🇸🇱 Job Vacancy @ Catholic Relief Services (CRS) – Water Fund Technical Advisor

CRS JOB ADVERT – INTERNAL/EXTERNAL

CRS is recruiting for 1 Position:  Water Fund Technical Advisor II

If you are interested and your profile matches the requirements, please read the below job descriptions, and follow the instructions to submit your application package. 

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, regardless of race, religion, or nationality. CRS’ relief and development work are accomplished through programs of emergency response, HIV, health, agriculture, education, microfinance and peacebuilding.

Catholic Relief Service (CRS) started work in Sierra Leone in 1963, carrying out the commitment of the Catholic bishops and the Catholic community of the United States to assist the poor and vulnerable overseas. For over 57 years, CRS has been on the front lines in responding to emergencies and promoting health, education, agriculture, and urban resilience in Sierra Leone.




About the Water fund project: 

Freetown and the Western Area’s rapid urbanization process is causing a push in the mountain top of the forested peninsula. This is leading to daily tree cover losses and 2011–2018 have accounted for over 12% or 555 ha of tree cover loss per year. Deforestation for several activities including construction of residential houses, stone mining, urban farming, etc. in the Freetown peninsula is a critical cause for concern.  During the past two years, Catholic Relief Services (CRS) and The Nature Conservancy (TNC) have been working with more than a dozen national partners to create a Water Fund, which will facilitate investments in nature-based solutions for the protection and restoration of the Western Area Peninsula National Park (WAPNP), ensuring sustainability of the Western Area Peninsula’s water supply for future generations. Nature-based solutions represent an effective and financially sound means to address the growing water security challenges facing Sierra Leone’s capital of Freetown and the surrounding Western Area Peninsula region.

Job Title: Water Fund Technical Advisor II

Department: Urban Resilience

Reports To:        Urban Resilience Program Director

Country: CRS-Sierra Leone.

Duty Location: CRS Freetown, must be willing and able to travel up to 25%.

Job Summary: 

As the Water Fund Technical Advisor II, you will lead the development and implementation of the Country Program’s sustainable watershed management programming, also known as the Western Area Peninsula Water Fund (WAPWF). You will provide technical advice, guidance, and support to a wide range of program design and implementation issues and ensure effective systems and processes are in place to support high-quality programming advancing CRS work in serving the poor and vulnerable. Your technical knowledge, advice and guidance will contribute to determining how effective, adaptive. Innovative CRS’ sustainable watershed management programming and is in line with Catholic Relief Services (CRS) program quality principles and standards, donor guidelines, and industry best practices to regional and Country Program (CP) teams to advance the delivery of high-quality programming to the poor and vulnerable.

You will provide technical oversight to the Country Program, oversee the WAPWF Management Unit and coordinate with different committees. You will work closely with Freetown City Council, the National Water Resource Management agency and other external stakeholders to further the programme’s strategic ambitions. Your management skills and knowledge will ensure that the Country Program delivers high-quality programming and continuously works towards improving the impact of its sustainable watershed programming.

Roles and Key Responsibilities:

• Provide management, guidance, and technical oversight of all the Water projects throughout the project cycle to ensure project design, start-up, implementation, and close-out are in line with CRS quality principles and standards, donor guidelines, and industry best practices.
• Assist the Steering Committee in the development of the Strategic and Annual Operating Plans and executes approved plans.
• Set up and monitor progress on multi-year objectives and metrics to ensure steady progress against established goals.
• Prepare and present administrative and financial reports to the Steering Committee.
• Coordinate activities of the other committees that form part of the Water Fund governance structure and facilitate communication among stakeholders.
• Effectively manage talent and supervise CRS Water Fund staff. Manage team dynamics and staff well-being. Provide coaching, strategically tailor individual development plans, and complete performance management for direct reports.
• Coordinate technical and financial support with The Nature Conservancy.
• Contribute to the proactive pursuit of opportunities for new funding for the operationalization of the Water Fund, in line with the WAPWF Resources Mobilization Action Plan. Serve as the technical lead and technical writer to ensure quality proposals in per agency and donor standards. Contribute to budgeting and staffing plans and activities for proposals.
• Collaborate with CRS, The Nature Conservancy and government Communications teams to ensure effective implementation of the WAPWF Communication strategy.
• Oversee technical assistance and capacity strengthening activities in management and operations for staff and partner organizations to enhance program quality and impact.
• Ensure timely and appropriate project expenditures in line with financial plans and efficient use and stewardship of project material sources.
• Contribute to the development and implementation of agency-wide strategies, standards, tools, and best practices in sustainable watershed management 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 regional and CP teams, remotely and on-site, for strategic planning and how to best apply program design and implementation standards, best practices, partnership principles, tools, and M&E, ensuring high-quality implementation.
• Contribute to regional and CP efforts to pre-position CRS for growth opportunities in sustainable watershed management  Lead or contribute to the development of the technical design for large and/or complex proposals, including defining appropriate monitoring systems and indicators. Advise project teams on integrating donor strategies, priorities and technical requirements into CRS’ approach.
• Contribute to capacity strengthening initiatives in sustainable watershed management programming for staff and partner through helping develop learning and training strategies and agendas/curriculums, conducting trainings and workshops, and mentoring and coaching to CP staff.
• 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 and internal reports.
• Establish and maintain relationships with donors, peer organizations, research and other institutions. Participate in forums in the area of sustainable watershed management to collect and share best practices and promote CRS’ work.

Basic Qualifications

• Master’s Degree in sustainable watershed management, or Hydrology, Water Resources, WASH, and fields related to water and the environment is required
• Minimum of five years relevant 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 sustainable watershed management.
• Previous experience providing technical assistance and developing successful proposals for external donor funding is required.
• Demonstrated application of technical principles and concepts in sustainable watershed management. General knowledge of other related disciplines to ensure proper cross-sectoral approach.
• Experience in business development, project design and proposal development in sustainable watershed management, including technical writing.
• 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.

Required Languages– fluent in Krio and English

Travel– Must be willing and able to travel up to 25%.

Key Working Relationships: 

Internal – CRS Water Fund Field Officer, Urban Resilience Director, CRS West Africa Wash & Environment Technical Advisor, CRS Country Representative, CRS Communications Manager and CRS Technical Partnerships Manager.

External –The Nature Conservancy,  Freetown City Council, Western Area Rural District, donors, civil society organizations, Head of Hydrological Services, NWRMA and EPA, EU, Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary, EFA and more relevant stakeholders in the field of watershed management in Sierra Leone.

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

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

***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. 

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 safeguarding-related topics. 

WOMEN ARE STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO APPLY.  CRS IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

To apply for this position please send up-to-date CV and a supporting letter, copies of relevant certificates to [email protected]. Please note that only short-listed candidates will be contacted.

Also send a copy of your application package to the desk Officers, Ministry of Employment and Social Security, New England and Extension Offices in Applicants’ Locations 

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

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

Closing Date for the receipt of application packages is 28th October 2022.