Senior Project Officer – Accountability

About CRS

Catholic Relief Services (CRS) 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, 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 and promotes equality and inclusion. 

Background: The Joint Emergency Operation (JEOP) is a BHA/USAID funded emergency food assistance program that targets transitory or acute food insecure households through Vulnerability Based Targeting (VBT) processes led by JEOP consortium and accepted also by the government of Ethiopia Disaster Risk Management Commission (DRMC). Led by Catholic Relief Services (CRS), the JEOP consortium includes CARE Ethiopia, FH Ethiopia, ORDA Ethiopia, GOAL Ethiopia, Relief Society of Tigray (REST), and World Vision (WV). CRS implements through Church partners, Hararghe Catholic Secretariat (HCS) and Meki Catholic Secretariat (MCS). JEOP is implemented in Amhara, Oromia, Southern Ethiopia, Tigray regions and Dire Dawa administration. 

Position: Senior Project Officer – Accountability

Job Grade: 8

Duty Station: CRS Ethiopia/Addis Ababa

Required number: 1

Employment term: Definite term (i.e. up to June 30, 2027)

Application deadline: August 29, 2024

Job Summary: 

As part of the JEOP MEAL team you will facilitate achievement of JEOP objectives through coordinating and reporting on accountability activities and provide technical guidance and advice to staff and implementing partner(s) advancing Catholic Relief Services’ (CRS) work serving the poor and vulnerable. You will oversee field-level implementation of the JEOP Feedback Compliant and Response Mechanisms (FCRM), ensure all feedback channels are fully functional and accountability processes are diligently followed. Responsibilities include ensuring that all complaints received through these channels are resolved promptly, and that feedback is logged, tracked, and addressed accurately and in a timely manner.

Job Responsibilities:

• Conduct assessments to ascertain the preferences of project participants in reporting feedback, communication channels, safety and confidentiality with an aim of offering and contextually relevant feedback and communication channels.
• Support implementing partners in establishing FCRMs that are inline to community communication preferences, accessible to diverse community members and aligned with the CRS safeguarding policy and safe and dignified programming framework.   
• Train and orient partner staff on the JEOP FCRMs, tools and reporting systems to ensure accountability activities are implemented per project guidelines and standards.
• Guide implementation of the JEOP FCRMs by ensuring all feedback is received and responded inline with the CRS and Government of Ethiopia guidance. Ensure project participants have continued safe access to the feedback channels.
• Oversee FCRMs and related systems established are functional at all times and proactively address challenges. Perform ad-hoc inspections of various processes and resources at project sites to ensure timely implementation and adherence to established process standards and procedures.  
• Compile high quality data for periodic reporting on accountability initiatives. Ensure documentations are complete per required standards and support on preparation of trends analysis reports and documentation of case studies and promising practices.

Partnership 

• Build strong professional relationship and support to JEOP consortium and partners 

• Work hand in hand with the JEOP units to harmonize efforts and avoid duplication 

Typical Background, Experience & Requirements:

Education and Experience

• BA/MA degree in the field of international relations, economics, management, social accountability, international development, or another related field. Additional experience may be substitute to for some education. 

• At least five years for BA and three years for MA of relevant experience in project support with a non-governmental organization (NGO), ideally in the field of accountability. 

• Experience working with partners, participatory action planning and community engagement.

• Demonstrated capacity in partnership capacity building at community level and supporting community-led activities

• Experience in monitoring projects and collecting relevant data.
• Proficient in using MS Windows and MS Office packages (Excel, Word, PowerPoint), Web Conferencing Applications, information management systems.

Personal Skills

• Ability to work under pressure and deliver results in fast-paced emergency environment 

• Strong empathy, active listening skills plus ample patience 

• Analysis and problem-solving skills with ability to make sound judgment 

• Strong relationship management skills and the ability to work closely with local partners in a collaborative way, prioritizing subsidiarity. 

• Proactive, results-oriented, problem-solving and service-oriented

• Strong data collection, data analysis and interpretation

• Attention to detail, accuracy and timeliness in executing assigned responsibilities.

• Presentation, facilitation, training, mentoring, and coaching skills

Female applicants and persons with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply. CRS is committed to maintaining a diverse talented workforce. 

Required/Desired Foreign Language: English 

Travel Required: 50% by road and air across Amhara, Oromia, Southern Ethiopia, Tigray and Dire Dawa City Administration (subject to need and flexible to family commitments). 

Key Working Relationships:

• Supervisory: N/A 

• Internal: MEAL-ICT4D unit, Safeguarding staff, Communications Manager, Compliance and Risk Monitoring Unit, Supply Chain staff

• External: Accountability and MEAL staff across JEOP consortium, community help desk members, contractors, technology companies, other INGOs & NGOs. 

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. 

• Trusting Relationships 

• Models Stewardship 

• Partnership 

• Accountability 

How To Apply

If you are ready to take on this rewarding opportunity and make a difference in the lives of others, you may fill out the application form through this link:https://form.jotform.com/242321229486557and attach your up-to-date CV on/before the application deadline of August 29, 2024. You will be contacted only if selected for a written exam/interview. Phone solicitations will not be accepted. These job opportunities are open to Ethiopian nationals only