Program Manager I - Commodity Risk and Compliance Monitoring

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.

Job Title:                        Program Manager I - Commodity Risk and Compliance Monitoring

Band:                              IX

Required number:        One

Department:                 JEOP

Employment Term:      Indefinite- contingent upon funding of JEOP 2.0 project

Reports To:                   Deputy Chief of Party – Risk and Compliance Monitoring

Country/Location:       CRS Ethiopia/Addis Ababa

Application Deadline:  June 10, 2023

Job Summary:

As a member of the JEOP team, you will manage the roving JEOP commodity risk and compliance monitoring team to mitigate against any risk of cash assistance and food misuse and diversion. You will facilitate achievement of JEOP program objectives by coordinating and reporting on commodity risk and compliance monitoring activities, providing operational and technical guidance and advice to risk and compliance monitoring team, and implementing partners to advance CRS’ work in serving the poor and vulnerable. Your communication, coordination and management skills, and knowledge will ensure that risk and compliance monitoring activities apply best practices and constantly work towards improving impact of the JEOP program benefits to the participants. In liaison with CRS Field Offices in Mekelle, Kombolcha, Hawassa, Dire Dawa and Adama, JEOP Operation, Risk & Compliance Monitoring, Cash Transfer, Program Quality teams, the JEOP Senior Management team (SMT) and implementing partners, the incumbent will ensure day-to-day managerial support is provided for the roving risk and compliance staff in assigned locations. You will plan for and arrange team building activities as needed to ensure team cohesion. 

Job Responsibilities:

Coordination and implementation of commodity management risk and compliance monitoring activities

• Coordinate and supervise activities of Addis based roving JEOP commodity risk monitoring Senior Project Officers (Commodity Risk and Compliance Monitoring) to ensure that they have necessary support to execute their duty.
• Oversee and manage JEOP risk and compliance activities in the JEOP operational woredas to ensure effective implementation of the JEOP cash transfer standard operating procedure (SOP) and commodity management minimum standards.
• Coordinate the development of and review FDP monitoring plans by the monitoring teams and refines them into workable weekly and monthly plans based on JEOP cash and food distribution rounds (cycles) and partner activity implementation schedules.
• Coordinate with JEOP Commodity Risk Monitoring and Compliance Managers to plan field monitoring and follow up tasks to ensure effective coverage of partner managed FDPs by CRS.
• Prepare and share weekly/monthly FDP monitoring plans tied to food distribution rounds with consortium partners, and the JEOP Deputy Chief of Party.
• Ensure safety and security of the team by considering security issues in coordination with CRS Security Focal Point, Field Office Managers and JEOP Deputy Chief of Party prior to approving field monitoring travels.
• Liaise with Senior Project Officers for JEOP Operation, at the Primary Distribution Points (PDPs), and Field Office Management to monitor Title II food dispatches and distribution.
• Oversee JEOP related cash transfer, commodity risk and compliance monitoring activities for the consortium partners per the agreements signed with each partner. Ensure JEOP monitors and consortium partner staff use the appropriate systems and tools in monitoring food dispatch and distribution, cash distribution and reporting.
• Develop FDP monitoring plans, and ensure they are implemented based upon risk model developed through JEOP ICT4D system and other relevant monitoring and reporting tools.
• Ensure relationships with JEOP partners are managed professionally and respectfully by the monitors.
• Participate in field assessments and joint monitoring missions with donor representatives and host government as needed.
• Perform any other duty as assigned.

Consortium Capacity Support and Learning

• Provide input for and co-chair regular technical working group meetings with partners to discuss relevant JEOP cash transfer and commodity management issues, discuss learning, share challenges, and ensure partner commodity management and cash transfer practices meet USAID/BHA regulations and JEOP minimum standards.
• Ensure that JEOP minimum standards for commodity management, GACAP (Generally Accepted Commodity Accounting Principles), cash transfer SOP and donor principles are adhered and implemented during risk monitoring data collection in the field and commodities handled in line with those standards.
• Champion learning with monitoring team and partners. Analyze and evaluate JEOP cash transfer and commodity risk monitoring data following commodity management minimum standard. Proactively identify issues and concerns and use participatory processes to overcome operational obstacles.
• Facilitate technical trainings on logistics, cash transfer, commodity and distribution required for FDPs to meet JEOP minimum standards.
• Ensure that adequate control procedures are in place at FDPs to minimize risk of Title II food commodity and cash assistance misappropriation.
• Collaborate closely with JEOP Cash, Operation, Program Quality teams in identification of corrective actions to mitigate against Title II commodity mismanagement in compliance with USAID/BHA regulations, JEOP minimum standard, JEOP cash transfer SOP and other commodity management principles.
• Act as a key resource person in project design and proposal development, gap-filling and taking on personal development responsibility as needed.
• Support the identification of staff capacity and technical assistance needs of partner organizations and capacity strengthening and required interventions to support quality project implementation.
• Help identify, assess, and strengthen partnerships relevant to food assistance and food security, applying appropriate application of partnership concepts, tools and approaches.
• Maintain contact with the relevant government entities and consortium partners, UN agencies and other humanitarian organizations.

Supervisory Responsibilities

• Directly supervises Senior Project Officers for commodity Risk Monitoring (roving)and, coordinating their activities and ensuring that monitoring standards needed for electronic data collection (JEOP ICT4D data collection system through Commcare, PowerBI, smartphones and iPads etc.) are in place.
• Periodically travel to partners offices to inspect monitoring teams and visit partners’ FDPs;
• Oversee performance management of the roving Commodity Risk and compliance Monitoring team; and
• Provide necessary capacity building opportunities to the team, ensuring that they are abreast with CRS (CRS Warehouse Management and Commodity Handling Manual) and USAID regulations (Regulation 11) relating to commodity management and accountability and JEOP Minimum Standards for Commodity Management; and
• Train the roving commodity risk and compliance monitors on use of the JEOP commodity monitoring system and use of the risk model for monitoring activities and the RR platform for cash transfer monitoring.
• Manage team dynamics and staff well-being. Provide coaching, strategically tailor individual development plans, contribute to the recruitment process of project staff, and complete performance management for direct reports.

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.  

• Integrity
• Continuous Improvement & Innovation
• Builds Relationships
• Develops Talent
• Strategic Mindset
• Accountability & Stewardship

Disclaimer:  This job description is not an exhaustive list of the skill, effort, duties, and responsibilities associated with the position.

Typical Background, Experience & Requirements:

Education and Experience

• Master’s degree in international development, International Relations, Management, Economics, and related fields required.
• Minimum of 5 years of relevant field-based experience in coordinating or managing light to moderately complex projects required, preferably with an international NGO.
• Additional experience may substitute for some education.

 Personal Skills:

• Proven supervisory experience and ability to manage large teams.
• Knowledge of USAID/Title II rules and regulations.
• Excellent technical knowledge and experience in humanitarian food assistance programming and monitoring.
• Excellent organizational and prioritization skills and attention to details.
• High degree of initiative, integrity and accountability.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with ability to write reports. Skill in report writing.
• Ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines.
• Skill in the use of computers and software related to the job.
• Strong critical thinking and creative problem-solving skills with ability to make sound judgment.
• Strong relationship management skills and the ability to work effectively with culturally diverse groups.
• Proactive, results-oriented, and service-oriented

Required/Desired Foreign Language: English, Tigrigna and or other major languages spoken in Ethiopia.

Travel Required: Involves extensive travel to partner activity sites up to 70-80% of time monthly.

Key Working Relationships:

Supervisory: Directly supervises the roving Senior Project Officers in-charge of Commodity Management Risk Monitoring.

Internal: Works closely and in collaboration with Project Managers i/c risk and compliance monitoring, JEOP PQ team, and JEOP Operation unit, JEOP Cash team and the Country Program Supply Chain Department.

External: Working relationship with implementing partner and government stakeholders.