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.
NOTE: This is a global remote position; CRS will only consider candidates who are based in countries where we have existing offices. CRS does not sponsor visas for remote employees.
CRS is a member of the Global Shelter Cluster’s (GSC) Strategic Advisory Group (SAG), and co-facilitator of the GSC’s Shelter, Cash and Markets Community of Practice (CoP). CRS has provided ad hoc support to various country-level Shelter and NFI Clusters/Sectors in relation to cash and voucher assistance (CVA) and market-based programming since 2017, as well as providing technical assistance at the global level in this area. In light of this, CRS has been asked to host the GSC’s Global Focal Point for Cash and Markets. Global Focal Points provide support, remote and in-person, to shelter responses around the world as well as contribute to enhance shelter cluster preparedness activities, by capturing best practice and feeding it back into deployments and trainings, developing or updating guidelines and tools, leading and participating in the relevant working groups of the GSC and supporting GSC initiatives and priorities.
Job Summary:
As the Global Shelter Cluster (GSC)’s Global Focal Point (GFP) for Cash and Markets, you will provide technical advice, guidance, and support to a wide range of program design and implementation issues related to cash and voucher assistance (CVA) for shelter outcomes, and market-based programming for country-level clusters and at the global level. You will support Shelter cluster coordinators and partners to advance the delivery of high-quality cash and market-based programming to the poor and vulnerable. As the GSC Global Focal Point for Cash and Markets, you will also develop and update guidance, tools and other resources that will enhance GSC partner’s ability to design, implement, coordinate and evaluate cash responses in shelter programming. You will have a particular focus on making guidance, tools, resources and capacity building available for local actors, and contribute to strengthening local leadership.
Roles and Key Responsibilities:
- Contribute to the development and implementation response plans, standards, tools, and best practices in cash and market-based approaches for shelter that effectively engage partners, donors and governments. Help ensure a cross-sectoral approach integrating gender, protection mainstreaming, and disaster risk reduction.
- Provide technical solutions to country-level shelter clusters, remotely and on-site, for strategic planning and how to best apply program design and implementation standards, best practices, , tools, and M&E, ensuring high-quality implementation of cash and market-based approaches in shelter responses.
- Develop and/or update guidelines and tools that will enhance partners’ ability to design, implement, coordinate and evaluate cash responses in shelter programming
- Contribute to capacity strengthening initiatives in cash and market-based approaches for shelter for cluster coordinators, partners and the global support team through developing learning and training strategies and agendas/curriculums, conducting trainings and workshops, and mentoring and coaching to coordinators and partners.
- Contribute to knowledge management and learning through collecting and analyzing program data, evaluating strategic projects, assisting with measuring program impact, capturing and sharing lessons learned and best practices, and research.
- Establish and maintain relationships with donors, other global cluster cash focal points, research and other institutions. Participate in forums in the area of cash coordination and cash programming to collect and share best practices and promote the use of cash and market-based approaches in shelter responses.
- Identify funding opportunities for continuation of the GSC's investment in cash and market-based programming within shelter preparedness and response, in collaboration with GSC co-leads and CRS
Required Languages – English, plus an additional language (either French, Spanish or Arabic)
Travel - Must be willing and able to travel up to 50%.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
- 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.
- 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
Supervisory Responsibilities: None
Key Working Relationships: Country-level Shelter Cluster Coordination teams; Global Shelter Cluster Co-Leads and Global Support Team members; Strategic Advisory Group members; Shelter, Cash and Markets Community of Practice Members.
Internal: Shelter and Settlement TAs, Market-based Rapid Response and Recovery (MBRRR) TAs, SCP2 Market Systems Development TA , SCP2 Learning Coordinator
External: Above, plus donors, Shelter Cluster partners, CaLP, CashCap, Markets in Crisis (MiC), Cash Advisory Group (CAG)
Basic Qualifications
- Master's Degree in related field required.
- Minimum of five years relevant international working experience in an advisory or management role with progressive responsibilities, ideally with an international NGO, with minimum of three years working for programming interventions in shelter programming that use cash and market-based approaches
- Previous experience providing technical assistance required, including leadership of market assessments and analysis to inform shelter program responses
- Previous experience developing guidelines, tools and technical resources at country and global level to guide improved responses in relation to modality decision making, market based programming, and shelter programming
- Demonstrated application of technical principles and concepts in cash and market based programming in shelter responses. General knowledge of other related disciplines to ensure proper cross-sectoral approach.
- Experience in mentoring, coaching, facilitation and training applying adult learning principles and practices.
- Experience with program monitoring and evaluation, including applying data collection tools and methodologies, data analysis, and data presentation.
- Experience and skills in networking and relations with donors, peer organizations, and faith-based and civil society partners. Understanding of partnership principles.
- Proficient in MS Office packages (Excel, Word, PowerPoint), Web Conferencing Applications, information and budget management systems, 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.
***Our Catholic identity is at the heart of our mission and operations. Catholic Relief Services carries out the commitment of the Bishops of the United States to assist the poor and vulnerable overseas. We welcome as a part of our staff people of all faiths and secular traditions who share our values and our commitment to serving those in need.
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
