Job Title: Senior Economic Strengthening Officer
Department: Programming/INECD
Band: 8
Reports To: Cluster Coordinator
Country/Location: District Level/Field-based
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, nutrition, agriculture, education, microfinance, and peacebuilding.
Catholic Relief Services has been present in Rwanda since 1960, and currently implements projects in nutrition, WASH, agriculture, youth entrepreneurship, and peacebuilding. The Country Program has over 40 staff and implements its projects through local and international partners, with strong coordination/collaboration with Government of Rwanda structures.
Job Summary:
The Inclusive Nutrition and Early Childhood Development (INECD) activity will promote nurturing and responsive care practices, especially in the areas of health, functioning, nutrition, and early childhood development (ECD) for caregivers and children. Specifically, the activity aims to improve health and nutrition outcomes among women of reproductive age and adolescents and improve infant and young child feeding practices. It also aims to address child development gaps and significant unmet physical rehabilitation and assistive technology (rehab/AT) and social inclusion needs for infants and children. The activity will focus on community-level service delivery, community-health facility linkages and district level capacity development, as well as address issues of inclusion and participation, including access to programs and services for children and adults with disabilities, in line with Government of Rwanda priorities.
As member of INECD project team, you will facilitate the achievement of project objectives through coordinating and reporting on all Economic Strengthening project activities for the successful implementation of the CRS Saving Internal Lending Communities/Private Service Provider (SILC/PSP) model. You will provide technical guidance and advice to staff and implementing partner(s) advancing Catholic Relief Services’ (CRS) work serving the poor and vulnerable.
Your coordination and relationship management skills will ensure that the project for which you are responsible applies best practices and constantly works towards improving the impact of its benefits to those we serve.
Roles and Key responsibilities:
- Organize and lead the implementation of all assigned project activities in SILC/PSP as outlined in the detailed implementation plan in line with CRS program quality principles and standards, and donor requirements.
- Collaborate with program staff at cluster level to ensure effective coordination of SILC/PSP activities with other aspects of the program through different Components/ approaches planned to be implemented
- Develop and maintain strong relationships with implementing partners, and support partners to achieve program targets
- Provide periodic training refresher pieces of training or additional pieces of training related to ES component throughout the life of the project.
- Support accountability through contributing on the evaluation of project activities and guiding partners in their efforts to build on project experiences. Analyze implementation challenges and report any inconsistencies and/or gaps to inform adjustments to plans and implementation schedules.
- Provide effective supervision to support partners in SILC/PSP implementation including PSP certification process and establishment of PSP networks.
- Conduct field visits in the assigned district/cluster and make informative reports with specific recommendations on key gaps identified to ensure improvement of quality services delivery
- Consolidate and compile project report related to ES component in analyzing SILC data in the SAVIX MIS and narrative reports from partners at cluster level.
- Support partners to organize financial linkages between savings groups and formal financial institutions.
- With the Economic Strengthening Advisor, represent CRS economic strengthening programming to key stakeholders, including in the government, community, and among other economic strengthening actors and counterparts in Rwanda
Basic Qualifications Education and Experience
- Bachelor’s Degree preferred in the field of Business, Finance, Economics, Rural Development, Development Studies or related field.
- Minimum of 4 years of work experience in project support, ideally in the field of microfinance and economic strengthening.
- Must have 2-3 years of experience in organizing and facilitating Savings and Internal Lending Communities (SILC) training or another community-based micro-finance model.
- Experience working with partners, participatory action planning, and community engagement.
- Staff supervision experience a plus.
- Experience in monitoring projects, collecting and analyzing SILC data using Savings Groups Information Exchange- Management Information System SAVIX-MIS
- Experience using MS Windows and MS Office packages (Excel, Word, PowerPoint).
- Rwandan nationality
Required Languages – Working proficiency in English and Kinyarwanda. French is a plus.
Travel – The position is field based. Less than 10% time is anticipated for travel to Kigali.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
- Analysis and problem-solving skills with ability to make sound judgment
- Good relationship management skills and the ability to work closely with local partners and with GoR/MOH, District officials
- Proactive, results-oriented and service-oriented
- Attention to details, accuracy, and timeliness in executing assigned responsibilities
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience working with partners, participatory action planning, and community engagement.
- Experience in monitoring projects, collecting and analyzing SILC data using Savings Groups Information Exchange- Management Information System SAVIX-MIS
- Experience using MS Windows and MS Office packages (Excel, Word, PowerPoint).
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: None
Key Working Relationships:
Internal: Economic Strengthening Advisor, Program staff at the cluster level, Meal Advisor, Project DCOP, COP, and Finance staff
External: INECD consortium and local partners technical staff, district staff, other Saving practitioners in the project implementation area as well as financial services providers.
***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.
CRS is an Equal Opportunity Employer
How to apply
Interested and qualified candidates should complete the attached application form, Self -Declaration Clause and submit them together with one page Cover letter plus updated CV (maximum three pages) all in/as one document – via email only to: RW_HR@crs.org not later than Friday, September 17, 2021, at 5:00 pm.
Please, include the below statement in your motivation letter:
“By applying to this job, I understand and acknowledge that CRS requires its staff to treat all people with dignity and respect and to actively prevent harassment, abuse, exploitation, and human trafficking. Further, I understand that if I am a successful candidate, I will be subject to a comprehensive background check, and my personal/professional references will be asked to evaluate my behaviors related to the above safeguarding-related topics”
Also, include your full names and title “Economic Strengthening Officer” in the subject line. Due to anticipated high interest in this post and the expected number of applicants, only short-listed candidates will be contacted.
Kigali. September 6, 2021
Jude-Marie Banatte
Country Representative
CRS/Rwanda Program
