Technical Advisor II – Food Security, Livelihoods and Markets

Position duration: (Tentative July 1, 2026 – December 31, 2027)

Project Overview

Catholic Relief Services is implementing a global emergency response initiative designed to deliver timely, lifesaving humanitarian assistance in rapidly evolving crises worldwide. Over 18 months, the program enables fast, flexible action to address urgent needs arising from sudden shocks and protracted emergencies. It supports critical humanitarian sectors through context-appropriate assistance while emphasizing operational readiness, locally led implementation, accountability to affected communities, and safe, dignified programming. The initiative strengthens the organization’s ability to respond at speed and scale in complex and resource-constrained environments, ensuring help reaches people most in need when it matters most. This role will support cash readiness efforts of Country Programs and partners, as well as provide technical support for ongoing programming, and new emergency programs, related to cash, market-based programming, and emergency food security and livelihoods.

Job Summary

This position is embedded in the Humanitarian Response Department (HRD) Market-based Rapid Response and Recovery (MBRRR) Team. The HRD MBRRR Team is the agency lead for Cash & Market-based Programming and the emergency Food Security & Livelihoods Sectors. As part of this team, the Technical Advisor II will provide technical advice, guidance, and support to a wide range of program design and implementation issues with a focus on larger projects in the area of food security and livelihoods and markets in line with Catholic Relief Services (CRS) program quality principles and standards, donor guidelines, and industry best practices to regional and Country Program (CP) teams to advance the delivery of high-quality programming to the poor and vulnerable. The incumbent’s technical knowledge, advice and guidance will contribute to determining how effective, adaptive and innovative CRS’ food security and livelihoods and market based programming is.

Roles and Key Responsibilities

• Contribute to the development and implementation of agency-wide strategies, standards, tools, and best practices in food security and livelihoods that effectively engage partners, donors and governments. Help ensure a cross-sectoral approach integrating gender, protection mainstreaming, and disaster risk reduction.
• Provide technical solutions to regional and CP teams, remotely and on-site, for strategic planning and how to best apply program design and implementation standards, best practices, partnership principles, tools, and M&E, ensuring high-quality implementation.
• Contribute to regional and CP efforts to pre-position CRS for growth opportunities in food security and livelihoods. Lead or contribute to the development of the technical design for large and/or complex proposals, including defining appropriate monitoring systems and indicators.
• Advise project teams on integrating donor strategies, priorities and technical requirements into CRS’ approach.
• Contribute to capacity strengthening initiatives in food security and livelihoods programming for staff and partner through helping develop learning and training strategies and agendas/curriculums, conducting trainings and workshops, and mentoring and coaching to CP staff.
• Contribute to knowledge management and learning through collecting and analyzing program data, evaluating strategic projects, assisting with measuring program impact, capturing and sharing lessons learned and best practices, and research and internal reports.
• Establish and maintain relationships with donors, peer organizations, research and other institutions. Participate in forums in food security and livelihoods to collect and share best practices and promote CRS’ work.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Knowledge of and ability to apply program monitoring and evaluation best practices, including applying data collection tools and methodologies, data analysis, and data presentation.
• Strong 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.
• Good strategic, analytical, problem-solving and systems thinking skills with capacity to see the big picture and ability to make sound judgment
• Knowledge of and ability to conduct market assessments and response analysis to inform modality decisions across different areas of programming, particularly in emergency rapid-onset humanitarian contexts.
• Strong understanding and application of technical principles and concepts in Food Security and Livelihoods. Good knowledge of related disciplines to ensure proper cross-sectoral approach. Understanding of nutrition technical principles.
• Strong networking and relationship building skills with donors, peer organizations, and faith-based civil society partners. Understanding of partnership principles.
• Ability to development and produce curricula, tools, and other products to support Market-based Programming interventions and programming. Ability to transfer knowledge to diverse audiences through training, mentoring, and other formal and informal methods.
• Good written and oral communication skills.
• Presentation, facilitation, training, mentoring, and coaching skills.
• Proactive, resourceful and results-oriented.
• Proficient in MS Office packages (Excel, Word, PowerPoint), Web Conferencing Applications and understanding of information and budget management systems and knowledge-sharing networks.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's Degree in international development, or fields related to food security, livelihoods and market-based response programming.
• Experience working in an INGO.

Required Languages: English required, plus at least one of the following languages: French, Spanish, Portuguese, Arabic.

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

Supervisory Responsibilities: No

Qualifications

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in international development, or fields related to food security, livelihoods and market-based response programming.
• Minimum of eight years relevant international working experience in an advisory or management role with progressive responsibilities.
• Minimum of three years working overseas in multiple regions as a technical advisor and/or program manager of a Market-based Program and/or multi-sectoral project with a Food Security and Livelihoods component.
• Experience providing technical assistance and developing successful proposals for external donor funding. Track record of contributing to successful capture of public and/or private donor funding in Market-based Programming.

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.