Technical Advisor I - Climatenew

Job title: Technical Advisor I - Climate

Job grade: 9

Reporting to: Program Manager I - Early Warning and DRR

Department: Country Program

Duty location: CRS/Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Term of Employment: Definite term (i.e. up to May 31, 2027) contingent up on availability of funding and performance.

Note: This position is for Ethiopian nationals only 

Job Summary: 

JEOP is an emergency food distribution program targeting transitory food insecure households in more than 120 woredas (districts) designated to JEOP response by EDRMC. The current JEOP consortium led by CRS includes CARE, FH Ethiopia, ORDA Ethiopia, Relief Society of Tigray (REST), and World Vision Ethiopia (WVE). CRS works through local implementing partners Catholic Caritas Ethiopia (CCE)- Harar, CCE-Meki, and CCE - Adigrat. JEOP serves as a food pipeline for up to 33% of the drought-affected woredas in five regions and one city administration (Dire Dawa) across Ethiopia.

Your main responsibility includes providing context specific and timely relevant climate information for JEOP operation areas and linking the information with woreda food security analysis tool to enable JEOP conduct quality geographic prioritization and household targeting. Translating climate information into crop and livestock production and productivity is key expectation in this position. In addition, you will also closely work with partners, CRS staff and other stakeholders in developing context specific climate warning and preparedness messages along with key recommendations for communities across JEOP operation areas. You will ensure the messages reach communities in a risk education program under the community based early warning system. 

As a member of JEOP, you will manage, coordinate, and monitor project activities and relationships with partners and other project stakeholders to assist the achievement of the JEOP early warning system (EWS) objectives, advancing CRS work serving the poor and vulnerable. Your technical skills and knowledge of climate will ensure that the CP delivers high-quality programming and continuously works towards improving the impact of this project.

Job Responsibilities:

• Act as the technical lead for JEOP climate analysis and its intersections with other sectors including but not restricted to, early warning, geographic targeting, and household targeting in vulnerability-based targeting (VBT) method.
• Provide climate-based estimates of crop and livestock production across JEOP woredas and other potential JEOP expansion areas; regularly update the information as seasons change for woredas.
• Apply climate-based production forecast to the woreda food security analysis tool to better inform geographic and household targeting; regularly update the forecast as seasons change.
• Provide capacity building training to partners and Government counterparts on mainstreaming climate-based production forecast with woreda food security analysis tool.
• Identify pocket areas affected by climate related hazards and adjust food security analysis data accordingly.
• Conduct regular climate analysis, as appropriate to seasonal calendar, and develop and disseminate risk education messages to communities and other stakeholders in JEOP operation areas.
• Provide monthly context specific climate analysis and forecast for JEOP operation woredas, and potential expansion areas. 
• Taking a quality assurance and improvement lens, support JEOP to strengthen climate sensitive program approaches through a structured review of current programming and guidance in development of quality assurance and improvement tools where needed. 
• Strengthen capacity of JEOP staff (CRS and partners) to represent JEOP in national climate forums including technical working groups and cluster forums.
• As an active member of CRS’ global climate technical team strengthen JEOP staff access to best and promising practices as well as evolving thinking, as it relates to core EWS objectives.
• In coordination with JEOP Program Quality colleagues, strengthen integration of climate adaptation and mitigation activities within JEOP programming, ensuring that activities are in line with all humanitarian and SPHERE standards.
• Support the development and contribute to the implementation of agency-wide, regional and JEOP-specific strategies, standards, tools, and best practices in climate that effectively engage partners, donors and governments. 
• Provide technical solutions 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 efforts to pre-position CRS for growth opportunities in climate change adaptation and mitigation. Lead or contribute to development of the technical design for large and/or complex proposals, including defining appropriate monitoring systems and indicators. Advise design teams on integrating donor strategies, priorities and technical requirements into CRS’ approach.
• Contribute to capacity strengthening initiatives in climate programming for staff and partners through recruitment support, helping develop learning strategies and agendas/curriculums, facilitating access to external consultants, conducting trainings and workshops, and mentoring and coaching.
• Strengthen technical quality of reports and communications material for external audiences, through review, mentoring, training and coaching of staff.
• Contribute to knowledge management and learning through supporting innovation and the adaptation and application of innovations from other organizations, 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 key peer organizations, research and other institutions (i.e. WFP, EMA). Participate in forums to collect and share best practices and promote CRS’ work.
• Undertake regular field visits to project sites in respective region(s) for supportive supervision and participation in project activities. Prepare routine reports on results of visits and project progress.
• Work closely with the Regional Disaster Prevention and Preparedness Bureau, Regional Emergency Coordination Unit (RENCU), UN agencies and NGOs.
• Ensure collaboration, leveraging, layering, integration and learning project activities throughout the project cycle between JEOP and other CRS sectors including but not limited to RFSA, other USAID projects and other NGOs with related activities.
• Analyze implementation challenges and report any inconsistencies and/or gaps to inform adjustments to plans and implementation schedules. 
• Ensure project documentation for assigned activities is complete with all required documents and is filed per agency and donor requirements. Assist with preparation of trends analysis reports and documentation of case studies and promising practices.
• Ensure JEOP project activities are favorable to vulnerable segment of the population particularly women, people living with disables, children and elders.
• Link with country program, consortium partner and CRS regional colleagues, provide leadership on JEOPs engagement in roll out of the Agency climate and resilience Strategy.

 

Typical Background, Experience & Requirements:

Education and Experience

• Bachelor's Degree in climate science, or other related field required. Master's degree is preferred.
• Minimum of 5 years relevant working experience in an advisory or management role with progressive responsibilities, with an international NGO, with minimum of three years working for programming interventions in climate and early warning system
• Previous experience providing technical assistance and developing successful proposals for external donor funding.
• Demonstrated application of technical principles and concepts in climate in both humanitarian and development program contexts and including climate sensitive interventions.
• General knowledge of other related disciplines to ensure solid cross-sectoral approach.
• Experience in business development, project design and proposal development in climate change adaptation and mitigation, climate monitoring, including technical writing.
• Experience in mentoring, coaching, facilitation, and training applying adult learning principles and practices.
• Work with CRS Communications Manager/behavioral change manager on social behavior change material development related to anticipatory climate actions. 
• Experience with program monitoring and evaluation, including applying data collection tools and methodologies, data analysis, data presentation and data use for decision making.
• 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.

Personal Skills 

• 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

Required/Desired Foreign Language: English and Amharic, additional national languages a plus.

Travel Required: 40%

Key Working Relationships: 

• Supervisory: n/a
• Internal: JEOP program quality unit, CRS Ethiopia technical units, CRS regional counterparts.
• External: JEOP implementing partners, Ethiopian meteorological agency, WFP, FEWSNET, line ministries

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.  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.

Note: This position is for Ethiopian Nationals only.

Catholic Relief Services is the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. Catholic Relief Services works to save, protect, and transform lives in need in more than 100 countries, without regard to race, religion or nationality.  Catholic Relief Services’ relief and development work is accomplished through programs of emergency response, HIV, health, agriculture, education, microfinance, and peacebuilding.  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 safeguarding children and vulnerable adults from abuse and exploitation.

CRS welcomes candidates from the countries and regions in which we work. In the event the successful candidate is an expatriate, the anticipated duration of the assignment is informed by a term limit, based on the type and level of the job and the needs of the agency.

CRS is committed to safeguarding program participants, community members, staff and volunteers from all forms of exploitation and abuse.  The successful candidate is expected to sign and adhere to CRS´ Code of Conduct.

CRS talent acquisition procedures reflect our commitment to safeguarding the rights and dignity of all people - especially children and vulnerable adults - to live free from abuse and harm.

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

CRS is an Equal Opportunity Employer.