Reports to:    Head of Programs

About US:

Catholic Relief Services (CRS) is an international non-profit organization which implements 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.

Job Summary: As Chief of Party I you will be responsible for the management of all aspects of implementation of the USDA Food for Progress Uganda Vanilla Project including, but not limited to, technical, administrative, operational, and logistical management of project activities. You will provide vision, leadership and accountability for the ultimate success of the program. Your strategic leadership, management and technical knowledge will ensure the delivery of high-quality programming and advance the position of CRS as a leading agency in agriculture and livelihoods. As a senior leader you will proactively manage security and mitigate security risks.

Key Duties and Responsibilities:

• Lead all aspects of the development, implementation and consolidation of the project including sharing how the project contributes to the thought leadership of the industry. Serve as the primary point of contact to USDA as well as public, private and non-government stakeholders.
• Ensure the project is designed and implemented to meet donor expectations in terms of timely and quality results and budget, including strategies for phase out and sustainability. Ensure coordination between program and operations leads. Ensure the CRS program quality standards are adhered to per MEAL policy and procedures.
• Effectively manage senior programming and operations talent. Manage team dynamics and staff well-being. Provide coaching and mentoring. Strategically tailor individual development plans and complete performance assessments for direct reports. Oversee 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 and ensure the updating of such plans.
• Promote, uphold and model a commitment to the efficient use of agency and donor resources. Ensure compliance with USDA grants, including financial tracking and oversight of partner budgets, finance, administration and reporting to USDA. Approve program expenditures, budget adjustments, and cost modification requests to donors.
• Oversee the development of communication strategies and materials, complying with donor and CRS' branding and marketing requirements and procedures.
• Coordinate relationships with consortium partner organizations, including organization of review/planning workshops. 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 ensure the design and delivery of high-quality training and technical assistance.

Qualifications, Skills and Experience:

• The ideal applicant for the Catholic Relief Services (CRS) Chief of Party job must hold a Master's degree in Agronomy, Agriculture, International Development, International Relations or a relevant technical area. PhD preferred.
• 10 or more years' relevant management and technical experience.
• 8 years' experience managing donor funds, including multi country grants. Strong knowledge and experience in budget management.
• 8 years of staff management experience and abilities that are conducive to a learning environment. Experience coaching senior program staff.
• Strong strategic, analytical, systems thinking, and problem-solving skills, with capacity to see the big picture and ability to make sound judgment and decisions.
• Strong relations management abilities. Ability to relate to people at all levels internally and externally. Strategic in how you approach each relationship.
• Strong relations management abilities. Ability to relate to people at all levels internally and externally. Strategic in how you approach each relationship.
• Proactive, resourceful, solutions-oriented and results-oriented.
• Experience engaging partners and strengthening partnerships. Knowledge of CRS partnership strategy a plus.
• Ability to represent and present at high levels.
• Experience in MS Office package (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Visio), Web Conferencing Applications, and information and budget management systems.
• Required/Desired Foreign Language:
• English fluency, including excellent oral and written skills, required
• Travel:
• Must be willing to travel 50% throughout Uganda
• Observation, active listening and analysis skills with ability to make sound judgment
• Good interpersonal skills and the ability to interact effectively with diverse groups
• Proactive, results-oriented and service-oriented

Agency-Wide Competencies (for all CRS staff): 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

All candidates should Email a cover letter and CV only to

ug_recruitment@crs.org. Large files and/or scans of documents will lead to rejection of your application, in the subject

line of the email, copy and paste - CHIEFOFPARTYI.

All applications that do not contain this exact subject line will be rejected and not read.