Head of Programming I, Yemen

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.

Job Summary:

As a member of the Country Program (CP) Senior Management Team, you will provide strategic direction, leadership, and management of the CP's programming to ensure the establishment and successful implementation of high-quality programs serving the poor and vulnerable. Your leadership, program expertise, management oversight, partnership and business development skills will ensure that CRS and its partners develop and deliver high-quality programming and continuously work towards improving program impact. You will play a critical role in advancing local leadership and ensuring the capacity of staff and local partners is strengthened to advance CRS and its partners strategic priorities, particularly localization and impact. 

Background:

CRS has been registered in Aden/Yemen since November 2022 with the aim of serving the complex needs of the country, both in the south, and in the north whenever is feasible. CRS programs currently include education and livelihoods, and we also support partners who work in the health sector. With the vast needs in the country, yet the significant local capacities, CRS will work with the local government, civil society, and other local stakeholders to advance local leadership and catalyze humanitarian and development outcomes at scale.

Despite the large-scale humanitarian and development needs in Yemen, the funding environment has been extremely competitive, and donor resources are limited. CRS current funding in Yemen is limited to private discretionary and restricted funds in addition to funding from other Caritas member organizations. The Head of Programs in Yemen would thus provide particular focus to prepositioning CRS and its partners to mobilize donor resources, particularly institutional and other non-traditional donors to CRS.    

Roles and Key Responsibilities:

• In collaboration with the Country Manager (CM) and EMECA DRD/PQ, provide strategic direction for the design of the CP strategic frameworks and plans, to ensure programs growth and scale through advancing local partnerships in line with regional and agency strategic priorities.
• Lead CRS efforts in Yemen to mobilize donor resources through effective prepositioning, donor engagement, and the design and implementation of high quality/high impact programs.
• Ensure technical assistance and capacity strengthening for project teams and partners in project management standards and related MEAL, business development and operational activities. Identify training opportunities, develop training curricula, and facilitate trainings and other learning events.
• Work with partners and staff to lead high-quality project design incorporating project management standards and MEAL methods, appropriate to scope and context, and incorporating technical advice and best practices from EMECA RTA expertise. 
• Effectively manage talent and supervise. Manage team dynamics and staff well-being. Provide coaching, strategically tailor individual development plans, and complete performance assessment for direct reports. Contribute to developing staffing plans appropriate to the strategic plan of advancing localization and local partnerships. 
• Ensure high quality documentation of impact and learning; including supporting team and partner learning through partnership reviews, program reflections and other learning events, reflecting on CRS and its partners experience.
• Create and maintain proper conditions for learning. Establish a safe environment for sharing of ideas, solutions, and difficulties, with the capacity to detect, analyze and respond quickly to deficiencies. Promote accountability, learning and knowledge management. Oversee implementation of the MEAL policy, as well as cross-sectoral and cross-department learning.
• Coordinate with CP operations leads to ensure appropriate project budgeting and efficient use and stewardship of project material sources.
• In coordination with other CP, partner and regional staff, oversee the business development cycle to ensure quality proposals per agency and donor standards.
• As a part of the CRS/Yemen Senior Management Team, proactively manage and mitigate a range of risks, including financial, program and security.

Required Languages -- Professional working proficiency in English; Arabic language skills will be highly advantageous.

Travel - The position is based in Aden/Yemen, with travel of up to 20% of the time both in Country and in the region as needed. 

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Excellent strategic, analytical, systems thinking, and problem-solving skills, with capacity to see the big picture and ability to make sound judgment and decisions.
• Excellent partnership and capacity strengthening skills. Ability to manage multiple, complex partnerships with Government, UN, and national and International NGOs. 
• Team leadership abilities with diverse/multi-disciplinary teams. Coaching/mentoring skills.
• Strong communications and presentation skills; able to develop tailored and persuasive messaging for varied audiences.
• Proactive, resourceful, solutions-oriented and results-oriented.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

Supervises a team of 4 senior national project and program managers, including a MEAL manager.

Key Working Relationships:

Internal: Direct reports; EMECA Deputy Regional Director for Program Quality; regional technical advisors and other regional staff; technical advisors in the Humanitarian Response Department; HQ Security colleagues; colleagues in Overops departments, USOps, Finance, HR, Audit and Charitable Giving.

External: Donor agencies, host country government agencies, international and national non-governmental organizations, CI agencies, UN agencies.