Position Title: JEOP Chief of Party II - Ethiopia
Department/Country: EARO/Ethiopia
Location: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Reports To: Country Representative

About CRS:
Catholic Relief Services 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.

Background:

CRS/Ethiopia is the lead agency of the USAID Food for Peace/FFP emergency food aid program, Joint Emergency Operation (JEOP), to address acute food security shocks. The JEOP is national emergency food distribution program targeting transitory or acute food insecure households in more than 80 USAID approved woredas through a project participant targeting process led by the Government of Ethiopia's (GOE) National Disaster Risk Management Commission (NDRMC). On average, the JEOP serves as a food pipeline for up to 33% of the emergency-affected parts of Ethiopia. The JEOP operational area covers the highlands of eastern Tigray and Amhara regions to the North, as well as the eastern highlands and lowlands of eastern Oromia Region, with additional locations in the lowland Rift Valley of central Oromia Region and eastern Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples Region (SNNPR).

Job Summary: The Chief of Party (CoP) leads and manages the Joint Emergency Operation (JEOP) Consortium and program in Ethiopia. The JEOP CoP is responsible for the overall management including coordination within the Consortium, coordination with and reporting to the donor, and liaising with the Government of Ethiopia. The JEOP CoP chairs and coordinates the Steering Committee meetings and Program Coordination Team (PCT) meetings as well as provides overall leadership.

The CoP will have key responsibilities overseeing program management, quality and representation as outlined below:

Commodity Monitoring and Compliance:

1. Support the Deputy Chief of Party for Compliance & Capacity Strengthening to coordinate with JEOP partners to achieve high levels of commodity compliance through technical oversight and guidance; consortium-wide learning; and effective management of human, material and financial resources per USAID/FFP regulations.
2. Ensure risk monitoring remains robust, including to areas of temporary expansion such as IDP crises, and support partners to address issues of highest risk.
3. Ensure consortium partners have the commodity management knowledge and skills required to successfully manage their final distribution points, and close incidents and findings as reported by the monitoring team.
4. Ensure that JEOP Compliance and Monitoring Technical Working Groups meet on a regular basis, identify lessons learned, solve problems and harmonize approaches where possible.
5. Keeps USAID (Mission and Washington) up to date on any commodity risks and compliancy related issues within the consortium.

Program Quality:

1. With key program staff and stakeholders, ensure that the program's strategic objectives and results are fully accomplished and meet expected technical quality standards.
2. Supervise and coordinate program activities with the Deputy Chief of Party for Program Quality, including MEAL, cash transfer programming, protection, and early warning sectors.
3. In collaboration with program staff, provide guidance and technical oversight to partners and other collaborating agencies to ensure that lessons of sound practice are documented and disseminated.
4. Ensure that MEAL is incorporated into evolving program plans, and learning is shared across the consortium.
5. Ensure integration of program interventions with other CRS programs or through linkages with other service providers.
6. With program staff, ensure the delivery of quality training, technical assistance and administrative and financial support to all partner agencies, including the selection and coordination of consultants.

Management and Administration:

1. Manage program budgets, including tracking of financial and material resources.
2. Ensure accurate and timely reporting of program finances and progress status, review financial performance against the budget, and explain variances on a regular basis.
3. Ensure staff compliance with all CRS administrative and operational procedures and policies, as well as applicable donor regulations.
4. Approve program expenditures, budget adjustments, and cost modification requests.
5. Supports the Deputy Chief of Party for Operations in ensuring monitoring of commodity management and compliance with sub-agreements.
6. Plans for cash and food resource needs and submits resource requests for USAID consideration and approval.
7. Keeps USAID (Mission and Washington) up to date on resources use, status and requirements.

Representation and Advocacy:

1. Provide direction and oversight to JEOP Consortium, ensuring that sub-recipients adhere to their assigned scopes of work and sub-award terms, and ensuring all members of the consortium work cooperatively and productively to achieve project objectives.
2. In collaboration with the Country Representative, acts as primary program contact to the donor, Government of Ethiopia and other local and international stakeholders, such as the World Food Program and NGOs, responsible for addressing all program matters.
3. In collaboration with the Country Representative, strengthen linkages with existing and potential partner agencies.
4. Oversee program communication strategies, including compliance with the donor's branding and marketing requirements, and CRS marketing procedures.
5. Plans and coordinates Steering Committee Meetings with the Consortium and USAID.
6. In collaboration with Country Representative, represents CRS and the JEOP consortium at USAID led Emergency Task Force meetings on a weekly basis.

Human Resource Management:

1. Lead, manage and supervise a team of CRS and consortium staff to meet program objectives.
2. Conduct periodic reviews of staff performance in keeping with CRS' performance management system and mentor staff to ensure high levels of motivation, commitment, capacity, and teamwork.
3. Manage recruitment portfolio for the program, in collaboration with Human Resources and CRS country program management, to ensure optimum service delivery through recruitment of competent and qualified staff.

Supervisory Responsibilities: Both CRS and consortium member staff. Directly supervises Deputy Chief of Party for Program Quality, Deputy Chief of Party for Compliance & Capacity Strengthening, and Deputy Chief of Party for Operations.

Qualifications and Skills:

1. Master's Degree in Development Studies, International Relations related field, or significant relevant field experience
2. Minimum 8 years of progressively senior management responsibility including experience in emergency, relief food aid, nutrition, or food security environments.
3. 5 years' experience managing donor funds, including multi country grants. Strong knowledge and experience in budget management.
4. 5 years of staff management experience and abilities that are conducive to a learning environment. Experience coaching senior program staff.
5. Prior management of significant USAID funding required
6. Proven leadership and inter-personal skills and ability to build and motivate diverse and talented teams
7. Proven experience in managing complex consortium or partnership relationships required
8. Strategic vision and capacity to oversee a vast and complex program required
9. Experience with participatory methods and partnerships required
10. Public relations skills required
11. Proven ability to think strategically
12. Flexibility to work both in a team and independently
13. Cultural sensitivity, patience and flexibility
14. Demonstrated personal accountability and driven to serve others
15. Excellent English oral and written communication skills required
16. Proficiency in Microsoft Office suite, including Word, Excel and Outlook required

What we offer

CRS offers a comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, life insurance, vision, generous retirement savings plan and the opportunity to work in a collaborative, mission-driven culture that is committed to improving the lives of the poor throughout the world.

***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.

EOE/M/F/D/V - CRS is an Equal Opportunity Employer.