Country Manager

Job Title: Country Manager

Reports to: Country Manager

Department: EARO

Salary Grade: 11

*Estimated start date, July 2024.

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:

Based in Dar es Salaam, the Country Manager will manage and represent the country program office, advancing programming and operations objectives and the mission of Catholic Relief Services (CRS) to serve the poor and vulnerable. Your management and representation skills will enable you to advance CRS’ reputation and impact while you proactively manage security and mitigate security risks and liabilities.

Country Program Background

CRS has been working with the most vulnerable people in marginalized and underserved communities in Tanzania since 1962. Today, the country program supports projects in health, agriculture/livelihoods, nutrition and early childhood development, youth empowerment with a focus on adolescent girls and young women, as well as water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH).

Roles and Key Responsibilities:

• Manage the design of medium and long-term goals. Ensure program and operations leads coordinate their objectives in alignment with the 2023-2028 Country Program strategy. 
• Support CRS Tanzania’s senior program staff to ensure all projects meet and exceed CRS and donor expectations and are designed and implemented for maximum impact and reach.
• Effectively manage talent and supervise teams in an environment that reflects CRS values and principles and the agency’s Respect, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (REDI) commitments.
• Manage team dynamics and staff well-being. Provide coaching and mentoring. Strategically tailor individual development plans and complete performance assessments for direct reports.
• Manage the development of staffing plans and the recruitment process of 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 polices and plans and ensure the updating of such plans. Respond to emergency issues and needs as they arise. Closely supervise or oversee responses to emergencies.
• Establish and develop strategic partnerships with national and international organizations that leverage resources, reputation, and expertise in line with CRS partnership principles. Ensure strong representation to key stakeholders, including partners, international organizations, host government, and donors.
• Ensure compliance with CRS safeguarding allegation management policy and fraud prevention guidelines. 
• Promote, uphold and model a commitment to the efficient use of agency and donor resources. Ensure compliance in operations functions. Provide oversight and analysis regarding monthly expenditures.
• Oversee the pursuit of strategic growth opportunities, prepositioning and capture planning. Identify and pursue opportunities for appropriate expansion and growth of programs, ensuring the sound management of all aspects of the business development cycle.
• 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. Promote accountability, learning and knowledge management overseeing application of the MEAL policy, as well as cross-sectoral and cross-department learning.
• Maintain a healthy and empowering office environment that encourages participation and open communication, and high levels of staff engagement and well-being. Ensure open communications with regional and HQ colleagues.
• Promote safeguarding at the country program office level. Ensure quality implementation of CRS safeguarding policy and principles across both operations and programs. With support from technical advisors, ensure capacity building efforts and technical guidance to CRS staff and partners, in line with CRS principles and standards, donor guidelines, and industry best practices. 

Required Languages - Fluent written and spoken English

Travel - include percentage of required travel, if applicable. Must be willing and able to travel up to 25% in-country.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities 

• Strong strategic, analytical, systems thinking, and problem-solving skills, with capacity to see the big picture and ability to make sound judgment and decisions.
• Very good relations management abilities. Ability to relate to people at all levels internally and externally. 
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• Team leadership abilities.
• Strong communications and presentation skills.
• Proactive, resourceful, solutions-oriented and results-oriented.

Basic Qualifications

• Masters degree in International Development, International Relations or a related field.
• Minimum of 5 years’ experience managing high value relief and development programs. Experience in complex development settings preferred.

Preferred Qualifications

• Demonstrated experience successfully managing high-value projects from multiple international donors, including USAID, EU, and UN agencies; knowledge of relevant donor regulations.
• Demonstrated business development and private sector engagement experience. 
• Experience engaging partners and strengthening partnerships. Experience working with Church partners a plus.
• Staff management experience and abilities that are conducive to a learning environment. 
• Ability to represent the agency at high levels.
• Experience in MS Office package (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Visio), Web Conferencing Applications, and information and budget management systems.

Agency REDI Competencies (for all CRS Staff):

Agency competencies clarify expected behaviors and attitudes for all staff. When demonstrated, they create an engaging workplace, help staff achieve their best, and help CRS achieve agency goals. 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. 

• Personal Accountability – Consistently takes responsibility for one’s own actions.
• Acts with Integrity - Consistently models values aligned with CRS Guiding Principles and mission.  Is considered honest.
• Builds and Maintains Trust - Shows consistency between words and actions.
• Collaborates with Others – Works effectively in intercultural and diverse teams.
• Open to Learn – Seeks out experiences that may change perspective or provide an opportunity to learn new things.

Agency Leadership Competencies:

• Lead Change – Continually looks for ways to improve the agency through a culture of agility, openness, and innovation.
• Develops and Recognizes Others – Builds the capacity of staff to reach their full potential and enhance team and agency performance.
• Strategic Mindset – Understands role in translating, communicating, and implementing agency strategy and team priorities.

Supervisory Responsibilities: Head of Program, Operations Manager, Head of Office, Finance Manager, Program Manager PQ/BD.

Key Working Relationships: 

Internal: EARO RD, DRD/PQ, DRD/MQ and RFO, HQ colleagues in PIQA, HRD and OpEx departments, USOps, Finance, HR, Audit and Charitable Giving.

External: donor agencies, host country government agencies, international and national non-governmental organizations, UN agencies, US Embassy.

***Our Catholic identity is at the heart of our mission and operations. Catholic Relief Services carries out the commitment of the Bishops of the United States to assist the poor and vulnerable overseas. We welcome as a part of our staff people of all faiths and secular traditions who share our values and our commitment to serving those in need. CRS’ processes and policies reflect our commitment to protecting children and vulnerable adults from abuse and exploitation. 

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

CRS' talent acquisition procedures reflect our commitment to safeguarding the rights and dignity of all people - especially children and vulnerable adults - to live free from abuse and harm.

CRS prioritizes candidates who are citizens/ permanent residents of the countries where we have CRS offices.

CRS is an Equal Opportunity Employer.