Chief of Party II – USDA Food For Progress at CRS | May 2024
Job Description
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.
Job Summary:
As Chief of Party II you will provide vision, leadership and overall management of the USDA Food for Progress (FFPr) project to serve the poor and vulnerable. Your 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 Tanzania. As a senior leader you will proactively manage security and mitigate security risks.
Roles and Key Responsibilities:
- Lead all aspects of the development, implementation and consolidation of the FFPr project, including sharing how the project contributes to the thought leadership of the industry. Serve as the primary point of contact to USDA as well as public, private and non-government stakeholders.
- Ensure the project is designed and implemented to meet donor expectations in terms of timely and quality results and budget, including strategies for phase out and sustainability. Ensure coordination between program and operations leads. Ensure the CRS program quality standards are adhered to per MEAL policy and procedures.
- Effectively manage 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.
- 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. Ensure compliance with USDA grants, including financial tracking and oversight of partner budgets, finance, administration and reporting to USDA. 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.
- Manage relationships with consortium partner organizations, including organization of review/planning workshops. Coordinate the roles and activities of staff from other consortium member organizations in implementation inline 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 ensure the design and delivery of high quality training and technical assistance.
Basic Qualifications
- Master’s degree in business administration, Agricultural Economics, Animal Husbandry and Health Livestock Management or other relevant technical area required. PhD preferred.
- 10 or more years’ of experience in leading the implementation of value chain and market development programs required.
- Minimum 5 years of experience effectively managing USG and/or USDA grants involving implementation by multiple sub-awardees and demonstrated experience managing large teams in remote context required.
- 5 years of staff management experience and abilities that are conducive to a learning environment. Experience coaching and mentoring senior program staff.
Required Languages – Professional proficiency in English, working knowledge of Swahili preferred.
Travel– 50% travel required for management of staff
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
- Excellent communication skills tailored to diverse audience types, audience sizes and communication platforms.
- Excellent strategic, analytical, systems thinking, and problem-solving skills, with capacity to see the big picture and ability to make sound judgment and decisions.
- Excellent 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/mentoring skills.
- Strong communications and presentation skills; able to develop tailored and persuasive messaging for varied audiences.
- Proactive, resourceful, solutions-oriented and results-oriented.
Preferred Qualifications
- Demonstrated technical expertise in SME development and Private Sector Engagement and experience in managing program implementation and financial reporting required.
- Demonstrated experience in recruiting, developing, and managing staff required.
- Demonstrated commitment to the importance of gender and youth dynamics and within staff and management of the activity required.
- Proven success serving in a leadership role for a project – of similar size and scope – addressing issues related to resilience, agriculture, natural resource management, agribusiness, or similar is required, preferably in East or Southern Africa.
- Demonstrated experience in adaptive management and learning techniques is highly encouraged.
- Prior experience working in Tanzania and familiarity with Tanzania’s social, political, economic and cultural landscape, and demonstrated ability to build and maintain relationships with host governments, donors, other donor-funded projects and stakeholders, local organizations, and partners is a plus.
- USG Compliance Certifications will be a plus.
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: To be determined based on final program design.
Key Working Relationships:
Internal: All Departments of the Country Program, regional office staff and technical advisors, HQ contacts
External: USDA/FFPr, UN partners, other NGO partners in Tanzania, relevant GoT Ministry staff, research institutions, church partners
***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
ABOUT US
ABOUT THE TEAM
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
