Who: Catholic Relief Services
What: The Fellows Program is designed for individuals dedicated to a career in international development, with a focus on program management or operations. All fellows complete a comprehensive practical training that includes project management, project design and proposal development, partnership and capacity building, donor relations and representation, monitoring and evaluation, budget and resource management, supply chain, logistics and systems management, human resources and security protocols.
Fellows are based in one of CRS' overseas country programs for the 12-month fellowship. Overseas placements are based on language skills and the needs of our country programs. Most Fellows continue to work for CRS, in a wide variety of positions, upon successful completion of the fellowship.
Primary Responsibilities:
Under the supervision of a senior staff member, support programming and operations in a country program in the following areas:
Project Management
Support implementation of current projects (activity planning with CRS staff and partners, monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning activities, field work, etc).
Support timely and accurate reporting and learning activities (write/edit reports in collaboration with CRS staff and partners, document lessons learned, etc).
Support effective and transparent management of cash and in-kind resources (budget monitoring/analysis, cash forecasting, financial reporting, commodity management, etc).
Serve as acting project manager, as appropriate.
Project Design and Proposal Development
Work with CRS staff and partners on the design of new projects (data collection/assessments, design workshops) and the development of proposals (writing specific sections, preparing budgets, final packaging/editing, etc).
Support research & analysis to inform project design (problem identification, stakeholder analysis, gender analysis, gap analysis, budget analysis, theory of change, etc).
Partnership & Capacity Building:
Work alongside CRS partners and support activity planning & implementation, project design, monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning.
Support partnership strengthening and capacity building (e.g. partnership reflection workshops, partner assessment and monitoring visits).
Operations:
· Support procurement by participating in bid analysis and vendor selection, contracting, receipt and warehousing of goods.
· Support human resources by drafting job descriptions, shortlisting CVs/applications, participating in interview panels.
· Support security by reviewing security protocols and manuals.
· Support supply chain management by reviewing systems for delivery, storage and distribution of goods, assisting with inventory counts, data collection, analysis & verification.
· Support strong financial management by analyzing budgets, monitoring & forecasting spending, reviewing supporting documentation for financial transactions.
· Support audit and compliance through the review of internal controls, systems for fraud prevention, audit reports, CRS/ donor guidelines, design and implementation of mitigation plans.
· Support roll-out of Project Insight, CRS' new integrated HR, Supply Chain and Finance system.
Agency-wide Competencies :
Based on the mission, values, and guiding principles of the agency, CRS competencies are to be exemplified by all staff in fulfillment of his or her respective roles and responsibilities.
Integrity
Accountability and Stewardship
Builds Relationships
Develops Talent
Continuous Improvement/ Innovation
Strategic Mindset
Key Working Relationships:
Internal: CRS Country Representative, Head of Programming, Head of Operations, Program Managers, Operations staff
External: CRS partner organizations, local bilateral and multilateral institutions, host government, donor agencies, local/international NGO offices.
Qualifications:
Graduate degree in field relevant and applicable to international development (e.g. Agriculture, Health, Engineering, Business, Public Administration, Finance, Supply Chain)
Fluency in English with strong oral and written communication skills
Professional proficiency in a second language (preference given to major languages spoken where CRS works)
At least six months overseas work or volunteer experience in a developing country (consideration given to applicants with at least five years of experience living in a developing country)
Able and willing to be based in locations with tropical and infectious diseases and limited access to medical facilities.
Skills Required:
Strong interpersonal skills; able to cultivate strong relationships while working with a wide range of individuals in and outside the agency
Effective communicator; able to develop tailored and influential messaging for varied audiences
Proactive; willing and able to take on additional responsibility, challenge assumptions and facilitate change
Results driven; able to set and achieve ambitious goals and instill confidence
Strategic thinker; able to formulate guiding questions, leverage resources and find creative solutions
Discerning; able to maintain focus and provide good judgment amidst complexity and uncertainty
Agile; able to operate effectively in a stressful, fast changing environment where security could change unexpectedly
Aligned; able to support and champion the mission, vision, and values of CRS
Motivated; interest in a career in development or emergency relief
Develops others; able to listen, coach and mentor
Flexible; willing to work in various regions and developing countries around the world
CRS is an equal opportunity employer. We welcome applicants of all backgrounds and nationalities. Candidates are not required to have U.S. work authorization, green cards or U.S. citizenship. CRS' talent acquisition procedures reflect our commitment to protecting children and vulnerable adults from abuse and exploitation.
If, due to a medical condition or disability, you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the employment process, please e-mail: recruitmentsupport@crs.org.
