DEPUTY HEAD OF PROGRAMS

Job Description

JOB ANNOUNCEMENT

ATTRACTIVE JOB OPPORTUNITIES FOR PROFESSIONALS

NATIONAL CANDIDATES ONLY

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.

Catholic Relief Services, Burkina Faso Country Program (CRS), is seeking to hire a Deputy Head of Programs.

Job Summary:

You will contribute to providing strategic direction and management of the program office’s programming, complementing the Country Manager’s efforts at ensuring the establishment and successful implementation of high-quality programs serving the poor and vulnerable. Your management and programming skills and resource mobilization capability will ensure that the CP obtains grants and delivers high-quality programming and continuously works towards improving the impact of its programming.

Roles and Key Responsibilities:

• Complement the CM in providing strategic direction for the design of CP strategic frameworks and plans, including resource mobilization strategies to optimize the impact of programming interventions in line with regional and agency strategic priorities.
• Lead where appropriate and contribute to high-quality project design incorporating project management standards and MEAL methods, appropriate to scope, context and technical requirements of projects. Coordinate planning of activities for particular projects to ensure integration of program interventions and efficiency in implementation.
• Coordinate where needed in the business development cycle to ensure quality proposals per agency and donor standards.
• Effectively manage talent and supervise. Manage team dynamics and staff well-being. Provide coaching, strategically tailor individual development plans, and complete performance assessment for direct reports.
• Contribute to creating and maintaining the proper conditions for learning. Help establish a safe environment for the sharing of ideas, solutions, and difficulties and the capacity to detect, analyze and respond quickly to small deficiencies. Promote accountability, learning and knowledge management as part of the implementation of the MEAL policy.
• Coordinate with operations staff to ensure appropriate project budgeting and efficient use and stewardship of project material sources.
• Coordinate the identification, assessment and strengthening of appropriate partnerships and the appropriate application of partnership concepts, tools and approaches.
• Coordinate technical assistance and capacity strengthening for project teams and partners in project management standards and related MEAL, business development and operational activities. Help identify training opportunities including PQM systems and tools and reporting, develop training curriculums and deliver training.
• Collaborate closely with MEAL and Communications staff to produce quality visibility materials and learning events. Support PMs to establish systems to capture, document, and share learning within internal and external stakeholders, maintaining trust and open doors for increased resources.
• Organize and coordinate regular program reporting and conduct reviews of content, ensuring on-time submission of high-quality reports responsive to CRS and donor standards.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in international development, international relations or relevant field.
• Minimum of 3-5 years’ work experience in a program management and/or business development position with progressive responsibilities for an international NGO.
• Good experience in project grants management, including project design, budget preparation, expenditure tracking, monitoring and evaluation, reporting, etc., preferably for projects funded by multiple public donors, including the US Government, EU, and other Bilateral cooperation.
• Experience with successful business development activities capturing public and/or private donor funding.

Required Languages – French & English (oral and written proficiency)

Travel – Must be willing and able to travel up to 25%.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Strong strategic, analytical, systems thinking, and problem-solving skills, with capacity to see the big picture and ability to make sound judgment and decisions.
• Strong relations management abilities. Ability to relate to people at all levels internally and externally. Strategic in how you approach each relationship.
• Team leadership abilities
• Proactive, resourceful, dynamic, solutions oriented and results-oriented
• Presentation and facilitation skills

Preferred Qualifications

• Excellent English writing skills.
• Experience engaging partners and strengthening partnerships. Experience working with Church partners a plus.
• Staff management experience and abilities that are conducive to a learning environment.
• Some experience and abilities in strengthening capacity – developing curricula and facilitating training.
• Experience using MS Office packages (Excel, Word, PowerPoint), Web Conferencing Applications, information and budget management systems, and knowledge sharing networks.

***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.

Candidate’s commitment to CRS Safeguarding Policy

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. 

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

What we offer

CRS offers a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, and life insurance.  CRS´ work culture is a collaborative, mission-driven culture committed to improving the lives of the poor throughout the world.

Application: Qualified candidates should send electronic version of their cover letter, and CV by December 30^th, 2025, to the following mail address: crsbf_recruitment@crs.org.

We encourage you to submit your application as soon as possible, as applications will be screened on a rolling basis.

CRS’ talent acquisition procedures reflect our commitment to protecting children and vulnerable adults from abuse and exploitation.

CRS is an Equal Opportunity Employer