Job Summary
The Technical Advisor II – Emergency Response and Recovery Surge Support for East and Southern Africa (ESRO) serves as a field-focused emergency response specialist, delivering immediate, high-quality programmatic, managerial, and leadership serge support to CRS country programs across ESRO during both sudden-onset crises and prolonged emergencies. Positioned within HRD’s Emergency Program Response Team (EPR), this role operates under the supervision of the Regional Focal Point for Emergency Response for ESRO, ensuring alignment with CRS program quality standards, donor mandates, and established humanitarian best practices to strengthen emergency response and recovery initiatives.
We are seeking a highly motivated individual to join our team, where you will be responsible for driving key initiatives and delivering measurable results. Your primary duties will include overseeing critical projects, ensuring adherence to established policies and procedures, and collaborating with cross-functional teams to achieve organizational objectives. Additionally, you will play a pivotal role in identifying opportunities for process improvements, implementing innovative solutions, and maintaining a strong focus on continuous development and excellence.
Deliver immediate surge support to ESRO country programs amid humanitarian crises, offering hands-on guidance in program quality and management.
You will collaborate closely with country programs to deliver interim emergency program management and leadership, while assisting in the establishment and oversight of emergency field offices, dedicated teams, and relief operations as needed during field deployments.
Deliver tailored technical solutions to both remote and onsite country teams throughout the lifecycle of emergency programs—from strategic planning and rapid start-up to implementation and successful close-out—while ensuring full compliance with CRS program quality principles, donor specifications, and established best practices.
Deliver expertly designed projects by integrating established project management standards with robust MEAL methodologies, ensuring each initiative aligns precisely with its defined scope, contextual nuances, and technical specifications.
Support the creation and execution of regional and country program strategies, standards, tools, and best practices in Emergency Response and Recovery, fostering meaningful engagement with partners, donors, and governmental bodies. Facilitate a cross-sectoral methodology that incorporates gender considerations, safe and dignified programming principles, and disaster risk reduction measures.
Document lessons learned, promising practices, and response innovations from deployments and ensure their dissemination to the RFP and relevant HRD and regional stakeholders, thereby enhancing regional knowledge sharing.
Facilitate the alignment of country programs with established design and implementation standards, partnership principles, and MEAL frameworks to uphold excellence in execution.
You will play a key role in enhancing Emergency Response and Recovery programming capacity for both staff and partners by designing and implementing learning and training strategies, agendas, and curricula, as well as leading training sessions and workshops. Additionally, you will provide mentoring and coaching to Country Program (CP) staff to foster skill development and performance improvement. Capacity-strengthening initiatives may encompass formal training and hands-on learning experiences, the creation or refinement of operational policies and systems, and strategic partner support, among other tailored approaches.
You will advance knowledge management and organizational learning by gathering and analyzing program data, assessing strategic initiatives, helping evaluate program impact, documenting and disseminating lessons learned and best practices, and conducting research to produce internal reports.
Represent CRS and its partners in various cluster, donor, and coordination meetings in the field as assigned.
Qualifications
Basic Qualifications
A Bachelor’s degree in international development, disaster response, or an allied discipline is mandatory for this role.
With a minimum of eight years of progressive experience in advisory or management roles within international contexts—preferably gained at an international NGO—candidates should possess at least three years of hands-on involvement in programming interventions, specifically within Emergency Response and Recovery program management.
Previous experience providing technical assistance and developing successful proposals for external donor funding is required.
Proficiency in program monitoring and evaluation is required, with demonstrated expertise in employing data collection tools and methodologies, conducting thorough data analysis, and effectively presenting data insights.
Proficiency in business development, project design, and the creation of proposals for emergency response initiatives, along with expertise in technical writing, is required.
Preferred Qualifications
A master’s degree in international development, disaster response, or a closely related discipline is strongly preferred.
Professional experience in challenging or conflict-affected environments within East and Southern Africa is required.
Proficiency in humanitarian principles, standards, and systems is required, with a preference for expertise in CRS and Caritas Internationalis emergency frameworks and guidelines.
Possesses a strong passion for coaching, mentoring, and facilitating on-the-job training, coupled with relevant hands-on experience in these areas.
Proficient in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and Information Management, with hands-on experience and applicable skills in both domains.
Demonstrated expertise in pertinent areas, coupled with essential proficiencies and key competencies, is required for this role. The ideal candidate will possess a comprehensive understanding of the specified domain, along with the ability to apply practical skills effectively. Strong analytical capabilities and problem-solving aptitude are indispensable, as is the capacity to work collaboratively within a team environment. Additionally, familiarity with relevant tools, methodologies, and industry standards is expected to ensure successful performance in the position.
Technical principles and concepts have been effectively applied in Emergency Response and Recovery initiatives. A foundational understanding of related disciplines ensures a well-coordinated, cross-sectoral approach to addressing challenges.
Demonstrates exceptional expertise in implementing and overseeing security protocols as well as administering emergency programs within high-risk or unstable settings.
Proven capability to collaborate effectively with regional partner organizations.
Familiarity with design requirements and regulatory standards set forth by prominent emergency donors such as the US Government, EU/ECHO, and UN agencies is required.
Skilled in utilizing Microsoft Office Suite, including Excel, Word, and PowerPoint, as well as web conferencing applications, information and budget management systems, and knowledge-sharing networks.
Skilled in mentoring, coaching, facilitating, and delivering training programs grounded in adult learning principles and methodologies.
Skilled in cultivating and maintaining networks and relationships with donors, peer organizations, and faith-based civil society partners, with demonstrated expertise in partnership principles.
Excels in cultivating and maintaining strong relationships, demonstrating a keen ability to persuade and secure commitment from stakeholders outside direct reporting lines while collaborating effectively with individuals across varied geographic and cultural environments.
Maintains high performance expectations while fostering strong professional relationships within culturally diverse settings, even under physically and psychologically demanding conditions.
Proven expertise in strategic planning, analytical reasoning, problem resolution, and systems analysis, coupled with the capability to discern broader implications and exercise prudent decision-making.
Exceptional proficiency in both written and verbal communication is required. The ability to articulate ideas clearly and effectively is essential. Additionally, strong interpersonal skills are necessary for interacting with colleagues and stakeholders.
Demonstrates exceptional ability in delivering presentations, facilitating discussions, conducting training sessions, and providing mentorship and coaching.
Proactive, resourceful, and driven by results, the ideal candidate will effectively leverage their skills and initiative to achieve measurable outcomes.
English fluency is essential, with proficiency in French and Portuguese considered advantageous.
Travel: Must be willing and able to travel up to 50% (i.e., 6 months out of the year); duration of a deployment will generally be from 2 to 8 weeks, depending on the needs of the country program. Should have the capacity to live and work in difficult/stressful environments and serve wherever agency needs dictate.
Qualifications
BA/BSc/HND , MBA/MSc/MA
Experience Required
8 years
