Program Manager II-RAPID Readiness

Position duration: Tentative July 1, 2026 – January 15, 2027 (6 + months)

Catholic Relief Services is implementing a global emergency response initiative designed to deliver timely, life‑saving humanitarian assistance in rapidly evolving crises worldwide. Over 18 months, the program enables fast, flexible action to address urgent needs arising from sudden shocks and protracted emergencies. It supports critical humanitarian sectors through context‑appropriate assistance while emphasizing operational readiness, rapid response activation, locally led implementation, accountability to affected communities, and safe, dignified programming. The initiative strengthens the organization’s ability to respond at speed and scale in complex and resource‑constrained environments, ensuring help reaches people most in need when it matters most.

Job Summary

You will manage and provide technical oversight of the development and implementation with a primary focus on emergency readiness and response management under RAPID. This includes ensuring systems and processes are in place to support rapid activation, high-quality implementation, and oversight of Emergency Program Managers (PMs) across multiple contexts. Your management skills and technical knowledge will ensure that CPs deliver timely, high-quality programming while strengthening readiness and response capacity.

Roles and Key Responsibilities

• Provide management, guidance, and technical oversight of all new and existing projects with a specific focus on emergency preparedness, start-up readiness, and rapid response activation, 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. 
• Effectively manage Emergency PMs across multiple responses and readiness activities. Manage team dynamics and staff well-being. Provide coaching, strategically tailored individual development plans, and complete performance management for direct reports. 
• Lead the development of program learning - identify opportunities for learning, research and publications in the area of readiness and emergency response and implementation of MEAL policy. Facilitate the dissemination of promising practices and lessons learned to contribute to the agency's knowledge management agenda. Ensure integration of innovations and best practices. 
• Contribute to the proactive pursuit of funding opportunities, for new funding to ensure growth of readiness and emergency response in line with agency, regional, and Humanitarian Response Department strategic priorities. Serve as the technical lead and technical writer to ensure quality proposals in readiness and emergency response per agency and donor standards. 
• Oversee technical assistance and capacity strengthening activities for staff and partner organizations to enhance program quality and impact.
• Oversee the identification, assessment and strengthening of partnerships relevant to emergency response and the appropriate application of partnership concepts, tools and approaches.
• Ensure timely and appropriate project expenditures in line with financial plans and efficient use and stewardship of project material sources.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities 

• MEAL skills and experience required.
• Staff management experience and abilities that are conducive to a learning environment, including remote oversight of multiple teams or projects.
• Experience using MS Windows and MS Office packages (Excel, Word, PowerPoint), Web Conferencing Applications, information management systems.
• Good experience in project grants management, including project design, preferably for grants from multiple public donors, including USG.
• Demonstrated ability to write and support high quality rapid technical proposals.
• Experience engaging with partner organizations.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with ability to make sound judgment and decisions and offer innovative solutions.
• Strong relations management abilities. Ability to relate to people at all levels internally and externally. Strategic in how you approach each relationship.
• Good presentation and facilitation skills.
• Proactive, resourceful, solutions-oriented and results-oriented.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's Degree 
• Experience in an international NGO an advantage
• Experience supporting or managing emergency or multi-country response operations preferred.

Required Languages: English required, French/Spanish/Arabic preferred

Travel: Must be willing and able to travel up to 30 %. 

Supervisory Responsibilities: Yes

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in international development, International required. Additional experience may substitute for some education.
• Minimum of 5 years' experience in relevant field-based project management with experience in emergency preparedness and response. 
• Experience in managing moderately complex projects.

Agency Competencies (for all CRS Staff):

• 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.

What we offer

CRS offers U.S. based staff a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, life insurance, vision, and a generous retirement savings plan.  Salary and Benefits packages for successful candidates employed outside the U.S. are based on the country of employment/in-country office where the candidate will perform the role.  CRS´ work culture is a collaborative, mission-driven culture committed to improving the lives of the poor throughout the world.