Internal/ External Job Announcement
About CRS: “Catholic Relief Services carries out the commitment of the Bishops of the United States to assist the poor and vulnerable overseas. Our Catholic identity is at the heart of our mission and operations. We welcome as a part of our staff and as partners people of all faiths and secular traditions who share our values and our commitment to serving those in need.”
In Ethiopia, CRS has a long and rich history of providing emergency relief and development assistance to the people of Ethiopia since 1958. At present, CRS/Ethiopia implements multiple projects through different partner organizations. CRS/Ethiopia has a highly diverse portfolio ranging from very large food-supported emergency response to cutting edge development programs. The current CRS/Ethiopia budget stands at $100 million with funding from the U.S. Government, UN agencies, private foundations, individual donors, and CRS private funds.
CRS strictly adheres to its Policy on Protection of Children and Vulnerable Adults among its staff, consultants, volunteers, and affiliates. CRS is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer: women, minorities and people with disabilities are encouraged to apply.
As part of CRS family, you will join the more than 5000 strong and vibrant individuals working globally to accomplish the mission of CRS. CRS/Ethiopia invites you, the qualified candidate, to apply for the following positions;
Position Title: Health Program Manager
Duty Station: Addis Ababa
Employment term: Indefinite period contingent upon funding of the Health and Nutrition Program.
Reports To: Head of Programs
Background:
CRS has a strong history of implementing health programs in Ethiopia, from PEPFAR OVC funding, CDC HIV Prevention, Core Group Polio Project, GAVI Civil Society Platform Support, multiple USG nutrition components, and privately funded health initiatives with local partners. CRS requires a Health Program Manager to oversee the multiple grants, supervise Project Officers working with vulnerable populations, and cultivate partnerships in in the health sector. With support from the Head of Programs, the Health Program Manager will assist in designing a strategic vision for the Country Program (in line with CRS’ Catholic identity and the donor environment in Ethiopia). Further, this position will represent the agency at government, UN and other national forums/meetings, and coordinate a way forward, including growth, for health programming at CRS Ethiopia. CRS Ethiopia will benefit from the incumbent’s health technical expertise, experience working with the Ministry of Health at different levels and grant and partnership management skills to ensure a larger national/Ethiopian voice in relevant forums. As a programming sector, Health is an agency wide Signature Program Area (CRS) and an important focus of CRS both globally and within the CRS Ethiopia country program.
Job summary:
The Health Program Manager will lead the consolidation and growth of the health portfolio through the design of a Country Program Strategy for Health and Nutrition, creating a unified vision among current health project staff and program leadership, identifying and instituting growth strategies, assuring high-quality staffing and staff support, and representing the program among internal and external stakeholders including at technical working groups, workshops and events where information on health, nutrition, MCH, immunization, and OVC is requested.. The Health Program Manager support to program design workshops will help to expand upon CRS Ethiopia’s nutrition, food security, MCHN, and OVC based programming.
Summary of Duties and Responsibilities:
Program Strategy: The Health Program Manager will lead the design of the Country Program Strategy for Health and Nutrition and take the lead in creating a vision for Country Program health and nutrition activities, while positioning CRS to be a stronger actor in the sector. Health is a Strategic Program Area (SPA) for CRS globally; the incumbent will identify opportunities in line with agency strategy.
Program Technical Development and Quality:
The Health Program Manager will take the lead in maintaining and improving program quality, innovation and learning among the various existing health projects, in line with international best practices and quality standards. These programs currently include, CGPP, GAVI, Helmsley/MOC, and HSD.
Provides technical advisement as needed on larger awards with cross-cutting nutrition sensitive or specific interventions (e.g. REAAP, LAO, ELRP); participates in project design and start-up workshops where appropriate.
Works closely with all members of the CRS team to strengthen health capacity and networks and to help unify the health team to collectively move towards quality integrated projects.
Identifies and leads initiatives to capture learning and to share technical and programmatic lessons learned within CRS Ethiopia and with other CRS country programs.
Guides the health and nutrition team who have been leaders in formative and operational research for CRS Ethiopia, undertaking quality assessments, evaluations, and learning initiatives and promoting presentations in national and international conferences. This emphasis on research and evidence-based programming will be a responsibility of the incumbent.
Makes regular visits to ongoing project sites and helps troubleshoot, recommends changes as needed, and identify areas of improvement.
Writes and reviews quality project reports, and provide constructive feedback on those reports that will be disseminated to the donor or a larger audience.
Supports program managers and technical staff in incorporating health, nutrition, MCH and food security issues in project MEAL systems (performance questions, indicators, sampling methods, procedures, etc.). Assist in health specific participatory planning and support implementation.
Assists technical staff in setting indicators for assessing progress with health and nutrition integration, adapted to the various types of CRS Ethiopia programs.
Program Growth:
Works together with the Head of Programs, Business Development Manager, and is responsible for growing the health program portfolio. Such work will include remaining up to date on donor trends and opportunities, identifying priority technical areas for investment.
Assures that CRS is prepositioned in priority technical areas, carrying out assessments with partners, networking with donors, government and other PVOs, and all aspects of proposal development and review.
Identifies strategic use of private allocation funding that will build relationships and position CRS for an increased role and visibility in the health and nutrition sector.
Identifies opportunities for strategic partnerships with GoE, implementing partners, donors and civil society.
Serves as a senior level health resource while networking, prepositioning and strengthening the CRS network in health and some cases, nutrition.
Participates in the review of other CP proposals with health/nutrition programming components.
Development of materials, resources, tools, etc. to share with audiences for marketing purposes (with support from BCC Officer).
In coordination with Business Development PM and Finance Staff, makes high quality contributions to budget development and reviews of partner budgets and budget narratives for health projects or components of larger projects.
Representation:
Represents CRS in national-level meetings with the National Ministry of Health as well as other key players in the health sector, including the Global Fund, Core Group, CCRDA, JHU-CCP, Alive and Thrive, and participate in other national forums to represent CRS in Health and Nutrition.
Attends and contributes to relevant information sharing forums and technical working groups (nutrition, health, community health) in order to best understand new findings/best practices, the implementing environment, and existing health programs in Ethiopia (including regional and international communities of practice). Shares CRS’ expertise and contributions.
Functions as a key facilitator of relationships, communication and negotiations with Church and other partner organizations involved in health programs including annual meetings, assemblies and conferences.
Represents the Health Team or appropriately designates to others on the CRS Ethiopia Gender, LKM, and BCC Working Groups. Attends PM meetings.
Capacity Building/Supervision:
Identify relevant training and learning opportunities for CRS health and other unit staff to advance knowledge and skills in health/nutrition.
Work with LKM WG and HR to ensure inclusion of health/nutrition learning agenda as part of relevant CRS Ethiopia staff annual Learning and Development Plans.
Provide technical support and oversight to program staff in designing, carrying out and assessing learning tools including Barrier Analysis (DBC Framework), and Gender Analysis.
Mentor Unit Project Officers through shared project and partner visits, coaching sessions, and coordination.
Coordinates with Project Officers to ensure health unit projects are in compliance with MPP, Project Management Standards and various donor requirements.
Lead the recruitment and hiring process for relevant positions in CRS Ethiopia as needed.
Required qualifications and experience:
Master’s degree in Public Health, Nutrition, Community Development Behavior Change / Sociology or other clinical training.
At least 8 years’ experience working in public health, nutrition, early childhood development and/or community and health systems strengthening.
Skills and experience in high-level advocacy, negotiation and coalition building with multiple stakeholders.
Proven resource mobilization, concept note/proposal writing, and fundraising experience.
Experience in partnership with public and private sector; emphasis on local Church partners
Preferably some familiarity and or related experience with CRS’ grant management systems and processes including preparation of sub-recipient agreement and ARS, cash forecasts, advance calculations, partner liquidation review, BCR analysis, BMF/BTF requirements, and e-Budget quarterly forecasts.
At least 5 years’ field experience working in support of national health systems in a number of the following areas: health systems strengthening for MNCH, participatory approaches for community mobilization and behavior change, prevention and treatment of malnutrition, early childhood development/work with vulnerable children, HIV, community case management/immunization.
Strong communication and networking skills to market CRS as a health and nutrition organization
Existing relationships within the Ministry of Health and with Health Sector Donors with a reputation as a reliable and experienced advisor.
Familiarity with health and nutrition areas funded by USAID, FFP, GFATM, GHI, FTF, PMI, GAVI, CGPP, and others.
Knowledge and understanding of gender analysis and transformation in rural communities.
Demonstrated abilities in documentation of lessons learned, report-writing, monitoring and evaluation.
Skilled in working collaboratively with others not under supervisory control to achieve results.
Excellent independent judgment and decision-making skills.
Fluency in Amharic and English.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office package, EpiInfo, or SPSS.
Ability and willingness to travel regularly both nationally and internationally as needed
Agency-wide Competencies for all CRS positions:
These are rooted in the mission, values, and principles of CRS and used by each staff member to fulfill his or her responsibilities and to achieve the desired results.
*Serves with Integrity *Models Stewardship *Cultivates Constructive Relationships *Promotes Learning