Job Summary:

The Program Manager II – South America will provide technical support to local partners in South America. S/he will organize capacity building and accompaniment of partners, with the goal of ensuring emergency relief and recovery activities undertaken by partners are in line with Catholic Relief Services (CRS) program quality principles and standards, donor guidelines, and industry best practices to advance the delivery of high-quality programming to the poor and vulnerable. Your technical knowledge, advice and guidance will contribute to determining how effective, adaptive and innovative CRS’ Emergency programming is across the globe.

Roles and Key Responsibilities:

• Provide management, guidance, and technical oversight of all new and existing projects throughout the project cycle to ensure project design, start-up, implementation and close-out are in line with CRS quality principles and standards, donor guidelines, and industry best practices.
• Provide technical solutions to EMPOWER partners in South America, remotely and on-site, for strategic planning and how to best apply program design and implementation standards, best practices, partnership principles, tools, and M&E, ensuring high-quality implementation.
• Contribute to the proactive pursuit of opportunities for new funding to ensure growth of EMPOWER’s and partners’ portfolio in line with agency, regional, and partners’ strategic priorities. Serve as the technical lead and technical writer to ensure quality proposals in Program Area(s) per agency and donor standards. Contribute to budgeting and staffing plans and activities for proposals.
• Contribute to the identification and pursuit of innovative finance mechanisms to expand funding opportunities and support sustainable emergency response programs in South America.
• Contribute to capacity strengthening initiatives in Emergency Preparedness and Response programming for partner staff as requested and prioritized by the partners through helping develop learning and training strategies and agendas/curriculums, conducting trainings and workshops, and mentoring and coaching to partner staff.
• Contribute to knowledge management and learning through collecting and analyzing program data, evaluating strategic projects, assisting with measuring program impact, capturing and sharing lessons learned and best practices, and research and internal reports.
• Contribute to the development and implementation of agency-wide strategies, standards, tools, and best practices in Emergency Preparedness and Response that effectively engage partners, donors and governments. Help ensure a cross-sectoral approach integrating gender, protection mainstreaming, and disaster risk reduction.
• Ensure a quality partnership between CRS and South American EMPOWER partners in line with CRS and Caritas Internationalis (CI) partnership principles; ensure coordinated, consistent partner strengthening efforts and support timely resolution of partnership challenges via dialogue and support from others, as appropriate.
• Collaborate with sister Caritas Internationalis Members Organizations to advance EMPOWER’s objectives in South America.
• Support quality partner-led emergency response program development, through participation in donor discussions and ensuring quality program design, budgeting and reporting.
• Ensure timely and appropriate project expenditures in line with financial plans and efficient use and stewardship of project material sources.
• Develop and maintain strong collaboration with CRS technical experts and, in agreement with partners, develop SOWs for in-country support for partners as needed — especially for technical support in managing cash-based interventions, WASH, shelter and others as selected by the partners.
• Collaborate with the MEAL team to provide MEAL and IM-related technical solutions to South American partners, remotely and on-site, for strategic planning and how to best apply program design and implementation standards, best practices, partnership principles, tools, and M&E, ensuring high-quality implementation.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• MEAL skills and experience required. Experience using ICT tools such as Kobo Toolbox and Commcare desired.
• Staff management experience and abilities that are conducive to a learning environment.
• Experience using MS Windows and MS Office packages (Excel, Word, PowerPoint), Web Conferencing Applications, information management systems.
• Good experience in project grants management, including project design, preferably for grants from multiple public donors, including USAID.
• Demonstrated ability to write high quality technical proposals.
• Experience engaging with partner organizations
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with ability to make sound judgment and decisions and offer innovative solutions
• Strong relations management abilities. Ability to relate to people at all levels internally and externally. Strategic in how you approach each relationship.
• Good presentation and facilitation skills
• Proactive, resourceful, solutions-oriented and results-oriented

• Bachelor’s degree in international development, International Relations or in the field of Humanitarian Response required. Additional experience may substitute for some education.
• Minimum of 8 years’ experience in relevant field-based project management experience required, with preferably at least 3 years working in the area of Emergency Preparedness and Response.
• Experience in managing moderately complex projects preferably with an international NGO.
• Previous experience providing technical assistance and developing successful proposals for external donor funding is required.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master”s Degree
• Experience in an international NGO an advantage
• Knowledge of Humanitarian principles, standards and system, with specific knowledge of CRS and Caritas Internationalis emergency programming and standards a plus.
• Highly proficient in security protocols and management of emergency programs in insecure environments.
• Ability to work with local partner organizations.

Required Languages – Spanish (required), English (required), Portuguese (encouraged)

Travel – Must be willing and able to travel up to 50 %.

Supervisory Responsibilities: none

Key Working Relationships:

Internal: EMPOWER LAC Team Lead, EMPOWER LAC technical advisors, HRD Program Quality and Technical teams.

External : EMPOWER LAC partners, Caritas Internationalis Member Organizations, humanitarian donors particularly USG at the subregional and national 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 is an Equal Opportunity Employer