Program Manager / Early Childhood Development Advisor at Catholic Relief Services (CRS)

Job Title: Program Manager I/Early Childhood Development (ECD) Advisor

Department: Programming/INECD/Gikuriro Kuri Bose

Grade: 9

Reports To: Deputy Chief of Party- Programming

Country/Location: Rwanda (Kigali)

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.

Job Summary:

The Inclusive Nutrition and Early Childhood Development (INECD) activity will promote nurturing and responsive care practices, especially in the areas of health, functioning, nutrition, and early childhood development (ECD) for caregivers and children. Specifically, the activity aims to improve health and nutrition outcomes among women of reproductive age and adolescents and improve infant and young child feeding practices. It also aims to address child development gaps and significant unmet physical rehabilitation and assistive technology (rehab/AT) and social inclusion needs for infants and children. The activity will focus on community-level service delivery, community-health facility linkages and district level capacity development, as well as address issues of inclusion and participation, including access to programs and services for children and adults with disabilities, in line with Government of Rwanda priorities.

You will provide technical oversight of the development and implementation of sustainable CRS Rwanda’s INECD Early Childhood Development interventions in collaboration with UMUHUZA, ensuring effective systems and processes are in place that support high-quality programming advancing Catholic Relief Services’ (CRS) work in serving the poor and vulnerable. Your management skills and knowledge will ensure that the CP delivers high-quality INECD programming and continuously works towards improving the impact of its programming. Furthermore, you will provide technical leadership and have responsibility for all activities associated with improving early childhood development, positive parenting and social inclusion.

Roles and Key Responsibilities:

• Manage and implement all ECD activities throughout the remaining project cycles - implementation and close-out - to ensure efficient and effective implementation in line with CRS program quality principles and standards, donor requirements, and good practices.
• Ensure project team and partner staff use the appropriate systems and tools.
• Deliver and coordinate age-appropriate, high-quality ECD services for all under-six children in the project target areas.
• Bring technical support in implementing the INECD initiatives and activities in close collaboration with local implementing partners, consortium members, local government, service providers (both public and private) at different levels including home-based, community level, center-based, workplace, etc. by ensuring the delivery of ECD services is inclusive and of high standard.
• Lead the process of developing guideline, strategy, standards, and manuals to help with mainstreaming of ECD services into nutrition and health in close collaboration with GoR stakeholders and other development partners.
• Effectively manage talent and provide technical supervision to staff. Provide coaching, contribute to the recruitment process of INECD project staff, and complete performance management as deemed appropriate.

• Champion learning and documentation with INECD project staff and partner teams. Analyze and evaluate INECD project performance data following MEAL policy. Proactively identify issues and concerns and use participatory processes to overcome implementation obstacles. Work with the MEAL team to effectively monitor and evaluate the quality of the INECD program by focusing on providing timely, accurate and inclusive data related to ECD and other program components as appropriate

• Act as a key resource person in project design and proposal development in ECD, gap-filling and taking on growth responsibilities, as needed.
• Coordinate the identification of staff capacity and technical assistance needs of partner organizations and capacity strengthening and required ECD interventions to support quality project implementation.

• Lead the process of identifying , assessing and strengthening partnerships relevant to inclusive early childhood development applying appropriate application of partnership concepts, tools and approaches.

• Coordinate and monitor financial and material resources relevant to INECD project needs. Through planning and oversight ensure efficient use of project resources.
• Foster collaboration and integration ECD interventions with other program interventions

Basic Qualifications

• Master's Degree in early childhood development, Social Sciences, Education, Social Work, or in a closely related field is required.
• At least seven years of experience designing, implementing, or supporting ECD and positive parenting programming, preferably in Rwanda is required.
• Excellent knowledge of holistic child development and understanding of global evidence, best practices, and gaps around early childhood development interventions.
• Experience integrating ECD interventions into nutrition, health and other service delivery platforms is preferred.
• Demonstrated experience working with children experiencing deprivation, exclusion and vulnerability and their families.

Required Languages - Oral and written fluency in English and Kinyarwanda. French is a plus.

Travel - The position is Kigali based. Must be willing and able to travel up to 50 %.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• 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.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with ability to write reports
• Proactive, results-oriented, and service-oriented

Preferred Qualifications

• Project management experience in inclusive nutrition and ECD is highly desirable.
• Experience engaging with partner organizations.
• Experience contributing to the development of technical proposals.
• Skills on critical documentation and research are desirable.
• Experience using MS Windows and MS Office packages (Excel, Word, PowerPoint), Web Conferencing Applications, information management systems.

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.

Supervisory Responsibilities: None

Key Working Relationships:

Internal: All INECD staff (both from IP and Consortium Organizations), relevant CRS Country Program

External: NCDA leadership, District Leadership, INECD Local Partners, relevant TWGs, CHES platform, NGO working in INECD/DI areas (particularly relevant USAID funded projects).

***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. CRS’ processes and policies reflect our commitment to protecting children and vulnerable adults from abuse and exploitation.

Disclaimer: This job description is not an exhaustive list of the skill, effort, duties, and responsibilities associated with the position. This position is contingent upon award of the funding opportunity to CRS and the donor’s approval of the proposed candidate.

CRS' talent acquisition procedures reflect our commitment to protecting children and vulnerable adults from abuse and exploitation.

CRS is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to an inclusive and diverse workforce.

How to apply

Interested and qualified candidates should complete the attached application form, Self -Declaration Clause and submit them together with one page Cover letter plus updated CV (maximum three pages) all in/as one document - via email only to: RW_HR@crs.org not later than Tuesday October 15^th, 2024, at 5:00pm.

Please, include below statement in your cover letter:

“By applying to this job, I understand and acknowledge that CRS requires its staff to treat all people with dignity and respect and to actively prevent harassment, abuse, exploitation, and human trafficking. Further, I understand that if I am a successful candidate, I will be subject to a comprehensive background check, and my personal/professional references will be asked to evaluate my behaviors related to the above safeguarding-related topics.”

Also include your full names and title “ECD Advisor @ 9” in the subject line. Due to anticipated high interest in this post and the expected number of applicants, only short-listed candidates will be contacted.

Kigali October 2nd, 2024.

Hans Fly

Country Representative