Job Title: Deputy Chief of Party I
Department: Programming/Rwanda/CARO
Reports To: Chief of Party I, Rwanda
Country/Location: Kigali, Rwanda
Salary Grade: 10
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.
CRS Rwanda Program background:
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 around 45 staff and implements its projects through local and international partners, with strong coordination/collaboration with Government of Rwanda structures. The FY20 program value is approximately $8 million
Job Summary:
Pending a successful bid for the award, the Deputy Chief of Party (DCoP) will work as part of a team and provide oversight of the technical quality and implementation of a five-year USAID WASH program. He/she will be responsible for leading implementation of a high-quality WASH project which is aiming to improve access to, and utilization of, safe drinking water and sanitation services in ten districts in Rwanda.
The DCoP I is expected to lead a team to 1) strengthen decentralized WASH governance, including improving District WASH Boards performance and increasing public funding for the WASH sector, 2) Improve Rural Drinking Water Services, including improving the capacity of district WASH services regulator, provision of reliable water services, and increasing funds for operations and maintenance, and 3) improve rural sanitation services through increasing user’s willingness to pay for sanitation services and products and availability of sanitation services and products. He/she will design and implement needs-driven and evidence-based activities, adhering to CRS program quality standards and employing best practices from CRS programming. His/her management and technical knowledge will ensure the delivery of high-quality programming. As a senior leader, he/she will proactively manage security and mitigate security risks.
Roles and Key Responsibilities:
- Manage a key aspect of the development, implementation, and consolidation of the WASH program. Serve as a point of contact on the area of responsibility to the donor as well as public, private and non-government stakeholders, when needed.
- Manage key function of the project to meet donor expectations in terms of timely and quality results and budget. Contribute to ensuring coordination between program and operations leads. Contribute to ensuring the CRS program quality standards are adhered to per MEAL policy and procedures.
- Effectively manage talent and supervise. Manage team dynamics and staff well-being. Provide coaching. Strategically tailor individual development plans and complete performance assessments for direct reports. Contribute to the development of staffing plans and the recruitment process of senior staff.
- Manage and mitigate risk through monitoring national and regional issues that may impact staff and programming. Ensure all staff understand and adhere to CRS staff safety and security policies and plans.
- Promote, uphold, and model a commitment to the efficient use of agency and donor resources. Help ensure compliance with donor grants, including financial tracking and oversight of partner budgets, finance, administration, and reporting to the donor.
- Maintain relationships with key staff of consortium partner organizations in regard to area of responsibility. Contribute to coordination of the roles and activities of staff from other consortium member organizations in implementation in line with CRS partnership principles.
- Create and maintain proper conditions for learning. Establish a safe environment for sharing of ideas, solutions, and difficulties and the capacity to detect, analyze and respond quickly to deficiencies.
- Identify performance gaps and training opportunities for CRS and partner staff and recommend training and technical assistance.
Basic Qualifications:
- Master’s Degree in International Development, International Relations, WASH, environmental or civil engineering, public health, business administration, governance, or relevant field;
- Minimum of 7 years’ relevant management and technical experience. Minimum of 5 years’ experience managing donor funds. Knowledge and experience in budget management.
Required Languages – Strong oral and written skills in both English and French/Kinyarwanda
Travel – Must be willing and able to travel up to 25%.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
- Very good strategic, analytical, systems thinking, and problem-solving skills, with capacity to see the big picture and ability to make sound judgment and decisions.
- Very good relations management abilities. Ability to relate to people at all levels internally and externally. Strategic in how you approach each relationship.
- Team leadership abilities with diverse/multidisciplinary teams.
- Proactive, resourceful, solutions oriented and results oriented.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Recognized technical experience and qualifications in a WASH.
- Excellent English writing skills.
- Prior experience as a Deputy Chief of Party or comparable senior leadership position.
- Demonstrated experience of successful program management, including management of complex, high-value, multi-activity projects.
- Experience engaging partners (international and local organizations, private sector, government, etc.) and strengthening partnerships. Knowledge of CRS partnership strategy a plus.
- Presentation and facilitation skills.
- Experience in MS Office package (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Visio), Web Conferencing Applications, and information and budget 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: program staff.
Key Working Relationships:
Internal: Chief of Party, Country Representative, Programming staff, Finance Manager, Deputy Regional Director for Program Quality, Regional Technical Advisors, HQ based Public Donor Liaison.
External: Donors, partner INGOs, and local NGOs, Caritas, and peer agencies.
***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.
Please note that this position is contingent upon award of the funding opportunity and the USAID’s approval of a DCoP candidacy.
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
Electronic applications-Only a motivation letter and a current detailed CV should be addressed to the CRS Country Representative exclusively at RW_HR@crs.org not later than Monday, November 2, 2020, at 5:00pm.
Please, include 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”
Include also your full names and title “Deputy Chief of Party I” 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. October 27, 2020
Jude-Marie Banatte
Country Representative
CRS/Rwanda Program
