of program interventions and efficiency in implementation.
- Effectively manage talent and supervise. Manage team dynamics and staff well-being. Provide coaching, strategically tailor individual development plans, and complete performance assessment for direct reports. Contribute to developing staffing plans for projects and to the recruitment process of senior project staff. Develop a culture of integration and shared learning across project-specific teams.
- Create and maintain proper conditions for learning. Establish a safe environment for sharing of ideas, solutions, and difficulties and the capacity to detect, analyze and respond quickly to deficiencies to improve overall program impact. Promote accountability, learning and knowledge management overseeing implementation of the MEAL policy, as well as cross-sectoral and cross-department learning.
- Coordinate with CP operations leads to ensure appropriate project budgeting and efficient use and stewardship of project material sources.
- In coordination with resource mobilization staff oversee the business development cycle to ensure quality proposals per agency and donor standards.
- Oversee the identification, assessment and strengthening of appropriate partnerships and the appropriate application of partnership concepts, tools and approaches, including with local Church and non-profit partners as well as decentralized arms of the Government of Rwanda.
- Ensure technical assistance and capacity strengthening for project teams and partners in project management standards and related MEAL, business development and operational activities. Identify training opportunities, develop and deliver trainings, and link staff with other available resources within the agency.
Required Languages – English, fluent written and spoken – French proficiency is a plus.
Travel - Must be willing and able to travel up to 25%, including both in-country and international travel.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
- Excellent strategic, analytical, systems thinking, and problem-solving skills, with capacity to see the big picture and ability to make sound judgment and decisions.
- Strong relations management abilities. Ability to relate to people at all levels internally and externally. Strategic in how you approach each relationship.
- Team leadership abilities
- Presentation and facilitation skills
- Proactive, resourceful, solutions oriented and results-oriented
Preferred Qualifications
- Excellent English writing skills.
- Staff management experience and abilities that are conducive to a learning environment.
- Experience and abilities in capacity strengthening - developing curricula and facilitating trainings.
- Experience using MS Office packages (Excel, Word, PowerPoint), Web Conferencing Applications, information and budget management systems, and knowledge sharing networks.
Supervisory Responsibilities:
The HoP will be responsible for supervising four project managers, one
Chief of Party and a
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MEAL Coordinator while providing strategic vision for all programming staff.
Key Working Relationships:
Internal Senior Management Team, Program Teams, Operations Teams, Regional and HQ colleagues
External Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies; members of national coordination bodies; Church leaders & Caritas colleagues; partners in non-governmental organisations, donors, international organisations and embassies.
Basic Qualifications
? Master's Degree in International Development,
International Relations or relevant field.
? Minimum of five years of relevant field-based
program management, at least three years of middle/senior management experience.
? Experience in the development of successful proposals, reports, strat egic alliances, project design, project management, and
monitoring and evaluation.
? Experience in partner capacity strengthening, staff development, training, and mentoring, as well as in team building and
strategic planning initiatives. Experience working with Church partners a plus
? Experience in
community development,
community mobilization, or similar grassroots, self-help initiatives.
? Experience in project
grants management, including project design, budget preparation, expenditure tracking, monitoring and evaluation, reporting, etc., preferably for projects funded by multiple public donors, including USAID.
? Experience with successful business development activities capturing public and/or private donor funding.
Catholic Relief Services carries out the commitment of the Bishops of the United States to assist the poor and vulnerable overseas. Our Catholic identity is at the heart of our mission and operations. We welcome as a part of our staff and as partners people of all faiths and secular traditions who share our values and our commitment to serving those in need.
