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 agriculture, livelihoods, emergency response, HIV, health, education and peacebuilding programming.

Job Summary: As Chief of Party, you will provide vision, leadership and overall management of a USAID Resilience Food Security Activity (RFSA) project to serve the poor and vulnerable. Your strategic leadership, management and technical knowledge will ensure the delivery of high-quality programming, ensure proper stewardship of project resources and advance the position of CRS as a leading humanitarian and development agency in Niger. As a senior leader you will proactively manage security and mitigate security risks.

Roles and Responsibilities:

• Lead all aspects of the implementation and consolidation of the RFSA project, including ensuring that the project contributes to the thought leadership in the sector. Serve as the primary point of contact to USAID BHA 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 grants, 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. Support programmatic close out and financial reporting close out.
• 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.

Typical Background, Experience & Requirements:

Education and Experience

• Master’s degree in international development, international relations or a relevant technical area. PhD preferred.
• 10 years of experience leading the implementation of food security and/or resilience programs targeting extremely poor households in low-resource environments.
• Proven leadership skills managing projects of a similar size and scope in developing countries facing complex and uncertain contexts.
• Prior experience effectively managing large, complex USAID activities involving implementation by multiple sub-awardees and demonstrated experience managing teams in remote or physically challenging contexts.
• Excellent communication skills tailored to diverse audience types, audience sizes and communication platforms.
• Demonstrated technical expertise in food security and livelihoods and experience in managing program implementation and financial reporting. Experience with poverty graduation activities preferred.
• Demonstrated experience in recruiting, developing, and managing staff.
• Prior experience working in Niger and familiarity with Niger’s social, political, economic and cultural landscape is preferred. Demonstrated ability to build and maintain relationships with host governments, donors, other donor-funded projects and stakeholders, local organizations, and partners.
• Demonstrated commitment to the importance of gender and youth dynamics in food security programming and within staff and management of the activity.
• Proven success addressing issues related to resilience, agriculture, natural resource management, agribusiness, or similar is required, preferably in Niger.
• Demonstrated experience in adaptive management and learning techniques is highly valued.
• Familiarity with USAID Collaboration, Learning and Adaptation (CLA) approaches.
• Experience in MS Office package (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Visio), Power Bi, Web Conferencing Applications, and information and budget management systems.

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 relationship 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.

Required Languages: French. Professional proficiency in English an asset.

Travel Required: Position based in Niger. 30- 40% travel to project sites anticipated.

Key Working Relationships: 

• Supervisory: Directly supervises senior program leadership (Strategic Learning Advisor, MEAL Manager, others)
• Internal: Country Program leadership and Departments, regional office technical advisors and staff, HQ contacts
• External: USAID, multilateral partners and donors, Government of Niger representatives, local administrative leaders, research institutions, Church partners, among others

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.

***Our Catholic identity is at the heart of our mission and operations. Catholic Relief Services carries out the commitment of the Bishops of the United States to assist the poor and vulnerable overseas. 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 protecting children and vulnerable adults from abuse and exploitation. 

Disclaimer:  This job description is not an exhaustive list of the skill, effort, duties, and responsibilities associated with the position. This position is contingent upon award of the funding opportunity to CRS and USAID’s approval of the proposed candidate.

CRS’ talent acquisition procedures reflect our commitment to protecting children and vulnerable adults from abuse and exploitation. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.

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

CRS is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. CRS does not unlawfully discriminate in any aspect of the employment process on the basis of race, color, ancestry or national origin, religion, age, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability or handicap, medical condition or pregnancy, protected veteran status, or genetic information and any other non-merit-based status protected by Country law. We are committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodation to individuals with disabilities.