Catholic Relief Services Job Vacancy: Country Representative, Jerusalem - Israel

About CRS:
Catholic Relief Services carries out 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 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.

Background:
Catholic Relief Services has been operating in the occupied Palestinian Territory (oPT) since the 1940s and established an office in Jerusalem in 1961. Our programs, undertaken in partnership with an extensive network of local organizations, aim to support peace with justice for all people in the Holy Land, while responding to the humanitarian needs and development aspirations of the Palestinian people.

CRS’s current programmatic portfolio focuses on humanitarian relief, social justice promotion, livelihoods, and civil society strengthening programs that contribute towards the promotion of a just, secure, and comprehensive peace in the Holy Land. CRS’s work is funded by a diverse array of public and private donors, and implemented in close partnership with the local Church, through a broad network of local partner organizations.

CRS maintains three offices in JWBG, with the main office in East Jerusalem and field offices in the West Bank (Bethlehem) and the Gaza Strip (Gaza City). The country program’s annual program value averages $12 million per year, and is implemented by a team of nearly forty local staff and three to four international staff.

Given the highly fluid operational environment in the West Bank and Gaza, the exceptionally talented CRS JWBG team, the diversity and innovation of CRS JWBG programs, and the country program’s long history and strong reputation, CRS JWBG plays a leading role in EMECA Regional and Agency-wide initiatives. To lead this dynamic and high-performing team, CRS is seeking a Country Representative with a record of accomplishment in strategic visioning, new program development, representation, and resource acquisition. S/he will have a sensitivity and commitment to the political, economic and social issues currently impeding Palestinians’ progress and to the special importance of the Holy Land to the USCCB and the global Church.

Primary Responsibilities:
Responsible for overall leadership and management of the CRS country program, including management of personnel, programs, Church, partner and donor relationships, and financial and material resources. As the CRS Country Representative in the Holy Land, significant external representation is required to promote and advocate for a just peace between Palestinians and Israelis. Duties also include guiding the development of new programs and partnerships, building local staff/partner capacity and networks, and representing CRS to a wide variety of people. Considerable emphasis will be placed on continued resource acquisition and diversification, including cultivation of current donors and development of new ones.

Specific Duties:
Personnel Management
  • Lead and directly supervise the senior management team, including the Head of Programs, Head of Operations, CoP for Envision Gaza, Catholic Campaign for Peace in the Holy Land Program Manager, and Senior Program Advisor.
  • Ensure full implementation of the CRS performance management system for direct reports and their subordinates, including annual performance planning, regular coaching, annual performance assessment, and timely recognition of unique achievements and interventions for struggling staff.
  • Promote a culture of continuous learning and professional development, including utilization of CRS professional development plans, emphasis on CRS’s education policy, and frequent in-country learning and dissemination events.
  • Recruit, develop, coach, and retain a diverse team of national and international staff to build cadre of skilled and committed personnel.
  • Demonstrate, maintain and encourage the principles of a just workplace.
Strategic and Program Management
  • Lead the country program team, holding ultimate accountability for the success and reputation of CRS JWBG.
  • Provide vision and guidance for annual programming, staff development, resource acquisition, and advocacy plans.
  • Manage ongoing programs and guide the development and design of new programs in the areas of humanitarian relief, social justice promotion, livelihoods, disaster risk reduction, environmental sustainability, civil society strengthening, and advocacy, in line with CRS’ Regional and Agency strategies.
  • Ensure coherence of country program activities and investments with strategy through regular communication and close collaboration with the Regional Director, regional staff, and colleagues in other country programs in the EMECA region.
  • Ensure program quality through consistent implementation of project review systems, comprehensive M&E systems, and staff/partner development.
  • Remain well-informed about national and regional issues affecting CRS’ presence and operations in the oPT, its programs and partners.
  • Ensure active country program involvement in pursuing and contributing to the objectives of CRS’ strategy for EMECA.
Financial/Administrative Management
  • Work closely with the Head of Operations, Head of Programs, and Finance Manager to develop and monitor annual and multi-year program budgets.
  • Ensure compliance with all CRS and donor regulations and requirements, as well as local laws.
  • Identify areas of risk and take steps to reduce vulnerabilities.
Representation and Growth
  • Represent CRS and share information regularly with local authorities, the Church, local partners, institutional donors, private foundations, other INGOs, the UN, and other relevant networks.
  • Pursue strategic alliances with Caritas Internationalis and other partners; promote inter-agency coordination, cooperation and co-funding for relevant programs in the country.
  • Identify and negotiate funding opportunities from institutional and non-traditional donors for on-going and new programs.
Agency-wide Competencies (for all CRS staff):
These competencies are rooted in the mission, values, and guiding principles of CRS and are integral for each staff member to fulfill his or her responsibilities and achieve desired results:
  • Serves with Integrity
  • Models Stewardship
  • Cultivates Constructive Relationships
  • Promotes Learning
Country Representative Competencies:
Each CR is expected to demonstrate the following competencies to fulfill her/his duties and responsibilities.
  • Leads toward Strategic Results
  • Manages Risk and Complexity
  • Represents and Partners Strategically
  • Champions Learning and Performance
Supervisory Responsibilities:
Head of Programs, Head of Operations, Gaza Field Manager, Catholic Campaign for Peace in the Holy Land Program Manager, and Senior Program Advisor.

Key Working Relationships:
Internal: Regional Director and regional staff; other EMECA country representatives; EVP Overseas Operations; Chief Financial Officer; colleagues in Overseas Support Department, US Operations, Program Quality & Support Department, Charitable Giving, and Human Resources.

External: Catholic Church, Catholic Coordinating Aid Organizations/CCAO, local partner organizations, host country government agencies, donor agencies, international and national non-governmental organizations, UN agencies, foreign governments.

Qualifications - Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Required:
  • Graduate degree in International Development/Relations or related field
  • Eight years of relevant, progressively responsible management experience in a politically sensitive operating environment, including personnel, program and financial management
  • Demonstrated record of effective leadership at the CR level
  • Demonstrated ability to represent effectively the Catholic, American identity of CRS
  • Effective interpersonal and communications skills in an inter-cultural setting
  • Demonstrated accomplishments in strategic visioning and new programming development
  • Proven success in resource acquisition, including cultivation of new donors and partnerships
  • Experience in and affinity for institutional strengthening and partnership building
  • Fluency in English; Arabic a significant advantage
  • Familiarity with the Middle East a plus
Physical Requirements/Environment:
  • Normal conditions for an office environment
  • Willingness and ability to travel extensively within the West Bank and Gaza, and occasionally elsewhere in the Middle East
Note: Internal applicants are encouraged to apply within the first ten days of posting.

This job description is not an exhaustive list of the skills, efforts, duties, and responsibilities associated with the position.

Closing Date: 13 June 2016

EOE

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