**This position is contingent on funding confirmation**

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 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 also prioritized 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 resourced by institutional donors and private emergency funding. 

In Ukraine, CRS has provided technical support and accompaniment to Caritas Ukraine (CUA) in managing the U.S. Government (USG) Department of State (DOS)-funded program Multi-Sector Assistance to War-Affected People in Ukraine since February 2024. The next phase of the project is expected to significantly broaden its scope and scale, delivering critical services to a larger number of war-affected communities. Through capacity sharing and accompaniment, CRS supports CUA on all aspects of implementation including program management, technical sectors, MEAL, grants management and reporting, operations, compliance and risk management. The support is led and coordinated by a Project Director, with active involvement from the Country Office senior management, programming and operations teams, as well as regional and global advisors, and strategic engagement of agency senior leadership. 

This position is focused on and based in Ukraine. 

Job Summary

As Project Director, you will lead and coordinate CRS’ technical support to CUA for the DOS-funded Multi-Sector Assistance to War-Affected People in Ukraine project. Your leadership, management skills, and technical knowledge will ensure the delivery of high-quality, compliant programming. As a senior leader, you will proactively manage programmatic and operational risks.

You will guide CUA in strengthening its capacity to design and implement needs-based, timely and effective multisectoral humanitarian programming. You will supervise and provide strategic direction to a team of CRS technical experts, ensuring alignment with humanitarian principles and sectoral standards, particularly in shelter and settlements, WASH infrastructure, cash and livelihoods, protection, and rapid response. You will support CUA to enhance risk management and compliance with institutional donor requirements, while leading donor communications, navigating evolving requirements, and identifying opportunities for strategic positioning. 

Roles and Key Responsibilities

• Support CUA to lead all aspects of the development, implementation and consolidation of the Multi-Sector Assistance to War-Affected People in Ukraine project. Serve as the primary point of contact with USG for CRS. 
• Lead the provision and coordination of technical assistance and capacity strengthening activities to enhance program quality and impact, providing strategic direction to CRS technical experts. 
• Ensure the project is designed and implemented to meet donor expectations in terms of timely and quality results and budget, including strategies for phase out and sustainability. Ensure coordination between program and operations leads. 
• Identify opportunities for learning related to capacity strengthening and facilitate the dissemination of promising practices and lessons learned. Ensure integration of innovations and best practices.
• Effectively manage senior programming and operations talent. Manage team dynamics and staff well-being. Provide coaching and mentoring. Strategically tailor individual development plans and complete performance assessments for direct reports. Oversee the development of staffing plans and the recruitment process of senior staff. Support the CUA project director to effectively manage team dynamics and staff well-being. 
• Manage and mitigate risk through monitoring national and regional issues that may impact staff and programming. Ensure all staff understand and adhere to CRS staff safety and security policies and plans, and ensure the updating of such plans. 
• Promote, uphold and model a commitment to the efficient use of agency and donor resources. Ensure compliance with DOS, including financial tracking and oversight of partner budgets, finance, administration and reporting. 
• Create and maintain proper conditions for learning. Establish a safe environment for sharing of ideas, solutions, and difficulties and the capacity to detect, analyze and respond quickly to deficiencies. Identify performance gaps and training opportunities for CRS and partner staff and ensure the design and delivery of high-quality training and technical assistance.
• Contribute to the advancement of the CRS Country Office strategy and proactive pursuit of opportunities for new funding to ensure growth of the CO sector portfolio in line with agency, regional, and CO strategic priorities and contribute to proposal and budget development.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working with partners and strengthening partnerships is highly preferred. Knowledge of CRS partnership strategy a plus.
• Demonstrated experience of successful program management, including management of complex, high-value, multi-activity emergency projects. 
• Ability to represent and present at high levels.
• Experience in MS Office package (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Visio), Web Conferencing Applications, and information and budget management systems.

 

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 with diverse/multi-disciplinary teams. Coaching skills.
• Strong communications and presentation skills; able to develop tailored and persuasive messaging for varied audiences.
• Proactive, resourceful, solutions-oriented and results-oriented.

Required Languages: English fluency (written and verbal) is required, knowledge of Ukrainian or Russian is an advantage.

 

Travel: up to 30% of field travel within Ukraine, primarily to partner offices. 

Supervisory Responsibilities: Yes, up to 10 staff

Key Working Relationships: 

Internal: Head of Programs, Country Representative, Head of Operations, Deputy Head of Operations, Program Managers, MEAL Manager, BD/Grants Management Coordinator, CRS Global/Regional staff, Humanitarian Response Department staff

External: Caritas Ukraine national and local offices, local government, USG, United Nations and international NGOs, humanitarian clusters and working groups in Ukraine

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in international development, International Relations or a relevant technical area. Master preferred.
• 5-8 years’ relevant management experience in humanitarian programming. 
• 5 years’ experience managing donor funds, including USG grants, preferably in complex emergencies. Strong knowledge and experience in budget management.
• Staff management experience and abilities that are conducive to a learning environment. Experience coaching senior program staff.
• Experience in managing complex projects with USG funding, preferably for an international NGO prime.

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.  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.

CRS works to save, protect, and transform lives in need in more than 100 countries. CRS’ relief and development work is accomplished through programs of emergency response, HIV, health, agriculture, education, microfinance, and peacebuilding.  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.

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.