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.

For nearly 60 years, CRS has taken the lead in responding to natural and man-made disasters affecting Ethiopia's most vulnerable communities. Moving beyond emergency response, CRS' disaster mitigation and recovery projects in drought and flood-prone areas have rebuilt individual and community assets through non-food aid in the form of agriculture, livestock, health, nutrition, and water and sanitation assistance. CRS's humanitarian work in Ethiopia also provides livelihoods support to farmers and entrepreneurs, promotes gender equality, mobilizes for immunization and mitigates the impact of HIV.

As part of CRS family, you will join the more than 5000 strong and vibrant individuals working globally to accomplish the mission of CRS. CRS/Ethiopia invites you, the qualified candidate, to apply for the following position.

Position Title:                 Senior Project Officer - Cash Management

Department:                  Program - JEOP

Duty Station:                  CRS Ethiopia/Addis Ababa

Required Number:        One

Employment Term:       Indefinite Period contingent upon funding of the program

Reports To:                     Cash and Market Technical Advisor

Application Deadline:   November 13, 2021

Job Summary:

As a member of the JEOP Cash project team, the Senior Project Officer (Cash) will monitor, support and report on all project activities in support of Catholic Relief Services’ (CRS) work serving the poor and vulnerable. Your thorough and service-oriented approach will ensure that the project consistently applies best practices and constantly works towards improving the impact of its benefits to those we serve. S/he ensures that CVAs are in line with best practice and organizational guidance and take cross cutting themes (eg. safeguarding, gender and protection) concerns into consideration. The incumbent plays an important role in building the capacity of partner personnel, equipping operations with the means to implement cash assistance while using the Cash and Asset Online platform. S/he advocates for the use of CVA, and shares information related to cash and vouchers with partners and collaborates with the government to ensure a well designed and implemented CVA response.

Job Responsibilities:

• Organize and lead the implementation of all assigned project partner support activities relating to cash programming, including: closely following up on the implementation of procedures/activities outlined in the Detailed Implementation Plan and SOPs, communication with local government, beneficiary registration, data cleaning and CAT platform set-up, distribution monitoring and support, and timely processing of financial requests documents.
• Support and coordinate capacity building and technical support activities to enhance partners’ capacity in relevant cash programming, technical tools and guidance, and in particular of the Basic Needs and Multi-Purpose Cash Approach.  To that effect, support need assessments, and design and facilitation of training workshops to support capacity building efforts.
• Monitor and report any challenges and/or gaps identified to inform adjustments to plans and implementation schedules. Assist partners in their efforts to reflect on project experiences.

• Complete project documentation for assigned activities. Assist with identifying information for case studies and reports on promising practices.
• Support accountability through coordinating project evaluation activities and assisting partners in their efforts to collect and analyze project data per specified mechanisms and tools. Collect and analyze program data, capture and share lessons learned and best practices for specific projects to facilitate improvements in decision- making and contribute to the cash transfer learning agenda.
• Collaborate with local partner(s) to prepare reports per established reporting schedule.
• Provide technical support (in-person and/or remotely) and assist with training needs. For example, providing training on Cash & Asset Transfer System use, financial education and market monitoring for partners and financial service provides who involved in in cash programming.
• Draft project documents and tools (e.g. Standard Operation Procedures and associated documents), as well as technical manuals (e.g. financial education, market monitoring, etc.).

• Serve as primary focal point and support to JEOP partner staff, following up on implementation progress and providing field and technical support as needed and manage the partnership in a holistic and reciprocal manner.
• Ensure timely processing of financial                requests/disbursements/reconciliation/liquidations. Ensure the advance request is on time, documentation is complete, necessary documents are submitted, timely submission of partner liquidations and support the analysis of financial documents and summary preparations for liquidations.
• Coordinate with and support relationship management with Financial Service Providers.  This includes: training staff on SOPs and technology as required; preparing and sharing beneficiary lists and registration forms/payment sheets with cash transfer agents; and ensuring timely distributions (and appropriate number of support staff) as per the cash distribution plans/schedules.
• Support the day-to-day management of the Cash & Asset Transfer (CAT) Platform for effective management of beneficiary and financial transaction information: manage CAT Platform set up; verify data coherence; top-ups preparation; financial report preparation; and analysis of different types of data (e.g. beneficiary information, spending, etc.).
• Support learning and monitoring activities accompanying project activities throughout the project cycle. Support accountability through coordinating project evaluation activities following MEAL Policy for PDM (access and utilization among others). Proactively identify issues, report them to inform adjustments to plans and implementation schedules.
• Identify skill and knowledge gaps related to CVA among the partners, and collaborate to address these through training and capacity building.

• Train CRS and partner staff on the project participants registration process, CAT platform data collection, uploading and processing;

Agency-wide Competencies (for all CRS Staff):

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.

• Integrity
• Continuous Improvement & Innovation
• Builds Relationships
• Develops Talent
• Strategic Mindset
• Accountability & Stewardship

Education and Experience

• Completion 2nd Degree (Social or Natural Science) or 1st Degree (Social or Natural Science).
• Minimum 3 years’ work experience for 2nd Degree or 5 years’ work experience for 1st Degree ideally in the field of cash and voucher programming, food security or relationship management, and with an NGO.
• Experience working with stakeholders at various levels and strengthening community partnerships.
• Experience with partnership activities and institutional strengthening, preferably with international as well as religious partners.
• Experience working with partners, participatory action planning and community engagement.
• Experience monitoring projects, collecting and analysing relevant data including risk analysis and identification of risk mitigation measures.
• Experience using MS Windows and MS Office packages (Excel, Word, PowerPoint), as well as online data collection and data management platforms (e.g. KOBO, CommCare, Power BI, RedRose-One Solution, LMMS, etc.).
• Strong report writing skills.

• General knowledge of technical principles and concepts in food security and commodity management.
• Familiarity preferred with the Sphere Humanitarian Charter and Minimum Standards, NGO Code of Conduct, Do No Harm, and prevention against sexual exploitation and abuse.

Personal Skills

• Strong relations and appreciation of diversity. Ability to relate to people at all levels internally and externally.  Strategic in how you approach and manage each relationship and the ability to work closely with local partners and community members
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• Excellent strategic and creative and analytical skills, sound judgment and problem-solving skills with ability to provide partners with sound advice
• Proactive, results and service-oriented
• Attention to details, accuracy and timeliness in executing assigned responsibilities
• Observation, active listening and analysis skills with ability to make sound judgment
• Presentation, facilitation, training skills.

Required/Desired Foreign Language: English and Amharic (required), Oromiffa (desirable)

Travel Required: Up to 40%