Program Manager I – Early Warning System (EWS)

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. For nearly 60 years, CRS has taken the lead in responding to natural and man-made disasters affecting Ethiopia’s most vulnerable communities. Moving beyond emergency response, CRS’ disaster mitigation and recovery projects in drought and flood-prone areas have rebuilt individual and community assets through non-food aid in the form of agriculture, livestock, health, nutrition, and water and sanitation assistance. CRS’s humanitarian work in Ethiopia also provides livelihoods support to farmers and entrepreneurs, promotes equality and inclusion, and mitigates the impact of COVID-19.

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 position.

Background: The Joint Emergency Operation (JEOP) is an emergency food assistance program targeting transitory food insecure households through a project participant targeting process led by the Government of Ethiopia’s (GoE) Ethiopian Disaster Risk Management Commission (EDRMC). JEOP provides emergency assistance to protect their lives and livelihood where recurrent drought resulted in significant harvest loss, livestock death and price increase of essentials. The consortium is led by CRS and includes consortium partners, CARE, Food for the Hungry, Relief Society of Tigray (REST), World Vision and Organization for Relief and Development in Amhara (ORDA). CRS also works through local implementing partners Hararghe and Meki Catholic Secretariat (HCS and MCS).

Job Title:                        Program Manager I – Early Warning System (EWS)

Band:                              IX (9)

Required number:        One

Department:                 JEOP, Program Quality Unit

Employment Term:      Definite Term (Till April 27, 2027)

Reports To:                   PMII – Early Warning System, Market and VBT

Country/Location:       CRS Ethiopia/Addis Ababa

Job Summary:

As a Program Manager on JEOP, you will provide technical advice and support to a range of program design and implementation issues related to the early warning system (EWS) in line with CRS program quality principles and standards, donor guidelines, and industry best practices to Country Program (CP) teams to advance the delivery of high-quality programming. As a program manager for EWS, oversee the development, implementation, and maintenance of the early warning system. You will be responsible for ensuring that the EWS is functioning effectively and efficiently, and that it is providing timely and accurate information to JEOP. You will also be responsible for widening the geographic scope of the system to allow JEOP understand areas and regions most affected; and get prepared and respond for timely food assistance. This would involve working closely with other consortium members, as well as with external partners and stakeholders, to ensure that the early warning system is meeting the needs of the organization and the communities it serves. You will also be responsible for monitoring and evaluating the early warning system to identify areas for improvement and to ensure that it is meeting its objectives. Your advice, knowledge, and support will contribute to determining how effective, adaptive and innovative CRS’ JEOP programming is across the globe.

Job Responsibilities:

• Develop and implement a strategic plan for strengthening early warning systems within JEOP operational areas and also set up early warning systems in non-JEOP operational areas, focusing on regions that are most vulnerable to disasters.
• Scale up community-based early warning systems, ensuring active participation and ownership by local communities which implementing activities such as: Facilitating participatory hazard vulnerability and capacity assessments to identify risks and community strengths; Implement risk monitoring system;  Develop and execute risk communication plans using behavioral change video messaging to educate communities; and  mobilize communities for anticipatory action, preparing them to respond effectively to early warnings.
• Support the design and implementation of Monthly Interval Resilience Monitoring (MIRA) to assess and enhance community resilience.
• Oversee a market monitoring system to inform program decisions and ensure the effectiveness of cash-based interventions, and work with the cash team to set transfer values and decide on cash transfer locations and seasons based on market data.
• Conduct comprehensive monthly food security analysis converting information from context monitoring, MIRA, community based early warning system and climate analysis to prioritize interventions woredas; collaborate with the Vulnerability Based Targeting (VBT) team on woreda prioritization and caseload determination.
• Develop and maintain emergency preparedness plans to ensure rapid and effective response when early warnings are issued.
• Prepare and submit detailed reports on early warning system activities, outcomes, and impact assessments.
• Provide management, guidance, and technical oversight for EWS  across of all new and existing JEOP interventions throughout the project cycle to ensure project design, start-up, implementation, and close-out are in line with CRS quality principles and standards, donor guidelines, and industry best practices. Oversee the JEOP level EWS, DRR and Market Monitoring Technical Working Group (TWG) ensuring consistent best practice is applied across project sites.
• Oversee the development, implementation, and maintenance of the early warning system and ensure that the EWS is functioning effectively and efficiently, and that it is providing timely and accurate information to JEOP.
• Provide strategic direction for widening the scope of JEOP EWS to increase the JEOP’s agility to serve the most vulnerable communities across Ethiopia.
• Lead development and implementation of JEOP’s EWS and data uptake strategy in collaboration with the technical senior staff in HRD and the donor. Facilitate periodic refinement if indicators and tools as required. Oversee the EWS process, including development of templates, reviewing partner inputs, crosschecking inconsistencies, and drafting reports sections. Adhere to internal reporting requirements for CRS and the steering committee, and confidentiality regarding data sharing. Oversee refinement of the data sharing strategy, improving products for user-friendliness in collaboration with ICT4D staff.
• Lead the development of program learning – identify opportunities for learning, research, and publications for JEOP. Evaluate and refine early warning system processes and protocols to incorporate best practices and innovations.
• Ensure integration of innovations and best practices. This will include close collaboration with upcoming university learning partners and technical assistance firms, and provision of key inputs for write-up of success stories. Organize quarterly reflection meetings/ workshops to discuss data collected and learning to guide decision making and action.
• Oversee the identification, assessment and strengthening of partnerships relevant to EWS and the appropriate application of partnership concepts, tools, and approaches. This will include fostering partnerships with local data collection firms for post distribution monitoring and annual results surveys, and baseline and end line evaluations.
• Ensure timely and appropriate EWS activity expenditures in line with financial plans and efficient use and stewardship of project material sources. Collaborate with operations team colleagues on budget development to ensure that MEAL budgets are appropriately planned and utilized.
•  Champion crosscutting themes of protection, gender, conflict sensitivity, safeguarding, disability and inclusion. Utilize these lenses to review policies and practices, and challenge un-ethical behavior. Identity linkages and technical assistance from others to support these areas, and track project advancements towards engagement strategies in these sectors alongside sectoral leads.

Required Education and Experience

• MA/BA Degree in rural development, development studies, international relations, statistics and other social sciences or related field with 5 years’ relevant experience for MA degree or 7 years’ relevant experience for BA degree in an international NGO. Additional experience may substitute for some education.
• Previous experience providing technical assistance.
• Demonstrated application of technical principles and concepts in targeting project participants in both humanitarian and development program contexts and including in food/cash assistance projects.
• Experience in mentoring, coaching, facilitation, and training applying adult learning principles and practices.
• Experience and skills in networking and relations with donors, peer organizations and civil society partners.
• Proficient in MS Office packages (Excel, Word, PowerPoint), Web Conferencing Applications, information and budget management systems, knowledge-sharing networks.

Desired Education and Experience

• General knowledge of other related disciplines to ensure solid cross-sectoral approach.
• Experience in business development, project design and proposal development in humanitarian emergency projects, including technical writing.
• Understanding of partnership principles and experience working with faith-based partners.
• Experience with program monitoring and evaluation, including applying data collection tools and methodologies, data analysis, data presentation and data use for decision making.

Personal Skills

• Excellent relationship management skills with ability to influence and get buy-in from people not under direct supervision and to work with individuals in diverse geographical and cultural settings.
• Inclusive approach, able to elevate the voices of underrepresented groups.
• Flexibility, persistence, and ability to work well with people and cross-cultural skills.
• Strong strategic, analytical, problem-solving and systems thinking skills with capacity to see the big picture and ability to make sound judgment
• Strong written and oral communication skills
• Strong presentation, facilitation, training, mentoring, and coaching skills
• Proactive, resourceful, and results-oriented

 Required/Desired Foreign Language: English and Amharic, speaking other Ethiopian national languages is advantageous.

Travel Required: 15-30% by road and air across Amhara, Oromia, SNNPR, Sidama, Dire Dawa City Administration and Tigray (subject to need and flexible to family commitments)

 Key Working Relationships:

• Supervisory: Yes
• Internal: JEOP program quality unit, CRS Ethiopia technical units, CRS regional counterparts.
• External:  JEOP implementing partners, food cluster, line ministries

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.