Peacebuilding Program Manager

Job Description

Job Summary:

The Program Manager (PM) will manage peacebuilding programming in the Country Program (CP), designing and implementing projects advancing Catholic Relief Services’ (CRS) work in serving the poor and vulnerable. The PM’s management skills and knowledge will ensure that the CP delivers high-quality programming and continuously works towards improving the impact of the peacebuilding component of Shared Future, a two-year USAID-funded project. The project seeks to address two key barriers to return of displaced, conflict-affected families: (1) broken trust among diverse minority and majority groups and (2) lack of meaningful access to livelihoods. The PM will directly supervise three national staff Project Officers and support the national staff of Caritas Iraq, while working closely with other project consortium members (YouthBuild International, Iraqi Al-Amal Association) and local stakeholders.

Job Responsibilities:

• Effectively manage talent and supervise three national staff Project Officers. 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.
• Manage and implement all peacebuilding activities throughout the project cycle - 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. Collaborate with CRS technical advisors and outside consultants to adapt CRS peacebuilding methodology to the Iraq context and develop new approaches, as necessary. Ensure project team and partner staff use the appropriate systems and tools.
  • Maintain and strengthen partnerships with local and international partners to ensure high quality implementation, applying appropriate partnership concepts, tools and approaches.
  • Ensure a high level of collaboration and coordination with project consortium members and collaborating partners (Caritas Iraq, YouthBuild International, Iraqi Al-Amal Association), other NGOs, government, and UN agencies implementing peacebuilding programming in Iraq.
  • 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.
  • Act as a key resource person in project design and proposal development in respective programming area, gap-filling and taking on growth responsibilities, as needed.Under the guidance of the Shared Future Project Director, identify changes in the operating environment, identify priority unmet needs, and design and write proposals for new funding opportunities.
  • Oversee the timely preparation of high quality donor reports, quarterly performance indicator tracking tables, baseline and final evaluation reports, as well as other reports as needed/required by the local government, donors, the region or headquarters.
• Identify staff capacity and technical assistance needs of partner organizations as well as capacity strengthening and required interventions to support quality project implementation. Provide needed technical assistance and training to staff and partner organizations.
  • Coordinate and monitor financial and material resources relevant to project needs. Through planning and oversight, ensure efficient use of project resources. Ensure the review and timely submission of financial reports.

Typical Background, Experience & Requirements:

Education and Experience

• Master’s Degree in International Development, International Relations, Peacebuilding, or similar field required. Significant 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 with an international NGO.
• Project management experience in peacebuilding is highly desirable; experience working in the Middle East strongly preferred.
• Experience engaging with partner organizations required; experience working with local religious leaders preferred.
• Experience contributing to the development of technical proposals.
• Familiarity with CRS MEAL systems and ICT4D platforms preferred.
• Experience using MS Windows and MS Office packages (Excel, Word, PowerPoint), Web Conferencing Applications, information management systems.

Personal Skills

• 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

Required/Desired Foreign Language: Fluent English is required; Arabic is a strong plus.

Travel Required: The position is based in Erbil, with 30% travel to project sites in Iraq,primarily in Ninewa governorate. Regional and international travel for training, as needed.

Key Working Relationships:

Supervisory: 3 national Project Officers; support to Caritas Iraq national Project Officers

Internal: Shared FutureProject Director; Learning Program Manager; Shared Future project team; Head of Programming; Deputy Head of Programming; Program Quality Manager; MEAL Program Manager, Senior Project Officer and Project Officers; Department Heads; Procurement and Finance staff

External: Caritas Iraq; YouthBuild International; Iraqi Al-Amal Association; operational partners and colleague organizations; local government; UN agencies

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.

• Trusting Relationships
• Professional Growth
• Partnership
• Accountability

NOTE: Applications will be accepted until this position is filled.

About the Organization

Catholic Relief Services was founded in 1943 by the Catholic Bishops of the United States. Our mission is to assist the poor and disadvantaged, leveraging the teachings of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to alleviate human suffering, promote development of all people, and to foster charity and justice throughout the world. Working through local offices and an extensive network of partners, CRS operates on five continents and in 98 countries. We aid the poor by first providing direct assistance where needed, then encouraging people to help with their own development. Together, these approaches foster secure, productive, just communities that enable people to realize their potential. As the official international relief and development agency of the U.S. Catholic community, CRS is also committed to educating the people of the United States to fulfill their moral responsibilities toward our global brothers and sisters by helping the poor, working to remove the causes of poverty, and promoting social justice.