Job Title: Chief of Party II – Feed the Future Resilient Food Systems, DRC

Job Location: Kinshasa

Reports To: Head of Programming

Salary Grade: 12

*This post is contingent on donor funding and donor approval of the candidate. 

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.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is one of the most populous, vast and resource rich countries in sub-Saharan Africa. Decades of conflict and other challenges over the past decades have left the Congo with 73% of its population living under the internationally recognized poverty rate of $1.90 per day and 43% of children are malnourished due to inadequate social and health services. Given its fragility and weak institutions, the country is susceptible to health crises, including recent outbreaks of Ebola, measles, cholera and potentially COVID-19. CRS has operated in the DRC since 1961, successfully implementing programs in nutrition, agriculture, livelihoods, emergency, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), health, microfinance, and peacebuilding throughout the country.

CRS DRC plans to respond to USAID/Democratic Republic of Congo’ anticipated Feed the Future (FtF) Resilient Food Systems project, which will be for 5 years with a total budget of

$50-99 million and will focus on two provinces, Kongo Central and Kasai Central.  The project will aim to support economic growth from the agriculture sector that is inclusive and sustainable; strengthen resilience at an individual, community, national and systems-level; improve the nutritional condition of women and children while strengthening key agricultural market systems. The COP role will be based in Kinshasa. 

Job Summary

As Chief of Party II, you will provide vision, leadership and overall management of the FtF Resilient Food Systems project, project to serve the poor and vulnerable. Your strategic leadership, management and technical knowledge will ensure the delivery of high-quality programming and advance the position of CRS as a leading agency in food systems value chain development field. As a senior leader you will proactively manage security and mitigate security risks.

Roles and Key Responsibilities

• Lead all aspects of the development, implementation and consolidation of the Feed the Future Flagship Agriculture Activity project, including sharing how the project contributes to the thought leadership of the industry. Serve as the primary point of contact to USAID as well as public, private and non-government stakeholders.
• Ensure the project is designed and implemented to meet donor expectations in terms of timely and quality results and budget, including strategies for phase out and sustainability. Ensure coordination between program and operations leads. Ensure the CRS program quality standards are adhered to per MEAL policy and procedures.
• Effectively manage senior programming and operations talent. Manage team dynamics and staff well-being. Provide coaching and mentoring. Strategically tailor individual development plans and complete performance assessments for direct reports. Oversee the development of staffing plans and the recruitment process of senior staff.
• Manage and mitigate risk through monitoring national and regional issues that may impact staff and programming. Ensure all staff understand and adhere to CRS staff safety and security policies and plans and ensure the updating of such plans.
• Promote, uphold and model a commitment to the efficient use of agency and donor resources. Ensure compliance with USAID contracts regulations, including financial tracking and oversight of partner budgets, finance, administration and reporting to USAID. Approve program expenditures, budget adjustments, and cost modification requests to donors.
• Represent CRS programming in international circles, highlighting innovative work. Publish program results and deliver presentations. Oversee the development of communication strategies and materials, complying with donor and CRS’ branding and marketing requirements and procedures.
• Manage relationships with consortium partner organizations, including organization of review/planning workshops. Coordinate the roles and activities of staff from other consortium member organizations in implementation in line with CRS partnership principles.
• 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. Identify performance gaps and training opportunities for CRS and partner staff and ensure the design and delivery of high-quality training and technical assistance.

Basic Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Agriculture, Natural Resource Management, International Development, International Relations, Rural Development or a relevant technical area. PhD preferred.
• 10 or more years’ relevant management and technical experience.
• 7 or more years’ experience managing donor funds, including multi-country grants. Excellent knowledge and experience in budget management.
• Prior USAID contract management experience.
• 5 years of staff management experience and abilities that are conducive to a learning environment. Experience coaching and mentoring senior program staff.

Required Languages – English language fluency with excellent French written and oral communications skills

Travel – Must be willing and able to travel up to 50%; mainly domestic travel within the Democratic Republic of Congo to the Zone of Influence.

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.
• Excellent relations management abilities. Ability to relate to people at all levels internally and externally. Strategic in how you approach each relationship.
• Team leadership abilities with diverse/multi-disciplinary teams. Coaching/mentoring skills.
• Strong communications and presentation skills; able to develop tailored and persuasive messaging for varied audiences.
• Proactive, resourceful, solutions-oriented and results-oriented.

 Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in agriculture, agribusiness, or food systems/value chain development projects.
• Applied knowledge of FAR regulations.
• A successful record of leading similar activities supporting food security and nutrition, organizational strengthening, resilience, and food systems development.
• Demonstrated ability to establish productive relationships with senior government officials, the business community/private sector, other donors and development partners, and civil society organizations.
• Demonstrated ability to formulate programmatic alliances and joint planning for synergies and resource mobilization at the field level.
• Excellent knowledge and experience in budget management.
• Established leader in sector as demonstrated by peer reviewed publications, conference presentations etc.
• Demonstrated experience of successful program management, including management of complex, high-value, multi-activity projects, with complicated logistics.
• Experience engaging partners and strengthening partnerships. Knowledge of CRS partnership strategy a plus.
• Ability to represent and present at high levels.
• Experience in MS Office package (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Visio), Web Conferencing Applications, and information and budget management systems.

 Agency REDI Competencies (for all CRS Staff):

Agency competencies clarify expected behaviors and attitudes for all staff. When demonstrated, they create an engaging workplace, help staff achieve their best, and help CRS achieve agency goals. These are rooted in the mission, values, and guiding principles of CRS and used by each staff member to fulfill his or her responsibilities and achieve the desired results.

• Personal Accountability – Consistently takes responsibility for one’s own actions.
• Acts with Integrity – Consistently models values aligned with CRS Guiding Principles and mission.  Is considered honest.
• Builds and Maintains Trust – Shows consistency between words and actions.
• Collaborates with Others – Works effectively in intercultural and diverse teams.
• Open to Learn – Seeks out experiences that may change perspective or provide an opportunity to learn new things.

Agency Leadership Competencies:

• Lead Change – Continually looks for ways to improve the agency through a culture of agility, openness, and innovation.
• Develops and Recognizes Others – Builds the capacity of staff to reach their full potential and enhance team and agency performance.
• Strategic Mindset – Understands role in translating, communicating, and implementing agency strategy and team priorities.

Supervisory Responsibilities: 3 Deputy Chiefs of Party who will be managed remotely and other staff members to be determined.

 Key Working Relationships: 

Internal –Head of Programming, Country Representative, Operations Manager, MEAL Adviser, Finance Manager, Deputy Regional Director for Program Quality, Regional Technical Advisors, Director of Food Security Donor Engagement, HQ based Public Donor Liaison.

External – Donors, partner INGOs and local NGOs, private sector partner, Government of DRC, and peer agencies.

Catholic Relief Services is the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. Catholic Relief Services works to save, protect, and transform lives in need in more than 100 countries, without regard to race, religion or nationality.  Catholic Relief Services’ relief and development work is accomplished through programs of emergency response, HIV, health, agriculture, education, microfinance, and peacebuilding.  We welcome as a part of our staff people of all faiths and secular traditions who share our values and our commitment to serving those in need. CRS’ processes and policies reflect our commitment to safeguarding children and vulnerable adults from abuse and exploitation.

CRS welcomes candidates from the countries and regions in which we work. In the event the successful candidate is an expatriate or global telecommuter, the anticipated duration of the assignment is informed by a term limit, based on the type and level of the job and the needs of the agency.

CRS is committed to safeguarding program participants, community members, staff and volunteers from all forms of exploitation and abuse.  The successful candidate is expected to sign and adhere to CRS´ Code of Conduct.

CRS talent acquisition procedures reflect our commitment to safeguarding the rights and dignity of all people – especially children and vulnerable adults – to live free from abuse and harm.

Disclaimer:  This job description is not an exhaustive list of the skill, effort, duties, and responsibilities associated with the position. 

CRS is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

General Requirements

CRS offers are contingent on the selected candidate’s ability to legally work where the position is to be performed. Every government has a unique set of work permit eligibility requirements.  All positions requiring residence or frequent travel outside a home country must undergo and clear a pre-employment medical clearance; some work permit processes require clearing a separate government administered medical examination.

CRS prioritizes candidates who are citizens/ permanent residents of the countries where we have CRS offices.