Program Manager I, Area Coordinator

Job Title: Program Manager I – Area Coordinator - Cuba Crisis-Response

Department: LACRO

Reports to: Senior Program Manager - Cuba Crisis-Response

Salary Grade: 9

Position Duration : July 1, 2026 - December 2027

Project Overview

Catholic Relief Services (CRS), in partnership with Caritas Cuba, is implementing a multi-sector emergency response to support vulnerable households across Cuba. The project focuses on delivering essential assistance in food security, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), and basic shelter and non-food items (NFIs). The program prioritizes households with the greatest needs and is delivered through local Caritas structures to ensure effective, community-based implementation. Activities include food distributions, hygiene support, and targeted shelter improvements in select areas.

The project emphasizes efficient delivery, accountability to participants, and practical monitoring approaches adapted to the local context. Through this effort, CRS and Caritas aim to help households meet immediate needs while strengthening the capacity to deliver timely and well-coordinated assistance.

Job Summary

You will manage humanitarian response programming in a particular geographic zone within Cuba, 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 CRS and local partners deliver high-quality programming and continuously work towards improving the impact of its programming.

Roles and Key Responsibilities

• Manage and implement all 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.

• Champion learning with project staff and partner teams. Analyze and evaluate project performance data following MEAL policy. 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, gap-filling and taking on growth responsibilities, as needed.

• Coordinate the identification of staff capacity and technical assistance needs of partner organizations and capacity strengthening and required interventions to support quality project implementation.

• Help identify, assess and strengthen partnerships in line with CRS’ partnership principles, tools, and best practices.

• Coordinate and monitor financial and material resources relevant to project needs, through planning and oversight ensure efficient use of project resources.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in International Development, International Relations or a relevant field required.

• Minimum of 2-3 years of relevant field-based experience in coordinating or managing light to moderately complex projects required, preferably with an international NGO.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s Degree

• Project management experience in Latin America and the Caribbean is highly desirable.

• MEAL skills and experience preferred.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Experience using MS Windows and MS Office packages (Excel, Word, PowerPoint), Web Conferencing Applications, information management systems.

• Experience engaging with partner organizations.

• Experience contributing to the development of technical proposals.

• 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.

• Strong written and verbal communication skills with ability to write reports

• Proactive, results-oriented, and service-oriented

Required Languages: Fluency in English and Spanish required.

Travel: Must be willing and able to travel up to 50%.

Supervisory Responsibilities: No

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.

Organization context

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.