BACKGROUND:

CRS has been active in Rwanda since 1960 and since that time has provided emergency, humanitarian, and development support throughout the country, adapting to the context.  Currently, CRS/Rwanda has a staff of 71 (8 international, 63 national) housed in four offices—three in Kigali and a sub-office for the AIDSRelief program in the West Province.  The CRS/Rwanda Programming Department currently manages 10 projects, working with 20 national and 4 international partners in all 30 districts and all 9 dioceses of the country.  The Programming Department counts 20 staff (4 international and 16 national) and is divided into 4 key units: Livelihoods (agriculture, microfinance); Health/HIV/Nutrition; Peacebuilding; and Monitoring and Evaluation. 

The first 3 units oversee a total of 10 projects, a small projects fund, and a project development fund representing a total portfolio of approximately $6.5 million. The M&E unit is cross cutting and provides ancillary support to all other units.

Programming resources come predominantly from the US Government.  Other donors include the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, and CRS private funds.  All projects are executed within a larger framework of the Government of Rwanda’s development agenda. 

PRIMARY FUNCTIONS:

Provide leadership and oversight to CRS/Rwanda Programming Department, ensuring that CRS and partners meet program objectives via approved plans. Lead and champion program growth, program quality, and excellent program management.  Supervise Health/HIV/Nutrition, Livelihoods, Peacebuilding, and Monitoring & Evaluation Unit heads, Programming Administrative Assistant, and International Development Fellow, and ensure performance management for the Programming Department.  Assist the Country Representative in representing CRS Rwanda to Government of Rwanda, national and international partners, and current and potential donors.  Assist the CR in ensuring a work environment that motivates and challenges employees to constantly improve performance, increase learning, model agency principles, and fulfill the agency vision and mission. 

SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES:

Leadership & Representation

1.  Lead the finalization, implementation, and monitoring of the programmatic aspects of the CRS/Rwanda Strategic Program Plan (SPP).
2. Lead the development of the Annual Program Plan.
3. Participate as a member of the Senior Management Team (SMT).
4. Act as Country Representative when the Country Representative is out of the office or unavailable.
5. Represent CRS at relevant interagency, sector coordination, and representational meetings.
6. Maintain good donor, Church, GoR,  and other partner relationships through frequent contact.
7. Play a leading role on strategic initiatives such as major donor visits, 50^th anniversary celebrations, HQ or regional staff visits, etc.
8. Provide critical thinking about CRS/Rwanda staffing, systems, structures, and programs and activities.
9. Provide guidance and mentoring to CRS/Rwanda staff.

Program Growth

1.  Lead efforts for sustainable program growth emphasizing the pursuit of multi-year funding to support current and new programs in line with the SPP and regional and agency priorities.
2. Identify opportunities where CRS/Rwanda can add value and have greater impact. 
3. Lead and oversee project and proposal development efforts, ensuring agency and regional standards and procedures are followed.
4. Lead the identification of partnering and consortium arrangements for growth opportunities and take the lead on behalf of CRS/Rwanda in discussions and teaming agreements with potential partners.
5. Support the Country Representative in diversifying funding sources for the country program.

Program Quality

1.  Ensure CRS Integral Human Development (IHD) framework and program quality standards are known by staff and partners and are reinforced and integrated into all programs and proposals.
2. Promote participatory rural appraisals and community mobilization approaches and tools.
3. Ensure quality monitoring & evaluation systems are functional in all projects. Assist Programming staff identify opportunities for operational research and support such research.
4. Support CRS/Rwanda to be a learning organization by instituting internal processes for appreciative inquiry, reflection, analysis, and documentation, publication, and dissemination of lessons learned and best/promising practices. 
5. Maintain regular (minimum of quarterly) contact with CARO regional technical staff (DRD/PQ and RTAs) and ensure annual technical visits by technical staff to CRS/Rwanda.
6. Identify and create opportunities for capacity building for all staff in their technical fields and cross-cutting professional development.

Program Management

1.  Ensure CRS/Rwanda projects have adequate and appropriate staffing, structures, funding, and system so as to meet project objectives and donor and internal requirements and expectations. 
2. Ensure project management and key partner staff know and apply the tools and resources in ProPack II.  Mentor project management staff in improving project management skills, including planning, coordination and communication, financial management, and reporting.
3. Ensure timely, comprehensive, and high quality reports internally and to donors.
4. Ensure efficient and transparent financial and program reporting and good coordination between project managers and finance and administration unit staff.
5. Oversee annual reporting and action plan development   submitted to the Government of Rwanda.
6. Ensure adherence to agency Project Tracking System (PTS) guidelines.

Program Coordination

1. Hold monthly Programming Department meetings and ensure minutes are disseminated.
2. Ensure Programming units have established annual and quarterly priorities and calendars are shared as appropriate.
3. Ensure  Programming staff  travel is coordinated within Programming and across other units.
4. Facilitate Programming staff respect of CRS programming, administrative and financial procedures and systems.

Supervision

1.  Ensure performance management system is understood and applied within Programming Department.
2. Meet regularly (at least monthly) with staff supervised and provide guidance, support, and mentoring.  Assist staff supervised develop realistic plans for professional development and follow up on them.  Approve scopes of work, travel advances and liquidations, timesheets, and other documents for staff supervised.
3. Support unit heads and project managers to organize their teams’ work around shared vision and goals.
4. Work with project managers, unit heads, and the senior communications officer to improve reporting , presentations, and strategic representation.
5. Manage the project support pool.
6. Manage Programming staff leave.

 Supervisory Responsibilities:

Health/HIV/Nutrition Unit Head, Livelihoods Unit Head, Justice & Peacebuilding Unit Head, Monitoring & Evaluation Unit Head, Programming Administrative Assistant, International Development Fellow

Head of Programs Competencies:

HoPs are expected to use these competencies in the accomplishment of the responsibilities above:

• Builds and leads effective teams
• Supervises and develops Program staff
• Leads growth in Programs
• Focuses on Quality

Agency-wide Competencies (for all CRS Staff):

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:

• Serves with Integrity
• Models Stewardship
• Cultivates Constructive Relationships
• Promotes Learning

 Key Working Relationships:

Internal:  Country Representative, Management Quality Coordinator, AIDSRelief Chief of Party, Programming staff, Senior Communications Officer, Strategic Initiatives Manager, Management Department unit heads, Central Africa Regional Office (CARO) Deputy Regional Director for Program Quality, CARO Technical staff

External:  Catholic Church, donor, GoR, and other partner representatives

• MA in development related field
• Demonstrated knowledge of and commitment to CRS program quality standards, guiding principles, and approaches
• Extensive experience in project and proposal development and report writing.
• Experience with USAID grant management and with requirements of diverse donors.
• Ability to build capacity and develop strong working relationships with senior national staff.
• Ability to work collaboratively and effectively in a multi-cultural environment.
• Minimum of 5 years overseas work experience in developing countries.
• Proven ability to lead and mentor staff and to be an effective supervisor of staff of varying levels of responsibility.
• Demonstrated ability to provide leadership in strategic planning initiatives.
• Professional proficiency in English and French.  Kinyarwanda helpful.
• Strong computer skills in word, outlook, powerpoint.  Excel very helpful.?

EOE/M/F/D/V