Senior Project Officer

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.

Psychosocial support (PSS) is a multi-year strategic program area for CRS in Gaza. The current portfolio features several dynamic PSS projects designed to contribute to improved wellbeing of vulnerable Gazan families. In response to the profound and evolving PSS needs in Gaza, future CRS PSS projects will increasingly be focused on the PSS needs of adolescents and their caregivers.

JOB SUMMARY: 

As Senior Project Officer (SPO) for the CRS PSS program portfolio across Gaza, you will facilitate the achievement of all PSS project objectives through coordinating and reporting on all project activities and providing technical guidance and advice to staff and partners advancing CRS’ work serving the poor and vulnerable. Your strong relationship management and coordination skills will ensure that the country program delivers high-quality PSS programming and continuously applies best practices while working towards improving the impact of PSS projects in Gaza. 

ROLES AND KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Effectively manage talent and provide strong, supportive supervision to the program team. Manage team dynamics and staff well-being. Cultivate a positive learning environment by providing regular feedback and constructive coaching. Strategically tailor individual development plans to build individual staffs’ technical and soft skills and complete performance management for direct reports. 
• Ensure proper training of, and adherence to, strict safeguarding policies and practices across PSS project teams including partners, including ensuring the Safeguarding Policy & Code of Conduct and Ethics is communicated to and understood by partner staff, beneficiaries and relevant community members (through ongoing, age-appropriate, contextualized verbal and/or written information shared in local language) and ensuring that beneficiaries and partner staff understand expected conduct of staff and how to safely report any safeguarding concerns
• Organize and lead the implementation of project activities across the PSS program portfolio as outlined in each project’s detailed implementation plan 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 for each PSS project in the PSS portfolio. Support accountability through coordinating evaluation activities and guiding partners in their efforts to reflect on experiences. Analyze implementation challenges and report any inconsistencies and/or gaps to inform adjustments to plans and implementation schedules. 
• Foster and coordinate working relationships with all local PSS program stakeholders and serve as the liaison between them and the project team(s) to mobilize local actors and promote PSS program activities and impact.
• Supervise and perform ad-hoc inspections of various processes and resources at program sites to ensure timely implementation of activities and adherence to established process standards and procedures. 
• Ensure proper tracking of resource use for project activities through budget reviews and follow-up with and assistance to implementing partners.
• Support and coordinate capacity building and technical support activities to ensure assigned project activities are implemented per project guidelines and standards.
• Coordinate provision of any logistical and administrative support to staff and partners.
• Ensure project documentation for assigned activities is complete with all required documents and is filed per agency and donor requirements. Assist with preparation of trends analysis reports, project progress and final reports, and documentation of case studies, success stories and promising practices.
• Contribute to new business development (proposal writing) for PSS programming.

جميع الحقوق محفوظة لموقع جوبس.

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor's Degree required. Degree in the field of International Relations, Social Work, Sociology, Business Management, Public Health, Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) a plus.
• Minimum of 4 years of related work experience required, ideally in a programming position with notable responsibilities for an MHPSS project implemented by an international NGO.
• Experience supervising staff is required. 
• Experience working with partners (local NGOs/CBOs), conducting participatory action planning, leading community engagement, and engaging other stakeholders strongly desired. 
• Experience monitoring projects and collecting relevant data.
• Experience using MS Windows, MS Office packages (Excel, Word, PowerPoint) required
• Additional education may substitute for some experience; additional experience may substitute for some education.

Required Languages – Strong spoken and written 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  

• Analysis and problem-solving skills with ability to make sound judgment.
• Strong relationship management skills and the ability to work closely with local partners.
• Ability to effectively manage relationships in a cross-cultural context.
• Proactive, results-oriented and service-oriented.
• Attention to details, accuracy and timeliness in executing assigned responsibilities.
• 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.
• Attention to details, accuracy and timeliness in executing assigned responsibilities.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working in projects targeting caregivers, children and/or adolescents strongly preferred.
• Relevant grant management experience, especially government/public donors, a plus.
• Experience drafting project, assessment and/or 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(s) 

Internal: Reports to a Program Manager. Responsible for coordination across and 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). Peer 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. pplications must be submitted online through Apply Now - تقدم الآن لهذه الوظيفة. Submission by Friday, March 27, 2020 is advised.