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. CRS has worked in Kenya since 1965. Over the years, CRS’s focus shifted from direct relief and food distributions to a comprehensive development program that works with partners and enhances the local capacity. CRS Kenya programs now support care reforms, children affected by HIV, and community-based efforts to increase household incomes, improve family health and sanitation, and enhance agricultural livelihoods.
Background:
CRS, representing a consortium of international non-governmental organizations, local implementing partners and research institutions is leading the USAID Nawiri Program in Isiolo and Marsabit, a USAID Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (BHA) funded 8-year Resilience Food Security Activity (RFSA) in Kenya. The overarching goal of this multi-sectoral activity is to sustainably reduce persistent levels of acute malnutrition in Kenya’s arid and semi-arid lands (ASALs). The activity is being implemented through multi-sectoral activity implementation and adaptation and local system and institutional strengthening.
Job Summary:
The Deputy Chief of Party II – Programs leads the planning of project activities and sets appropriate performance targets, ensuring adherence to technical standards, best practices, reporting timelines and donor guidelines. The DCOP-Programs manages key relationships both inside and outside of the Nawiri consortium, providing direction to the implementation agenda.
As a senior leader the DCOP-Programs oversees design and delivery of a multisectoral approach to sustainably address acute malnutrition in Kenya’s ASALs, an effort which includes cross-cutting interventions in health/nutrition, livelihoods, agriculture, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), gender, youth, learning, knowledge sharing and capacity-strengthening. The DCOP-Programs is responsible for coordinating preparation of all program reports.
Roles and Key Responsibilities:
- Manage key aspects of the development, implementation and consolidation of the Nawiri project. Serve as a point of contact to DONOR as well as public, private and non-government stakeholders, when needed.
- Manage key functions of the project to meet donor expectations in terms of timely and quality results and budget. Contribute to ensuring coordination between program and operations leads.Contribute to ensuring the CRS program quality standards are adhered to per MEAL policy and procedures.
- Effectively manage talent and supervise. Manage team dynamics and staff well-being. Provide coaching and mentoring. Strategically tailor individual development plans and complete performance assessments for direct reports. Contribute to the development of staffing plans and the recruitment process of senior staff.
- Along with DCOP Operations, 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. Help ensure compliance with DONOR grants, including financial tracking and oversight of partner budgets, finance, administration and reporting to DONOR.
- Maintain relationships with key staff of consortium partner organizations. Contribute to coordination of 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 recommend trainings and technical assistance.
Basic Qualifications
- Master’s degree in International Development, International Relations or a relevant technical area.
- 7 or more years’ relevant management and technical experience.
- 5 years experience managing donor funds, including multi country grants. Strong knowledge and experience in budget management. Previous experience managing USAID funded projects; BHA experience preferred.
- Recognized technical experience and qualifications in sector as demonstrated by peer reviewed publications, conference presentations etc.
- Demonstrated experience of successful management, including management of functions of complex, high-value, multi-activity projects, with complicated logistics.
- Staff management experience and abilities that are conducive to a learning environment. Experience coaching.
Required Languages – Excellent written and oral communication skills in English required.
Travel – Must be willing and able to travel up to 40%.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
- Strong 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 with diverse/multi-disciplinary teams. Coaching skills.
- Proactive, resourceful, solutions-oriented and results-oriented.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience engaging partners and strengthening partnerships. Knowledge of CRS partnership strategy a plus.
- Technical experience in either Nutrition, Food security, Natural Resource Management or WASH sectors.
- 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: The DCOP-Progs directly supervises the Nawiri System Strengthening and Institutionalization Lead; Gender, Youth, & Social Dynamics Lead, Strategic Learning Lead, Program Quality Manager, Environmental Compliance Manager, and the WASH Program Manager. Additionally, s/he will provide support in mentoring all program staff across the consortium.
Key Working Relationships:
Internal: Nawiri Chief of Party, DCOP – Operations, CRS Kenya Head of Programming, M&E Lead, Sector Leads (including consortium partners staff), Heads of Offices and Regional and Headquarters technical staff.
External: Consortium partners, implementing partners, officials at USAID BHA, MC led Nawiri leadership, government bodies at different levels.
***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.
CRS’ talent acquisition procedures reflect our commitment to protecting children and vulnerable adults from abuse and exploitation.
CRS prioritizes candidates who are citizens/ permanent residents of the countries where we have CRS offices.
CRS is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
More Information
- Job City Kenya
