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.

About CRS Nigeria

CRS has been supporting program activities in Nigeria for over 30 years and has long-standing relationships with Church and non-Church partners and communities throughout the country. The Nigeria country program has a diverse funding base with projects in health, nutrition, food security and agricultural livelihoods, microfinance (SILC), emergency response and peacebuilding. CRS/Nigeria currently has over 210 national and eight international staff. With an FY22 annual budget of over USD $100 million, coupled with strong donor interest in supporting CRS’ work in the country, significant growth opportunities exist for the CP. The CP has been supporting emergency activities in the NE states since 2015 with offices in Damaturu, Maiduguri and Yola.

About DRIVE

The Disaster Risk Reduction and Recovery in Vulnerable Environments (DRIVE) project is an anticipated two-year integrated multi-sectoral intervention to be funded under USAID/BHA starting in October 2024. Building on the experience and achievements of the Transitioning Households to Recovery from Vulnerability (THRIVE) project, DRIVE will provide a coordinated package of life-sustaining and life-building early recovery interventions to vulnerable but productive households in targeted communities of MMC/Jere. Working in partnership with the Justice, Development and Peace Commission (JDPC), DRIVE will target 22,000 households, both settled internally displaced people (IDP) and host community members. DRIVE will coordinate with and build the capacity of the Borno State Government (BSG) to operationalize integrated early recovery interventions and strengthen community leadership in DRR, recovery and social cohesion.

Job Summary

You will manage programming for disaster risk reduction (DRR) for the DRIVE Program based in CRS Maiduguri. You will directly supervise the CRS DRIVE DRR team and provide technical capacity building and leadership to the JDPC DRR team.  You will work collaboratively as a team member with the other DRIVE sector leads, especially the SPOs Social Cohesion and Government Liaison to equip communities with skills to prepare for and manage disasters in their communities.  You will lead the DRR teams in CRS and JDPC to support communities to self-organize and identify hazards. Using a participatory process, you will ensure that DRIVE supports each community to create a community managed disaster plan (CMDP) that prioritizes actions for risk reduction.  In collaboration with the Social Cohesion team, you will engage targeted participants in social cohesion capacity building. Under the leadership of the Program Director, you build the capacity of the JDPC DRR team for DRIVE to plan, sequence, and layer all sector interventions to achieve optimal integration and impact for the poor and vulnerable.  In collaboration with the SPO Governance you will facilitate JDPC DRR team to mobilize, engage   and orient state government stakeholders in BOSEPA, LEMA, SEMA on DRIVE’s  community DRR planning and implementation. You will also   oversee the planning, coordination, implementation, monitoring, program quality and reporting for DRR activities by JDPC on DRIVE. Your management and facilitation skills and knowledge will ensure that DRIVE delivers high-quality, cost effective and locally appropriate programming, and continuously works towards improving the impact of its interventions. This position is contingent upon the award of the grant.

Roles and Key Responsibilities:

• Manage JDPC in the implementation of all DRR activities from project design, start-up, implementation, and close-out. These activities include mobilizing and orienting community stakeholders on DRR planning,  supporting community based recreational activities, facilitating  participatory community engagement on CMDPs,  engaging and providing capacity building to BOSEPA, LEMA and SEMA;
• Mentor and support the JDPC DRR team in the correct use of the appropriate CRS program planning, implementation, and reporting tools.
• Ensure effective planning and integration of DRR interventions with DRIVE activities in ERMS and Livelihoods sectors.
• Represent DRIVE and CRS at all state level sector-based coordination mechanisms for DRR.
• Facilitate and support JDPC’s engagement with key BSG ministries for technical support to DRIVE sector implementation and monitoring, including BOESPA, LEMA and SEMA.
• Support and oversee the JDPC team in the planning and implementation of all market-based input activities, including participant identification, validation, training, mobilization, distribution, follow up and utilization.
• Effectively manage talent and supervise the DRIVE DRR team in CRS. Manage team dynamics and staff well-being. Provide coaching, strategically tailor individual development plans, contribute to the recruitment process of project staff, and complete performance management for direct reports.
• Champion learning with project staff and partner teams. Analyze and evaluate project performance data following MEAL policy. Proactively identify issues and concerns and use participatory processes to overcome implementation obstacles.
• Act as a key resource person in project design and proposal development in respective programming area, gap-filling and taking on growth responsibilities, as needed.
• Coordinate the identification of staff capacity and technical assistance needs of the JDPC DRR team   provide capacity strengthening and required interventions to support quality project implementation.
• Help identify, assess, and strengthen partnerships relevant to DRR.
• Coordinate and monitor financial and material resources relevant to project needs. Through planning and oversight ensure efficient use of project resources

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities 

• Project design, planning and management experience in DRR is essential.
• Strong critical thinking and creative problem-solving skills with ability to make sound judgment.
• Demonstrable capacities in team working and   cross-sectoral planning and implementation.
•  Strong relationship management skills and the ability to work effectively with culturally diverse groups.
• Experience in managing relationships and performance in a consortium with local partners.
• Strong representational capacities and skills in collaborating with government stakeholders.
• Strong facilitation and communication skills.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with ability to author reports and make presentations.
• Proactive, results-oriented, and service-oriented.
• Strong capacities in MEAL and reporting, including capturing learning and adapting interventions based on implementation and feedback.
•  Experience using MS Windows and MS Office packages (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Teams).

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience contributing to the development of technical proposals.
•  Experience using CommCare and Power BI is an advantage.
• Experience of using market-based mechanisms and CVA modalities, including the RedRose platform, for provision of agriculture and livelihood inputs to project participants is desirable.

Required Languages – English and Hausa are essential. Knowledge of one or more of the languages spoken in Maiduguri, such as Kanuri or Shuwa Arabic is an advantage.

Travel – The post is based in Maiduguri and includes 40% travel to field locations in MMC/Jere.

Supervisory Responsibilities: Two DRR Program Officer

Key Working Relationships:

Internal: Program Director, MEAL Manager, SPO Government Liaison, SPO Social cohesion, other DRIVE sector leads, Senior Admin and Security Officer staff in Maiduguri

External: Sector coordination forums, JDPC DRR team, BOSEPA, SEME, LEMA.

Basic Qualifications

• BSc in environmental engineering, civil engineering or a related subject Additional experience may substitute for some education.
• Two years’ experience in Northeast Nigeria in the implementation of similar projects.
• One year’s experience supporting DRR interventions in peri-urban locations with settled IDPs, host communities and returnees.

Safeguarding

CRS is committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of all people who interact with our work. We uphold the highest standards of safeguarding and expect all staff and partners to respect and protect the dignity and rights of everyone from any form of harm, abuse, harassment, or exploitation. All staff are required to follow CRS’s safeguarding policies and procedures and to complete mandatory safeguarding e-learning courses upon hire and on an annual basis.

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.

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

Note:  All positions requiring residence or frequent travel outside their home country must undergo and clear a pre-employment medical examination.

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.

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 an Equal Opportunity Employer