Chief of Party II - Pathways to Resilience

NOTE: This positions is Key Personnel, contingent on donor approval and funding. 

Job Summary

The Project Director (Chief of Party II) will provide vision, leadership and overall management of Pathways to Resilience 2.0, a $15M/4-year project spanning up to three countries (Honduras, Guatemala, Nicaragua) with a focus on systems change that enables farming households to move from food insecurity towards resilience and market insertion. This project is part of CRS’ regional Water Smart Agriculture (WSA) platform. The COP’s 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 Market System Development. As a senior leader, the Chief of Party II will proactively manage security and mitigate security risks, ensuring compliance, the achievement of project targets, and high standards of management and program quality. 

The COP will ensure fluid communication with program and operations teams in the three target countries and with the regional land restoration platform. They will represent the project to the donor, ensuring clarity in communications and timely reporting. The Project Director will ensure that the project is designed and implemented to meet the donor's expectations in terms of results and budget execution, including exit strategies and sustainability. Their management skills and knowledge will ensure that CRS delivers high-quality programming and continually works toward improving the impact of its programming in agriculture and resilience.

Roles and Key Responsibilities

• Lead all aspects of the start-up, implementation and consolidation of the Pathways to Resilience 2.0 project, including sharing how the project contributes to the WSA platform and thought leadership of the industry. 
• Serve as the primary point of contact with the donor: collaborate with the CRS Leadership Giving department to formulate official communications and ensure the delivery of high-quality reports and plan impactful donor visits.
• Ensure the project is implemented according to design to meet donor expectations in terms of timely and quality results and budget, including strategies for phase-out and sustainability. Lead coordination efforts between program and operations leads to ensure CRS program quality standards are adhered to.
• Effectively lead 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.
• Lead the team’s adaptive management to take full advantage of opportunities and convert challenges. Proactively manage and mitigate risk by monitoring national and regional issues that may impact staff and programming. Ensure the project staff understands and complies with CRS staff safety and security policies and plans.
• Promote, uphold and model a commitment to the efficient use of agency and donor resources. 
• Ensure compliance with donor grants, including financial tracking and oversight of partner budgets, finance, administration and donor reporting. 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.
• Oversee relationships with consortium partner organizations, including organization of quarterly review/planning workshops. Ensure alignment of partner roles and activities with project priorities and respect CRS partnership principles.
• Lead a solid project governance structure across the three countries with a clear strategy, roles and responsibilities, and clear processes for decision making that support project implementation, impact and sustainability within the broader context of CRS’ WSA platform.
• Create and maintain proper conditions for learning. Establish a safe environment to share ideas, solutions, and difficulties. Build the internal 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.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities 

• Ability to represent and present at high levels.
• Excellent knowledge of MS Office package (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Visio), Web Conferencing Applications, and information and budget management systems.
• Excellent strategic, analytical, systems thinking, andproblem-solving skills, with capacity to see the big pictureand ability to make sound judgment and decisions.
• Excellent relations management abilities. Ability to relate to people at all levels internally and externally. Ability to strategically approach each relationship.
• Team leadership abilities with diverse and multi-disciplinary teams. Coaching/mentoring skills.
• Strong communication and presentation skills. Ability to develop tailored and persuasive messaging for varied audiences.
• Proactive, resourceful, solutions-oriented and results-oriented mindset.

Required Languages: Fluency in English and Spanish is required. 

Supervisory Responsibilities: Yes – Direct supervision of senior project staff as determined by the approved staffing structure, across multiple countries, in a matrix supervision structure. 

Travel: Must be willing and able to travel up to 30% in Honduras, Guatemala, Nicaragua, and other countries in the region as required by the project or the agency.

Key Working Relationships:

Internal: Colleagues from other CRS projects and platforms across the region; Operations teams in Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua; MEAL Coordinators.

External: Directors and Coordinators of partners and allies of the project, technical staff of partner organizations, government officials, municipal authorities, private sector actors, staff of NGOs related to CRS and donors.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in international development, International Relations or a relevant technical area. 
• Minimum of 8 years of relevant management and technical experience.
• 7 years experience managing donor funds, including multi country grants. Excellent knowledge and experience in budget management.
• 5 years of staff management experience and abilities that are conducive to a learning environment. Experience coaching and mentoring senior program staff.

  Preferred Qualifications

• Proven experience leading market systems development including engaging private sector actors such as buyer companies, agribusinesses, financial service providers, producer organizations, local and national government and other market actors
• Experience coaching and mentoring senior program staff.
• Demonstrated experience of successful program management, including management of complex, high-value, multi-activity projects, with complicated logistics.
• Established leader in the sector as demonstrated by publications, presentations, technical leadership, policy influence, and/or engagement in professional networks.
• Master’s degree in a related field.
• Experience engaging partners and strengthening partnerships. Experience with convening coalitions, allies and networks for systems change 
• Experience in MS Office package (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Visio), Web Conferencing Applications, and information and budget management systems.

Agency 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 U.S. based staff a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, life insurance, vision, and a generous retirement savings plan.  Benefits packages for successful candidates employed outside the U.S. are based on the country of employment/in-country office where the candidate will perform the role.  CRS´ work culture is a collaborative, mission-driven culture 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, 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.