Head of Programming, Myanmar

Job Title: Head of Programming I, Myanmar

Reports to: Country Manager, Myanmar

Department: 362.Country Programming

Salary Grade: 11

About CRS:

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, health, agriculture, education, and peacebuilding.

CRS has worked in Myanmar for more than a decade in partnership with Karuna Mission Social Solidarity (KMSS, or Caritas Myanmar), serving vulnerable populations with agriculture, nutrition, food security, shelter, and water and sanitation programming. CRS supports KMSS emergency responses to conflict-related and natural disasters across the country and works to strengthen the capacity of KMSS and other local partners to implement development programs. In recent years, CRS has worked with funding from the multi-donor Livelihoods and Food Security Fund (LIFT), the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the Start Fund, Growing Hope Globally, and other private donors. CRS also provides technical backstopping to KMSS on a variety of UN-funded projects. Localization and partner capacity strengthening are key strategic priorities for CRS Myanmar.

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, management and knowledge will ensure that the CP delivers high-quality programming and continuously works towards improving the impact of its programming. As part of the Senior Management Team, you will proactively manage security and mitigate security risks.

Roles and Key Responsibilities:

• In collaboration with the Country Manager (CM), provide strategic direction for the design of the CP strategic frameworks and plans, including the development of resource mobilization strategies to optimize the impact of programming interventions in line with regional and agency strategic priorities.
• Lead high-quality project design incorporating project management standards and MEAL methods, appropriate to scope, context and technical requirements of projects. Coordinate planning of activities across various projects from different sectors to ensure integration of program interventions and efficiency in implementation.
• 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 for projects and to the recruitment process of senior project staff.
• 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 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 resource mobilization staff oversee the business development cycle to ensure quality proposals per agency and donor standards.
• Oversee the identification, assessment and strengthening of appropriate partnerships and the appropriate application of partnership concepts, tools and approaches. Capitalize on longstanding partnership with KMSS for continued growth and organizational development.
• Utilize evidence-based communication highlighting CRS’ successes to influence the target audience, including key stakeholders in the international development community in Myanmar and Asia region.
• 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 curriculums and deliver trainings.

Required Languages – Fluent English is required. Working proficiency in Burmese is preferred.

Travel – Must be willing and able to travel up to 30% to project sites in Myanmar or within the Asia region. Travel within Myanmar is contingent on security conditions and travel authorizations.

Supervisory Responsibilities: Chief of Party,Technical Advisor Business Development and Program Quality, Project Manager – Nutrition and Livelihoods, Senior Program Officer for Emergency and Shelter Programming

Key Working Relationships:

Internal: USAID project Chief of Party, Deputy Chief of Party, and MEAL Manager; Program Managers; Senior Project Officers; Head of Operations; Senior Admin and Procurement Officer; Finance Manager; Asia Business Development Manager, Asia Deputy Regional Director for Program Quality; Asia Regional Technical Advisors

External: KMSS Director, KMSS Programming and Organizational Development staff, sector and technical working groups, Caritas Internationalis member organizations, peer INGO and NGO agencies

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.
• Strong relations management abilities. Ability to relate to people at all levels internally and externally. Strategic in how you approach each relationship.
• Team leadership abilities
• Presentation and facilitation skills
• Proactive, resourceful, solutions oriented and results-oriented

Roles and Key Responsibilities:

• In collaboration with the Country Manager (CM), provide strategic direction for the design of the CP strategic frameworks and plans, including the development of resource mobilization strategies to optimize the impact of programming interventions in line with regional and agency strategic priorities.
• Lead high-quality project design incorporating project management standards and MEAL methods, appropriate to scope, context and technical requirements of projects. Coordinate planning of activities across various projects from different sectors to ensure integration of program interventions and efficiency in implementation.
• 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 for projects and to the recruitment process of senior project staff.
• 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 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 resource mobilization staff oversee the business development cycle to ensure quality proposals per agency and donor standards.
• Oversee the identification, assessment and strengthening of appropriate partnerships and the appropriate application of partnership concepts, tools and approaches. Capitalize on longstanding partnership with KMSS for continued growth and organizational development.
• Utilize evidence-based communication highlighting CRS’ successes to influence the target audience, including key stakeholders in the international development community in Myanmar and Asia region.
• 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 deliver trainings.

Basic Qualifications:

• Master’s Degree in International Development, International Relations, or relevant field.
• Minimum of five years of relevant field-based program management, at least three years of middle/senior management experience. Experience in Myanmar preferred.
• Experience in the development of successful proposals, reports, strategic alliances, project design, project management, and monitoring and evaluation.
• Experience in partner capacity strengthening, staff development, training, and mentoring, as well as in team building and strategic planning initiatives. Experience working with Church partners a plus.
• Experience in community development, community mobilization, or similar grassroots, self-help initiatives.
• Experience in project grants management, including project design, budget preparation, expenditure tracking, monitoring and evaluation, reporting, etc., preferably for projects funded by multiple public donors, especially USAID.
• Experience with successful business development activities capturing public and/or private donor funding.
• Experience working in insecure environments.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Excellent English writing skills.
• Staff management experience and abilities that are conducive to a learning environment.
• Experience and abilities in capacity strengthening – developing curricula and facilitating trainings.
• Experience using MS Office packages (Excel, Word, PowerPoint), Web Conferencing Applications, information and budget management systems, and knowledge sharing networks.

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.

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

Note: All positions requiring residence or frequent travel outside their home country must undergo and clear a pre-employment medical examination.

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 welcomes candidates from the countries and regions in which we work. In the event the successful candidate is an expatriate or global telecommuter, the anticipated duration of the assignment is informed by a term limit, based on the type and level of the job and the needs of the agency.

CRS is an Equal Opportunity Employer