Job Title: Project Manager 1 –Agroforestry

Department: Programs – VINES

Report to: Chief of Party

Job Location: Kasese/Uganda

Vacancies: One (1)

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.

CRS has been working in Uganda since 1965 and has a vibrant portfolio of projects, serving over a million vulnerable Ugandans and refugees each year through the Country Program 2030 Strategy. CRS programs in Uganda currently support five strategic priority areas, including Health and Social Services Systems Strengthening, Resilient Food Systems, Emergency Preparedness and Management, Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation, and Local Leadership. CRS Uganda implements its programs through partnerships with local organizations, including international and local NGOs, Ugandan government departments and ministries, the Catholic Church, and community-based organizations for maximum impact and sustainability.

Background:

The Vines Project, implemented by CRS Uganda, is a five-year, $13 million Food for Progress project that will make Uganda the world’s next leading supplier of high-quality vanilla. Vines will leverage the expertise of CRS and its private and public partners to enhance the production of safe, pure vanilla and develop sustainable market links with US vanilla companies, directly transforming the lives of 16,200 farmers, 836 supply chain actors and create 15,820 new jobs to reach 32,856 vanilla stakeholders. The Vines strategy reflects best practices in sustainable development and market systems and will leave Uganda with a robust vanilla farming community resilient to the boom/bust nature of the market and a cadre of private sector agricultural extensionists to support more sophisticated production, processing, and marketing needs.

Job Job Summary:

You will manage programming in the Country Program (CP) for Agroforestry under the Vines project, designing and implementing projects advancing Catholic Relief Services’ (CRS) work in serving the poor and vulnerable. Your management skills and knowledge will ensure that the CP delivers high-quality programming and continuously works towards improving the impact of its programming.

The Program Manager will lead all field activities related to the coordination, training, and monitoring of project agroforestry approaches, good agricultural practices, and climate smart adaptations to increase the production, productivity, and quality of Ugandan vanilla. As the technical lead, you will lead the analysis of farming systems and implement the capacity building of farmers in key areas such as soil and water management. You will be responsible for the engagement with and strengthening of private sector partners in the development and implementation of their farmer engagement systems, to ensure extension services are reaching vanilla farmers in a consistent and transparent manner.

Roles and Key Responsibilities:

• Provide Technical leadership, management and implementation of all Agroforestry activities throughout relevant project cycles – project design, start-up, implementation and close-out – to ensure efficient and effective implementation in line with CRS program quality principles and standards, donor requirements, and good practices. Ensure project team and partner staff use the appropriate systems and tools.
• Lead the training, coaching, monitoring, and coordination in all project activities related to agro-forestry, good agricultural practices, and climate smart adaptation.
• Help identify, assess and strengthen private sector partnerships under the Vines project around farmer engagement and sustainability, applying appropriate application of partnership concepts, tools and approaches.
• Lead Vines project research agenda in collaboration with the National Coffee Research Institute (NACORI) and other institutions engaged in research on vanilla production, agroforestry systems among others.
• Effectively manage talent and supervise. Manage team dynamics and staff well-being. Provide coaching, strategically tailor individual development plans, contribute to the recruitment process of project staff, and complete performance management for direct reports.
• Champion learning with project staff and partner teams. Analyze and evaluate project performance data following MEAL policies and procedures. Proactively identify issues and concerns and use participatory processes to overcome implementation obstacles.
• Act as a key resource person in project design and proposal development in respective programming area, gapfilling and taking on growth responsibilities, as needed.
• Coordinate the identification of staff capacity and technical assistance needs of private sector partner organizations and capacity strengthening and required interventions to support quality project implementation.
• Coordinate and monitor financial and material resources relevant to project needs. Through planning and oversight ensure efficient use of project resources.
• Prepare technical reports and briefs on the project Agroforestry component to inform monthly and biannual reports to the CRS Country Program and the Donor.

Basic Qualifications:

• Master’s degree in agriculture, Horticulture, Agribusiness or a related field required. Additional experience may substitute for some education.
• Minimum of 5 years of relevant field-based experience in coordinating or managing Agroforestry or Agriculture, projects required, preferably with an international NGO.
• Proven understanding of Agroforestry approaches.
• Experience working with market systems and private sector development approaches in the agricultural sector including the design, engagement and strengthening of private sector partnerships
• Experience working in Vanilla or other high value spice sectors a plus

Required Languages – English fluency, including excellent oral and written skills, required

Travel – This position will be based in Kasese Sub Office and will involve regular travel to all operational districts of the Vines project.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Strong critical thinking and creative problem-solving skills with ability to make sound judgment.
• Strong relationship management skills and the ability to work effectively with culturally diverse groups.
• Excellent organizational and leadership skills.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with ability to write reports
• Proactive, results-oriented, and service-oriented

Preferred Qualifications

• Project management experience in Agroforestry is highly desirable.
• Experience engaging and strengthening private sector partners particularly around delivery of farmer-based services
• Relevant technical experience, especially for USG or other public donors, a plus
• Experience contributing to the development of technical proposals.
• MEAL skills and experience preferred.
• Experience using MS Windows and MS Office packages (Excel, Word, PowerPoint), Web Conferencing Applications, information management systems.
• Representation abilities
• Proactive, results-oriented, and service-oriented

Agency-wide REDI Competencies (for all CRS Staff):

Agency competencies clarify expected behaviors and attitudes for all staff. When demonstrated, they create an engaging workplace, help staff achieve their best, and help CRS achieve agency goals. 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.

• 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.

Work relationship:

Supervisory Responsibilities: The Program Manager will supervise the Agroforestry team of 2 Senior Project Officers Key Working Relationships:

Internal: The position work in close collaboration with the Country Representative, Chief of Party, Operations Manager, Head of Programs, Admin Manager, Procurement Manager

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

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 the above safeguarding related topics.