Education Program Manager I

Job Description

Job Title: Education Program Manager I
Reports to: Education Program Manager II
Department: PQ
Salary Grade: 9
Location: Iraq/Dohuk
Position Type: Full Time

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.

In partnership and collaboration with Caritas Iraq and other partners, CRS Iraq is supporting conflict-affected people to live in dignity through the provision of improved shelter conditions, educational support for children, water, sanitation, and hygiene assistance, livelihoods restoration and development, and social cohesion programs. With a staff team of over 120 and offices in Erbil, Duhok, Baghdad, Kirkuk, Fallujah, and Mosul, CRS Iraq currently manages 20 million USD yearly, including funding from USAID, OFDA, US State Department (PRM), and other public and private donors.

Job Summary:

You will manage programming in the Iraq Country Program (CP) for the Education program area in Duhok and Ninewa, designing and implementing projects advancing Catholic Relief Services’ (CRS) work in serving the poor and vulnerable. Your management skills and knowledge will ensure that the CP delivers high-quality programming and continuously works towards improving the impact of its programming.

Roles and Key Responsibilities:

• Manage and implement all activities throughout relevant project cycles - project design, start-up, implementation and close-out - to ensure efficient and effective implementation in line with CRS program quality principles and standards, donor requirements, and good practices. Ensure project team and partner staff use the appropriate systems and tools.
• Effectively manage talent and supervise. Manage team dynamics and staff well-being. Provide coaching, strategically tailor individual development plans, contribute to the recruitment process of project staff, and complete performance management for direct reports.
• Champion learning with project staff and partner teams. Analyze and evaluate project performance data following MEAL policy.Proactively identify issues and concerns and use participatory processes to overcome implementation obstacles.
• Make key contributions to project design and proposal development for Education, gap-filling and taking on growth responsibilities, as needed.
• Coordinate the identification of staff capacity and technical assistance needs of partner organizations and local government counterparts, and capacity strengthening and required interventions to support quality project implementation.
• Help identify, assess and strengthen partnerships relevant to Education programming, applying appropriate application of partnership concepts, tools and approaches.
• Coordinate and monitor financial and material resources relevant to project needs. Through planning and oversight ensure efficient use of project resources.

Basic Qualifications

• Master’s Degree in International Development, International Relations, Education, or related field required. Additional experience may substitute for some education.
• Minimum of 2 years of relevant field-based experience in coordinating or managing light to moderately complex projects required, preferably with an international NGO.

Required Languages - English. Arabic language proficiency is a plus.

Travel - The position will be based in Duhok, Iraq. Travel within Iraq – including to Baghdad, Anbar, Ninewa, and Kirkuk, and across Kurdistan – up to 30%; limited travel within the region.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Strong critical thinking and creative problem-solving skills with ability to make sound judgment.
• Strong relationship management skills and the ability to work effectively with culturally diverse groups.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with ability to write reports.
• Proactive, results-oriented, and service-oriented.

Preferred Qualifications

• Project management experience in Education is highly desirable.
• Experience engaging with partner organizations, including capacity building experience.
• Experience contributing to the development of technical proposals.
• MEAL skills and experience preferred.
• Familiarity and experience with Inter-Agency Network for Education in Emergencies standards preferred.
• Familiarity and experience with mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) concepts and resources preferred.
• Experience using MS Windows and MS Office packages (Excel, Word, PowerPoint), Web Conferencing Applications, information management systems.

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

Supervisory Responsibilities: Three national staff (one Project Manager, two Project Officers). Oversight of Duhok and Ninewa education team.

Key Working Relationships:

Internal: Education Program Manager II, Deputy Head of Programming, Head of Programming, Head of Operations, Country Representative, Finance Manager, other Iraq CP Program Managers, Project Managers, EMECA Technical Advisors

External: Peer organizations, Iraq education cluster, consultants, local government and Directorates of Education, UN agencies and sector leads in the area. Caritas Iraq and other local partners.

NOTE: Applications will be accepted until this position is filled

About the Organization

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's Agriculture and Livelihoods team supports farming communities using our Pathway to Prosperity approach, which enables rural families to increase their productivity within sustainable landscapes, achieve a living income and build more resilient communities.