Entry-level Program Officer at Catholic Relief Services (CRS)

Catholic Relief Services (CRS) is an international non-governmental organization supporting relief and development work in over 100 countries. CRS programs assist persons based on need, regardless of creed, ethnicity, or nationality. As CRS works through local church and non-church partners to implement its programs, strengthening and building the capacity of partner organizations is fundamental to the work of CRS. CRS re-established presence in Nigeria in 2000 and currently focuses on health, vulnerable children, agriculture, extractives and governance, and peace building programming.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Program Officer

Reference Id: 21000045
Location: CARO-NG-Federal Capital Territory, Abuja
Job: Program Management
Organization: Catholic Relief Services
Schedule: Regular
Shift: Standard
Employee Status: Entry Level
Job Type: Full-time
Job Level: Day Job
Travel: Yes, 75 % of the Time

Context
CRS has a long and rich history of collaboration with the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (Global Fund). In Nigeria, CRS has been a Co-Principal Recipient (PR) for the Global Fund Malaria grant since January 2017. As CRS works through local church and non-church partners to implement its programs, strengthening and building the capacity of partner organizations is fundamental to the work of CRS. CRS re-established presence in Nigeria in 2000 and currently focuses on health, vulnerable children, agriculture, extractives and governance, and peace building programming.

For the 2018-2020 Global Fund Malaria grant, CRS remained a Co-PR with NMEP, strengthening the synergy and collaboration with NMEP to improve efficiency and impact. CRS worked closely with NMEP, Society for Family Health (SFH), Malaria Consortium, various state governments and other stakeholders to coordinate and implement the 2018-2020 long lasting insecticidal net (LLIN) mass campaigns in 13 states. CRS provided oversight and ICT4D leadership for the LLIN campaigns and implemented directly in some of the states. In addition to SFH, CRS provided oversight to 2 other SRs (Management Sciences for Health and Malaria Consortium), in providing support to the 13 states supported by the Global Fund, for a range of malaria treatment and prevention services at the state level. These services included Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention (SMC) implemented by Malaria Consortium with oversight from CRS.

For the 2021-2023 Global Fund Malaria grant, CRS will remain a Co-PR with NMEP and provide robust oversight to the 3 SRs (Society for Family Health, Management Sciences for Health and Malaria Consortium). CRS will work closely with NMEP, 3 SRs and other partners, to scale up the implementation of life saving interventions and improve access to quality malaria services in the 13 GF supported states. These critical interventions include malaria treatment and prevention services such as Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention, LLIN campaigns, Social and Behavior Change Communication campaign, and testing and treatment interventions.

Primary Function

• The GF Malaria Program Officer will provide programme oversight in areas including tracking of SRs’ deliverables, targets and reports.
• S/he will collate and review reports and ensure compliance with donor requirements and organizational policies and procedures.
• S/he will be an experienced and versatile Program Officer who can adequately support the Programme team and backstop when/where required.

Specific Job Responsibilities
Program and Case Management:

• Provide support to the Sub Recipients (SRs) in implementing the GF Malaria grant in the various states.
• Ensure that SR program and Case Management activities are implemented according to the approved work plan and budget, focusing on meeting agreed deadlines.
• Leads in the collection, collation and submission of monthly program updates and situation reports from the various units
• Organizes monthly PR-SR review meetings, quarterly review meetings with GF CT and other periodic program reviews.
• Supports the preparation/finalization of meeting agenda and distributes minutes of meetings
• Leads the development and tracking of GF Malaria Detailed Implementation Plan (DIP)
• Ensure that the CRS Zero Cash Policy is adhered to during implementation.
• Monitor SR budget implementation.

Service Uptake:

• Provide technical and programmatic support required for improving malaria service uptake
• Ensure that SR Service uptake activities are implemented according to the approved work plan and budget, focusing on meeting agreed deadlines.
• Work closely with the Programme team and SRs to drive malaria service uptake in health facilities and in the community.
• Work closely with relevant government organizations at national and state levels, as well as other stakeholders, to strengthen grant coordination and oversight.

Partnership / SR Management:

• Provides programmatic oversight in tracking of SRs’ deliverables, targets and reports, ensuring timeliness and compliance with GF requirements and organizational policies
• Organizes and participates as a resource person in engagement and coordination meetings with the DFID-funded SuNMAP 2 project
• Facilitate timely resolution of designated SR’s needs, for smooth grant implementation.
• Facilitate reporting
• Facilitate accurate and timely Progress Update (PU) reporting by the SRs.

Training and Mentoring:

• Provides regular programmatic support to SRs in the implementation of grant activities such as trainings, workshops and other capacity development interventions.
• Monitors and tracks state level trainings, and ensures that all state-level trainings and meetings are implemented in accordance with national guidelines
• Support the SRs’ planning and implementation of trainings, workshops and other capacity development interventions.

Representation:

• Attends and represents CRS at all required national level sub-committee/technical meetings with NMEP, liaising with other partners as required
• Attends and represent CRS at all national level technical meetings with other malaria partners e.g. Technical Working Groups etc.
• Any other duties as assigned by supervisor

Key Working Relationships:

• Internal: Global Fund Malaria Program Team, Deputy Country Representative, Country Representative, Head of Operations, Finance, Procurement and Administration Staff, Regional and Senior Technical Advisors, Deputy Regional Directors for PQ and MQ
• External: Global Fund’s Fund Portfolio Manager and Nigeria Country Team, SRs, State Ministries of Health (SMOH), National Malaria Elimination Program (NMEP) within the Federal Ministry of Health (MoH), Technical and Financial Partners, supported health facilities, Local Fund Agent (LFA)

Qualifications and Eligibility

• MBBS / MD / B.Pharm is required
• At least 3 years post NYSC relevant experience.
• At least 2 years malaria programming experience
• Previous experience working on the Global Fund for AIDS/TB/Malaria project.
• Excellent English language skills (oral and written communication skills).
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook.

Desirable qualities and experience:

• Previous M&E experience will be an advantage
• Excellent analytical and information seeking skills, and good decision-making skills.
• Ability to interface with multiple stakeholders, representatives, and partners in a professional manner.
• Ability to work both in a team and independently.
• Ability to transfer knowledge through formal and informal training/mentoring.
• Strong inter-personal and public relations skills.

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.

Application Closing Date
Not Specified.