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 Moldova and Ukraine
Building on a modest pre-existing presence, the Moldova and Ukraine Country Office (CO) rapidly expanded its programming following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Between 2022 and 2025, CRS reached over 500,000 people through a comprehensive emergency, recovery and development strategy encompassing shelter and infrastructure, winterization, basic needs, education, livelihoods, protection, and care reform. The CO prioritizes strengthening partner capacity and fostering local leadership to amplify impact and reach millions more. Looking ahead, priorities include diversifying programming for the most vulnerable, integrating systemic outcomes for scale, and deepening partnerships across both countries. CRS’ portfolio is funded by institutional donors and private emergency resources.
This position is focused on and based in Ukraine.
Job Summary
You will manage and provide technical oversight for MEAL in the development and implementation of the Country Office humanitarian response and recovery programming in Ukraine, particularly for large and complex projects including basic needs, shelter and housing, winterization, livelihoods and protection, ensuring effective MEAL and information management systems are in place that support high-quality programming to advance Catholic Relief Services’ (CRS) work in serving vulnerable, conflict affected people. Your MEAL-related management skills and knowledge will ensure that CRS and partners deliver high-quality programming and continuously work towards improving program impact.
Roles and Key Responsibilities
- Provide management, guidance, and technical oversight for MEAL in all new and existing projects within the CO’s Ukraine program portfolio throughout the project cycle to ensure project design, start-up, implementation and close-out are in line with CRS quality principles and standards and MEAL policies, procedures, and practices; donor MEAL guidelines, and industry best practices.
- Champion the development of program learning – identify opportunities for learning, research and publications related to CRS and partners’ humanitarian response and recovery programming and implementation of MEAL policy. Facilitate the dissemination of promising practices and lessons learned to contribute to the agency knowledge management agenda. Promote the application of learning to improve program quality and to strengthen agency influence among external stakeholders. Ensure integration of MEAL-related innovations and best practices.
- Contribute to the proactive pursuit of opportunities for new funding to ensure growth of the CO’s Ukraine program portfolio in line with agency, regional, and CO strategic priorities. Serve as the MEAL technical lead and technical writer to ensure quality proposals in basic needs, shelter and housing, winterization, livelihoods and protection per agency and donor standards. Provide guidance and technical oversight for the design of project and sectoral theories of change, results frameworks, and Proframes for response and recovery projects. Contribute to MEAL budgeting and staffing plans and activities for proposals.
- Provide management, guidance, and technical oversight for the development and implementation of high-quality MEAL systems and processes, including ICT4MEAL and the application of responsible data principles as per agency and donor requirements in the CO Ukraine program portfolio Promoting MEAL policies and industry good practices, champion the analysis and use of project performance data to inform decision-making and identify lessons learned. Facilitate connections between colleagues and peers to generate and share evidence-based learning.
- Provide management, guidance and technical oversight for project or program evaluation events and learning in basic needs, shelter and housing, winterization, livelihoods and protection programs including the development of terms of reference or study protocols that include evaluation/learning questions, a balance of qualitative and quantitative methods, appropriate consideration of ethical and data protection standards, and the necessary technical rigor. Oversee the quality of evaluation data through good data management. Support the identification, recruitment, and management of external evaluators or research partners to ensure high quality evaluation, research, and learning.
- Oversee MEAL-related technical assistance and capacity strengthening activities in for staff and partner organizations to enhance program quality and impact.
- Oversee the identification, assessment and strengthening of partnerships relevant to MEAL in and the appropriate application of partnership concepts, tools and approaches.
- Oversee timely and appropriate project MEAL expenditures in line with financial plans and efficient use and stewardship of project material sources.
- Effectively manage talent for MEAL and supervise. Manage team dynamics and staff wellbeing. Provide coaching, strategically tailor individual development plans, and complete performance management for direct reports.
Qualifications
Basic Qualifications
- Bachelor’s Degree in International Development, Humanitarian Assistance, Information Management or MEAL required. Additional experience may substitute for some education.
- Minimum of 5 years’ experience in relevant field-based project management experience required, preferably with at least 3-5 years working in the area of MEAL.
- Experience in managing MEAL for moderately complex projects, preferably with an international NGO.
Preferred Qualifications
- Master’s degree in International Development, Humanitarian Assistance, Information Management, MEAL or related field
- Experience in an international NGO an advantage
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
- Demonstrated application of technical principles and concepts in MEAL and IM, including applying data collection tools and methodologies, data analysis, and data presentation, in multisectoral humanitarian programming, preferably with an international NGO. General knowledge of other related disciplines to ensure proper cross-sectoral approach.
- Experience working with partner organizations on project management and accompaniment, capacity strengthening and institutional development.
- Experience in business development, project design and proposal development in including technical writing and production of MEAL-related technical documentation.
- Experience in mentoring, coaching, facilitation, and training applying adult learning principles and practices.
- Excellent relationship management skills with ability to influence and get buy-in from people not under direct supervision and to work with individuals in diverse geographical and cultural settings.
- Strong strategic, analytical, problem-solving and systems thinking skills with capacity to see the big picture and ability to make sound judgment
- Strong written and oral communication skills
- Excellent facilitation, training, mentoring, and coaching skills
- Proactive, resourceful and results-oriented
- Experience with information management, database design and management, including concepts of relational databases and hands-on experience with one or more RDBMS preferred.
- Experience in PowerBI and one or more of the following digital data collection tools strongly preferred: CommCare, KoBo Collect, RedRose Collect.
- Experience using both quantitative and qualitative MEAL approaches strongly preferred
- Proficient in MS Office packages (Excel, Word, PowerPoint), Web Conferencing Applications, information and budget management systems, knowledge-sharing networks.
Required Languages: English fluency (written and verbal) is required, knowledge of Ukrainian or Russian is an advantage.
Travel: Up to 20% of field travel within Ukraine, primarily to partner offices.
Supervisory Responsibilities: Yes
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.
What we offer
CRS offers U.S. based staff a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, life insurance, vision, and a generous retirement savings plan. Salary and benefits packages for successful candidates employed outside the U.S. are based on the country of employment/in-country office where the candidate will perform the role. CRS´ work culture is a collaborative, mission-driven culture committed to improving the lives of the poor throughout the world.
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.
