Background
Catholic Relief Services (CRS) carries out the commitment of the Bishops of the United States to assist the poor and vulnerable overseas. Our Catholic identity is at the heart of our mission and operations. We welcome as a part of our staff and as partners people of all faiths and secular traditions who share our values and our commitment to serving those in need. CRS is an international non-governmental organization (NGO) supporting relief and development work in over 100 countries around the world. CRS programs assist persons on the basis of need, regardless of creed, ethnicity or nationality. CRS works through local church and non-church partners to implement its programs.
CRS has worked in Uganda since 1965, initially providing emergency assistance to Sudanese refugees living in the north. Over the years, CRS has expanded its programming to also address development needs in western, central and eastern Uganda. CRS’ projects in Uganda currently include agriculture, health, microfinance, peacebuilding and youth. CRS Uganda implements its programs through partnerships with local organizations, including the Catholic Church, other faith-based organizations and community entities for maximum impact and sustainability.
Project Background:
Coordinating Comprehensive Care for Children (4Children) is a five‐year USAID‐funded project implemented by a consortium of organizations led by CRS with partners IntraHealth, Maestral, Pact, Plan and Westat. 4Children is designed to improve health and wellbeing outcomes for orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) affected by HIV and AIDS and other adversities. 4Children’s work utilizes global evidence establishing that HIV and other adversities are best prevented and addressed when families and children have access to both high quality health and social welfare services. The project supports systems and structures at country and regional levels to implement evidence-based interventions that protect against risk, interrupt cycles of vulnerability, and build pathways to resilience leading to an AIDS Free Generation and contributing to overall improvements in quality of life and productivity for vulnerable children and their families.
4Children has two closely linked initiatives in Uganda:
1. Keeping Children in Healthy and Protective Families (KCHPF), is an operations research project funded by USAID/Displaced Children and Orphans Fund (DCOF) that will support the reintegration of approximately 600 children living in residential care back into family-based care in order to evaluate the impact of a package of family support interventions on successful reintegration.
2. The Uganda Systems Strengthening (USS) project will reinforce Ministry of Gender Labor and Social Development (MGLSD) ownership and oversight of services for children and families, strengthening MGLSD capacity to lead, manage, and coordinate the national response.
Job Summary:
The 4Children Program Manager (PM) will support all aspects of program management in the 4Children’s portfolio in Uganda, which currently includes both the USS Project and KCHPF. The PM will be responsible for coordinating management and operational support with the CRS Country Program (CP), including procurement, human resources, logistics, contracting, and partner sub agreements. S/he will work closely with the Project Director, project staff, technical advisors, and project partners to support the administrative, technical and financial management of the project activities in Uganda to meet and/or exceed the stated objectives and targets. S/he will be a dynamic person with strong interpersonal skills, excellent organizational skills, who thrives in a complex, busy work environment.
Specific job responsibilities:
Program Management
• Provide overall management and technical support to 4Children projects.
• Oversee the design and implement effective quarterly and annual work plans that allow for timely and ongoing progress review of all key outputs and financials.
• Support the staff and partners to monitor progress against the project objectives, targets, and standards for service-delivery.
• Support partners in meeting activity targets as stated in partner agreements.
• Build partner capacity through training, accompaniment, regular monitoring, and mentoring.
• Ensure project implementation is in accordance with CRS programming principles and CRS core values and engage respective staff for support as needed.
• Support timely preparation and review of narrative and financial reports.
• Provide support to the Project Director and 4C technical advisor to address emerging issues raised by CRS Uganda senior management, partners, donors and respective line ministries regarding program implementation.
• Ensure CRS Uganda senior management and the East Africa program quality team is well informed of all program highlights and challenges in a timely manner.
Management, Administration and Program Quality
• Work in partnership with the CRS Country Program to coordinate management and operational support required by 4Children staff and partners. This includes close liaison with the CP Heads of Department to create a conducive and efficient work environment, in line with CRS policies and procedures as well as applicable donor regulations.
• Monitor the 4Children Uganda budget and the project resources to ensure the achievement of the project goals within the approved budget. This includes developing, managing, and maintaining program budgets, together with tracking of financial and material resources.
• Ensure accurate and timely financial reporting; review actual financial performance against the project performance and report any variances.
• Oversee the development of the partner sub-grants and annual work plans to support the achievement of the goals of both projects.
• Prepare program expenditures, budget adjustments and cost modification requests as needed.
• Coordinate regular program meetings and reviews to enable the staff and partners to track progress, proactively identify potential challenges and identify correction actions.
• Engage with CRS Country Program staff to ensure that all 4Children staff and partners are oriented and supported to meet the standards for program quality, transparency, and accountability, and in full compliance with donor rules and regulations.
• Support and actively participate in project after-action reviews and assist the staff and partners to implement any required changes in program direction and focus.
Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL)
• Manage and oversee the collection and organization of information in accordance with CRS Uganda’s MEAL System and Framework; be knowledgeable about CRS MEAL systems and procedures for each project in the Agriculture portfolio.
• Facilitate the overall analysis, reporting, utilization and feedback of information generated through various MEAL activities.
• Coordinate the implementation of program evaluations/assessments e.g. baselines, mid-term, final evaluations, formative research, operations research activities, etc. as well as sharing this information to beneficiaries, partners, staff, donors, and peer agencies as well as LGAs.
• Facilitate the identification of lessons learned and documentation of best practices for dissemination and learning.
Other Responsibilities: Representation and Business Development
• Ensure CRS is professionally and consistently represented with key stakeholders, including local authorities, Church officials, local partners, donors, the UN, other NGOs and appropriate networks in meetings, conferences, and other fora as needed.
• Coordinate with respective line ministries/officials and other organizations working in the sector to build strategic partnerships; conduct periodic visits to government offices as needed.
• Lead and support business development initiatives in collaboration with 4C and other business development staff by engaging in proactive intelligence gathering to identify potential and real growth opportunities.
• Work with the Communications Department to keep project fact sheets up-to-date.
Program Manager Competencies
1. Set clear goals and manages toward them
2. Collaborate effectively with staff and stakeholders
3. Manage financial resources with integrity
4. Apply program quality standards to project design and organizational learning
Agency-wide Competencies (for all CRS Staff)
1. Serve with Integrity
2. Model Stewardship
3. Cultivate Constructive Relationships
4. Promote Learning
Key Working Relationships
Internal: Departmental heads (Procurement Manager, HR Manager and Finance Manager; Deputy Head of Programs; 4Children Technical Managers; 4Children staff in HQ, EARO.
External: Partners; Host country government ministries, local/international NGO offices, UN agencies.
Required Qualifications:
1. Master’s degree in Sociology, Social Work, Public Health, International Development, or a related field.
2. Minimum of 5 years’ experience in programs focused on OVC and/or child protection programming; experience with case management approaches and social service systems strengthening ideal.
3. Demonstrated knowledge and technical capacity in systems strengthening at national and local levels in limited-resource settings, in Uganda an added advantage.
4. Familiarity with USG rules and regulations and experience managing USAID projects in Africa.
5. Effective manager of both people and processes; able to develop individual and collective capacity of CRS program managers and partners.
6. Proven experience in preparing and managing project budgets to ensure that spending and program implementation are aligned and on-track.
7. Outstanding interpersonal and communication skills to create a supportive work environment, and promote teamwork at all levels of the organization.
8. Excellent written & analytical communication skills; able to develop clear, concise and evidence-based reports/presentations for donor and public consumption.
9. Highly proactive and self-disciplined; able to multi-task and work successfully under tight deadlines
10. Commitment to uphold CRS agency standards, policies and procedures, and comply with donor requirements.
11. Fluency in written and spoken English.
HOW TO APPLY:
Disclaimer Clause:
This job description is not an exhaustive list of skills, effort, duties and responsibilities associated with the position. CRS’ recruitment and selection procedures reflect our commitment to protecting children and vulnerable adults from abuse and exploitation. “I understand that CRS takes all allegations of abuse and exploitation seriously. Abuse or exploitation of children or vulnerable adults is grounds for immediate dismissal.” Note: Please submit cover letter, CV and three work references (names and contact information only) to ug_recruitment@crs.org by March 21st, 2017.
Only selected candidates that meet the requirements will be notified. EOE/M/F/D/V**