About CRS
Catholic Relief Services (CRS) is the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. CRS works to save, protect, and transform lives in around 100 countries, without regard to race, religion or nationality. CRS’ relief and development work is accomplished through programs for emergency response, disaster risk reduction, health, agriculture, education, community savings and peacebuilding.
In the Philippines, CRS started its operation in 1945. It is the longest running, continuous CRS country program in the world with extensive programming in emergency response and recovery, disaster risk reduction, climate resilience and livelihoods, and peace and development. The Philippines country program has over 60 staff members spread across its office in Manila, Cotabato City, Tagbilaran City, Iloilo City, Virac and Malaybalay City. CRS collaborates and works with our strong network of church and civil society partners, national and subnational government agencies and secular NGOs throughout the country.
In the Pacific, CRS has a Program office in the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) implementing community-based disaster risk reduction, emergency response and early recovery projects. Currently, there are 14 staff members located in Pohnpei, Chuuk and Yap.
Recently, Philippines and FSM were combined as one Business Management Unit (BMU) under the newly established Europe, Middle East and Asia (EMEA) regional structure. This integration envisions shared services and management oversight across the two countries, with Philippines as BMU lead country, having overall responsibility for MEAL, Finance, Human Resources, supply chain management, among others. This position will support both Philippines and Micronesia operations.
Job Summary:
As Head of Operations for the CRS Philippines and CRS Micronesia BMU, you will provide leadership and management of key operational functions - Supply Chain Management (SCM), Administration, Staff Safety and Security, Safeguarding and Audit - in support of the Catholic Relief Services’ (CRS) mission to serve the poor and vulnerable. You will promote stewardship of resources, ensure principled compliance, proactively manage risk, and lead operational efficiency improvements. As part of the Senior Management Teams and BMU Leadership Team, you will proactively manage and mitigate operational and security risks and contribute to implementation of CO’s strategic priorities. You will also support strengthening of operational system and processes of CRS FSM Program Office.
Responsibilities
Roles and Key Responsibilities:
- Effectively manage talent and supervise. Manage team dynamics and staff well-being. Provide coaching, strategically tailor individual development plans, conduct career conversations and complete performance management for direct reports. Monitor and assess performance to ensure adequate capacity for successful support of high-quality programming. Contribute to staffing plans and recruitment process of senior staff.
- Contribute to the strategic planning and programming for both Philippines and FSM by providing input on needed investments in operations capacity – systems, processes and staffing – that meet CRS’ standards, donor requirements, and local regulations and support high-quality programming. Represent CRS, as needed.
- Plan, integrate, coordinate, and monitor day-to-day operations to ensure all support services are delivered with high-quality in an efficient manner. Address issues where operations support needs to be adapted for complex programming. Oversee the piloting of new operations initiatives that require the setting up of new standards and systems
- Collaborate with programming leads to ensure appropriate and timely operational processes (especially procurement) and proper stewardship of material sources. Anticipate, identify and address challenges that affect the proper stewardship, compliance risk, and optimal utilization of program assets and resources (financial, human, and material).
- In close collaboration with the Country Representative, Head of Office (i.e., FSM Program Office; and Cotabato Sub-office), Head of Programs and Finance Manager, participate in the preparation of annual budget plans and grant/project budgets to ensure they reflect maximum operational efficiency and compliance and mitigate risks. Set and provide technical oversight of internal processes for approving operational expenses, monitoring spending, and making budget adjustments in line with operational and programmatic needs and with donor requirements.
- As a member of the SMTs and BMU-LT, actively participate in workforce planning. Assure quality personnel administration and a work environment that truly reflects the agency’s guiding principles and promotes staff engagement and well-being at work.
- Oversee compliance with agency and donor requirements and local laws and regulations through periodic systems checks, review and assessment of CP’s operations policies and procedures. Act as lead contact and responder to issues that emerge from internal and external audits and provide recommendations and guidance to implement improvements.
- Create and maintain the proper conditions for learning. Establish a safe environment for the sharing of ideas, solutions, and difficulties and the capacity to detect, analyze and respond quickly to small deficiencies. Provide capacity strengthening guidance for project teams and Country Program partners, which includes cross-departmental learning.
- Act as Country focal for Safety and Security. Develop and update all safety and security requirements and protocols, including Field Safety and Security Plans, Business Continuity Plans. Conduct on site security assessments and maintain relationships with key security stakeholders and key informants.
- Staff Safeguarding Reporting
- Serve as a key/trusted reporting channel for staff and partners.
- Receive, triage and escalate safeguarding allegations and complaints from staff and affiliates.
- Log reports into ethics point
- Provide immediate support to survivors if required.
Qualifications
Basic Qualifications
- Master's degree in international development, Management, Business Administration, Finance or relevant field required.
- Minimum of 5 years' work experience in a management position of similar nature with progressive responsibilities.
- Experience with an international NGO, international development organizations, prime contractors, and experience outside country of origin preferred.
- Additional experience may substitute for some education; additional education may substitute for some experience.
- Understanding of budgeting and financial management, highly preferred.
- Experience and knowledge in local safety and security assessment and risk management
Preferred Qualifications
- Knowledge and practice of Six Sigma, Kaizen or other process improvement methodologies
- Adept in use of Artificial Intelligence for improving workplace efficiency and productivity
- Knowledge of multiple public donors’ policy and regulations, including US Government, UK/FCDO, United Nations, highly preferred.
- Proven effective people management experience and abilities that are conducive to a learning environment and building strong team dynamics.
- Knowledge of procurement, supply chain management and office administration/management issues.
- Ability to represent the agency with key stakeholders, including with government and donors
- Proficient in MS Office package (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Visio), Web Conferencing Applications, and information and budget management systems.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
- Excellent strategic, analytical, systems thinking, and problem-solving skills, with capacity to see the big picture and ability to make sound judgment and decisions.
- Excellent interpersonal communication skills and ability to bridge differences effectively
- Strong relations management abilities. Ability to work collaboratively
- Team leadership abilities
- Ethical conduct in accordance with recognized professional and organizational codes of ethics
- Proactive, resourceful, solutions-oriented and results-oriented
Required Languages – English proficiency; Filipino proficiency
Travel - Must be willing and able to travel up to 25 % of the time.
Supervisory Responsibilities: Procurement Manager, Administrative Manager, other operations staff
Key Working Relationships:
Internal: Country Representative, Head of Office (FSM, Cotabato Sub-Office), Head of Programming, Finance Manager, HR Manager, Operations staff, PMs, Sub-Office OICs, SCM EMEA Regional Advisor, DRD MQ, HQ Ethics Unit, HQ Risk and Compliance, HQ Audit.
External: Relevant Government Departments, Partners, Vendors, Donors, Church and civil society partners
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
Organization context
General Requirements
CRS offers are contingent on the selected candidate’s ability to legally work where the position is to be performed. Every government has a unique set of work permit eligibility requirements. All positions requiring residence or frequent travel outside a home country must undergo and clear a pre-employment medical clearance; some work permit processes require clearing a separate government administered medical examination.
CRS prioritizes candidates who are citizens/ permanent residents of the countries where we have CRS offices.
