Note: This is a remote position. CRS prioritizes candidates who are citizens or permanent residents of countries where we have offices. CRS does not sponsor visas for remote employees.

Job Summary: 

You will provide leadership on institutional communications to advance Catholic Relief Services (CRS) influence and thought leadership, aligned with EARO regional and Country Program (CP) strategies and resource mobilization priorities. Your leadership will advance the voice of CRS ensuring that we continue delivery of high-quality programming to the poor and vulnerable. Your technical knowledge and communications experience and skills will contribute to determining how effective, adaptive and innovative CRS’ programming is across the region.

Roles and Key Responsibilities:

• Contribute to the advancement of the EARO regional strategy, including supporting its influence and thought leadership goals and related communications, positioning and dissemination plans. Provide technical support to regional and CP teams, remotely and on-site, in the development of strategic marketing and communications plans that promote our programs and innovations to strengthen CRS’ voice, convening capacity, and business development.
• Support design and delivery of effective donor engagement plans with CPs and strategic project teams, including tactics to produce collateral and strategies to document, leverage and disseminate results, innovations, and organizational strengths. Help ensure robust development and review processes, and the integration of key priorities themes such as local leadership, SDP and climate. Coordinate priority advocacy initiatives, where relevant. Track analytics to inform content creation goals and objectives.
• Lead or support the development of marketing and communications strategies for large and/or complex proposals. Advise CP/proposal teams on integrating tactics that position CRS competitively and increase CRS visibility in priority technical areas. Proactively contribute to longer-term regional and CP efforts to pre-position CRS for growth opportunities.
• Develop and coordinate regional capacity strengthening initiatives to advance staff and partner capacities to produce effective influence and technical communications work. Develop relevant external learning and training strategies and agendas/curriculums, leading virtual learning events, conducting in-person trainings and workshops, and mentoring and coaching to CP staff.
• Collaborate with regional, CP, and project level learning and MEAL leads to support the positioning of impact data and learning agendas with regional and CP key priorities and those of our key stakeholders. Work with regional, CP, and project-level teams on knowledge management to ensure all strategic marketing content is intentionally stored for use and to avoid unnecessary duplication.
• In collaboration with regional communications colleagues and leadership teams, develop event-specific communications strategies and materials. Support developing content for strategic external facing audiences. Work closely with RCO to ensure integration of institutional marketing and communications in global initiatives.
• Advise on and invest in cultivating key relationships with high-level networks in East Africa, including USAID missions, peer organizations and influential regional bodies. Develop an understanding of the needs, strategic priorities, and perceptions of priority stakeholders to ensure alignment of content and strategy for influence and funding opportunities.  Assist in planning outreach and engagement with these key stakeholders, including identifying entry points and coaching/preparing key staff for effective representation.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s Degree in International Relations or a related field required.
• Minimum of five years relevant international working experience in an advisory or management role with progressive responsibilities, ideally with experience in East Africa.
• Previous experience with institutional donors and developing successful strategies and communications materials for external donor funding is required.
• Demonstrated experience and skills in networking and relations with donors, peer organizations, and faith-based and civil society partners. Understanding of partnership principles.
• Strong communication skills, including writing, editing and storytelling.
• General knowledge of other CRS core programming areas, including MEAL, to ensure ability to leverage programmatic learning and results.
• Experience with social media and ability to track analytics and accounts outside of CRS.
• Experience in mentoring, coaching, facilitation and training applying adult learning principles and practices.
• Proficient in MS Office packages (Excel, Word, PowerPoint), Web Conferencing Applications, information and budget management systems, knowledge-sharing networks.

Required Languages – English required. Arabic desirable.

Travel – Must be willing and able to travel up to 35%.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities 

• Excellent relationship management skills with ability to influence and get buy-in from people not under direct supervision and to work with individuals in diverse geographical and cultural settings.
• Strong strategic, analytical, problem-solving and systems thinking skills with capacity to see the big picture and ability to make sound judgment
• Strong written and oral communication skills
• Strong presentation, facilitation, training, mentoring, and coaching skills
• Proactive, resourceful and results-oriented

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field required.
• Minimum of five years of relevant work experience
• Minimum of three years of management experience.

Agency REDI Competencies (for all CRS Staff):

• 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.

What we offer

CRS offers a comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, life insurance, vision, generous retirement savings plan and the opportunity to work in a collaborative, mission-driven culture that is committed to improving the lives of the poor throughout the world.

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.