Project Manager for Psychosocial Support

Job Title: Project Manager for Psychosocial Support (PSS)

Reports To: Program Manager 

Location: Gaza

CRS BACKGROUND: Catholic Relief Services (CRS) 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 has been present in Jerusalem, West Bank, and Gaza (JWBG) since 1961 and currently supports programs in the sectors of humanitarian relief, livelihoods, civil society strengthening, and social justice promotion through its field offices in Jerusalem, Gaza, and Bethlehem. For further information about CRS, please visit: www.crs.org.

CRS features a dynamic psychosocial support (PSS) portfolio that reflects the organization’s commitment to increasing vulnerable Gazan families’ access to quality PSS programming. Currently, a BMZ-funded initiative promotes child and caregiver wellbeing in Gaza and Middle Area. CRS is also partnering with a university to pilot a new PSS methodology based on emotional security theory and is enhancing organizational sustainability for local community-based organizations (CBOs) supporting PSS. In response to the profound and evolving psychosocial needs in Gaza, CRS is planning to focus future programming on meeting the distinct need for PSS services among adolescents and their caregivers and addressing outstanding protection concerns within their families and communities. Future projects will leverage CRS’ established, trusted presence and build upon existing community relationships.

JOB SUMMARY: 

The Project Manager will manage, coordinate, and monitor project activities and relationships with partners and other project stakeholders to assist the achievement of the PSS portfolio objectives advancing CRS’ work serving the poor and vulnerable. Your project management skills and knowledge of mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) will ensure that the CP delivers high-quality programming and continuously works towards improving the impact of PSS projects in Gaza.

ROLES AND KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Effectively manage talent and provide strong, supportive supervision to the project team. Manage team dynamics and staff well-being. Cultivate a positive learning environment by providing consistent, constructive coaching. Strategically tailor individual development plans to build individual staffs’ technical and soft skills, contribute to the recruitment process for project staff, and complete performance management for direct reports. 
• Ensure all CRS and partner staff adhere to safeguarding policy and procedures. Beneficiaries understand CRS’ code of conduct and ethics and have access to age-appropriate feedback and response mechanism(s). Ensure effective referral systems are in place.
• You will lead technical, budget management, monitoring and reporting activities through the project cycle - start-up, implementation and close-out - in line with CRS program quality principles and standards, donor requirements, and good practices.  
• Build trusting relationships within and across project teams, including partners. Manage complex situations with superior communication skills demonstrating maturity, empathy, and consideration of different cultural and individual perspectives. 
• Ensure learning properly accompanies project activities throughout the project cycle. Support accountability through coordinating project evaluation activities following MEAL Policy. Proactively identify issues, report them to inform adjustments to plans and implementation schedules. 
• Use superior communication skills to engage and strengthen partnership relationships relevant to all PSS projects, applying appropriate application of partnership concepts, tools and approaches. 
• Represent the organization with donors, INGO working groups, UN, CRS delegations, relevant local partners and relevant local government and community actors for PSS.
• Coordinate activities required for ensuring the financial, material and human resources for the quality implementation of the project. Conduct periodic budget reviews and follow-up with partners on timely submission of financial reports to facilitate proper tracking of resource use.
• Identify staff capacity needs and technical assistance needs of partner organizations and contribute to capacity strengthening and required interventions to support quality project implementation. 
• Assist with preparation of trends analysis reports and disseminate results. Review project documentation to ensure project file is complete with all required documentation and is filed per agency and donor requirements.
• Leverage your strong writing and analytical skills to contribute to new project design and proposal writing for PSS programming.  

جميع الحقوق محفوظة لموقع جوبس.

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor's Degree required. Master’s Degree strongly preferred, ideally in a field related to MHPSS.
• Minimum of 5 years of work experience in project management required; work experience in the field of MHPSS and/or protection for an international NGO strongly preferred.
• Staff supervision experience required. 
• Budget management experience required. 
• Experience working with stakeholders at various levels and strengthening community partnerships.
• Demonstrated ability to contribute to the development of technical proposals.
• Ability to manage Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning systems (MEAL). 
• Experience analyzing data and drafting program reports required.
• Experience using MS Windows, MS Office packages (Excel, Word, PowerPoint) required.
• Additional experience may substitute for some education.

Required Languages – Strong written and oral English and Arabic required.

Travel – Travel in Gaza required regularly. Project or country level meeting outside of Gaza anticipated on occasion.  

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities  

• Critical thinking and creative problem-solving skills with ability to make sound judgment.
• Strong relationship management skills and the ability to work effectively with local stakeholders. Representation abilities.
• Strong communication skills. Ability to effectively manage relationships in a cross cultural context.
• Ability to convey expertise in a practical and humble manner. 
• Ability to demonstrate diplomacy, flexibility and resourcefulness. 
• Strong supervisory skills. Ability to support staff professional development.
• Ability to contribute to written reports
• Proactive, results-oriented, and service-oriented. 
• Attention to details, accuracy and timeliness in executing assigned responsibilities

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working with partners (local NGOs/CBOs), conducting participatory action planning, leading community engagement, and engaging other stakeholders strongly desired. 
• Experience working with children and/or adolescents strongly preferred 
• Relevant grant management experience, especially government/public donors, a plus.
• Experience contributing to assessments and evaluation reports a plus.
• Experience using IT solutions for project implementation/data collection and management a plus (e.g. iForm, CommCare, PowerBI). 

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

KEY WORKING RELATIONSHIPS: 

Supervisory: Project Officer(s); Field Officer(s) and Project Assistant 

Internal: Reports to a Program Manager. Responsible for coordination within project teams including with MEAL and ICT4D as well as with Head of Office and operations departments, including Administration, Procurement, Finance, Security, etc. Coordinates with operations colleagues in Jerusalem. 

External: Manages relevant partner relationships, including the project and leadership team (Executive Directors and key members of Boards of Directors). Colleague organizations, UN agencies and sector leads in the area.  Provides support for donor, third party monitor visits, and other coordination efforts, as needed.

DISCLAIMERS:  This job description is not an exhaustive list of the skill, effort, duties, and responsibilities associated with the position. 

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. CRS' talent acquisition procedures reflect our commitment to protecting children and vulnerable adults from abuse and exploitation.

CRS' talent acquisition procedures reflect our commitment to protecting children and vulnerable adults from abuse and exploitation.

CRS is an Equal Opportunity Employer

Interested candidates with relevant education and work experience are invited to complete an application which addresses the positions requirements. In order to be considered for the position, candidates must submit both a CV and a cover letter, in English. Applications which fail to meet these requirements will not be considered. Applications must be submitted online through Apply Now - تقدم الآن لهذه الوظيفة  no later than Tuesday, 28 January 2020.