Technical Advisor II for Resilience at Catholic Relief

Location/Region: Nairobi, Kenya/East Africa Region Office (EARO)

Reports To: Regional Deputy Director -- Program Quality

Background:

In the last 5-6 years, resilience has become an increasingly important area of emphasis for CRS and donors. The 2012 droughts in the Horn and Sahel served as a critical moment where donors realized that the multiple shocks faced by vulnerable households can erode years of development investments, keeping families in a state of chronic poverty. USAID, DfID and others called for better incorporation of risk planning and mitigation into development programs, and better collaboration between humanitarian and development assistance. Since that time, donors and peer agencies have been working to develop resilience metrics and improve longer term outcomes for at-risk communities. In addition to resilience-specific funding from USAID and DfID, some of CRS ' key donors (FFP, Feed the Future, OFDA) are ramping up expectations for the incorporation resilience thinking in program design for food security and emergency response.

This position would provide technical support in program design, ensuring the latest thinking and understanding of donor expectations in new proposal development. To enhance competitiveness and program outcomes, the Technical Advisor II for resilience would assess and consolidate learning over the past five years to articulate a clear agency approach to resilience, build staff capacity and increase visibility with donors in regional, global and Washington DC fora. The position would work closely with Monitoring Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) teams and country programs, especially in EARO to identify approaches to measuring resilience outcomes and communicating agency success. Given the importance of climate shocks for vulnerable communities, this position will collaborate closely with c limate change and food security STAs to ensure coherent and comprehensive approaches.

Agency-wide Competencies (for all CRS Staff)

These are rooted in the mission, values, and principles of CRS and used by each staff member to fulfill his or her responsibilities and to achieve the desired results.

• Integrity
• Accountability and Stewardship
• Build Relationships
• Develops Talent
• Continuous Improvement and Innovation
• Strategic Mindset

QUALIFICATIONS

• Master's degree and/or Ph.D. in related field
• Minimum 7 years of experience in international development either as a technical advisor or program manager/director, preferably in Africa.
• Experience in program design/management, program quality and performance assessment as part of ongoing efforts to improve aid effectiveness.
• Experience in community participation in development projects. Experience with adult learning methods and tools.
• Experience in the design, management and implementation of policy-oriented assessments and research.
• Interest and capacity to learn about new areas.
• Developed monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning skills.
• Strong analytical skills, sound judgment and the capacity to think and plan strategically, including the ability to produce high quality policy materials and advice for development implementation.
• High level English oral and written communication skills, including representation and liaison skills.
• Excellent communication, interpersonal, networking and negotiation skills, including in a cross-cultural context as a team player.
• Experience collaborating with local NGOs preferred.
• Excellent coordination and facilitation skills.
• Willingness to travel up to 50% of the time.

Disclaimer Clause: This job description is not an exhaustive list of the skills, 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.

Equal Opportunity Employer

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.