Partnerships and Strategic Initiatives Manager

JOB OPPORTUNITY AT CRS RWANDA Job Title: Partnerships and Strategic Initiatives Manager Department: Program Band: 10 Reports to: Country Manager 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. Summary You will provide strategic advice, coordination, and support to the Country Manager on the execution of the Program Office’s (PO) priorities, particularly for selected strategic initiatives, partnerships, special projects, and external engagement efforts, ensuring effective systems and processes are in place that support program quality of existing programs, organizational positioning, and sustainable growth in advancing Catholic Relief Services’ (CRS) work in serving the poor and vulnerable. Your strategic coordination, relationship management, business development, and project management skills and knowledge will contribute to ensuring that the PO effectively advances priority initiatives, strengthens key partnerships, and continuously works towards improving the relevance, quality, and impact of its programming. Roles and Key Responsibilities Contribute to the implementation of CRS in Rwanda’s Strategic Plan by supporting the Country Manager to coordinate priority actions, track progress, and ensure timely follow-up on engagements, commitments, related expenditures, and deliverables in support of effective stewardship of CRS resources. Provide creative solutions and coordination support for selected strategic initiatives, special projects, and partnership priorities within the PO to ensure alignment with national agendas, agency priorities, quality standards, and relevant program design and implementation approaches. Contribute to regional and PO business development efforts by identifying strategic collaboration and funding opportunities and leading the development of proposals, briefs, and materials to support leadership decision-making, external positioning, and partner engagement. Advise project teams on integrating donor trends, priorities, and technical requirements into CRS’ approach. Provide solutions to regional and PO teams, remotely and on-site, for planning and application of program design and implementation standards, best practices, partnership principles, tools, and M&E in support of high-quality implementation of market friendly initiatives. Contribute to learning and knowledge management by identifying opportunities for innovation, documentation, and application of lessons from partnerships, special initiatives, and external engagement, and by supporting the capture and communication of partnership insights and emerging opportunities