CRS Moldova and Ukraine 

The war in Ukraine has triggered a significant humanitarian crisis, leading to millions of refugees fleeing to nearby countries in addition to millions of internally displaced populations. In response, CRS Moldova and the Ukraine Country Office (CO) rapidly expanded their programs, reaching over 500,000 people between 2022 and 2025 through a broad emergency, recovery, and development strategy. This approach covers shelter, infrastructure, winterization, basic needs, education, livelihoods, protection, and care reform. The CO also emphasized building partner capacity and encouraging local leadership to boost their impact and extend aid to even more individuals. Within Ukraine, CRS collaborates closely with Caritas Ukraine (CUA) and Caritas Spes, delivering technical and management support. CRS support and accompany CUA as they lead a U.S. Government Department of State-funded initiative, Multi-Sector Assistance to War-Affected People in Ukraine, which began in February 2024. In Moldova, CRS partners with Caritas and other organizations to support both refugees and host communities.

Job Summary:

As Country Representative, you will lead, manage and advance the programming and operation objectives to support those affected by the war in Ukraine and Moldova. Your strategic leadership will enable you to advance CRS’ reputation and impact while you proactively manage security and mitigate security risks and liabilities. This role involves frequent travel between both countries.

Roles and Key Responsibilities:

In Moldova and Ukraine, the Country Representative is responsible for advancing local leadership and catalyzing significant humanitarian and development outcomes by:

• Championing and guiding the vision, mission, and strategic direction of the organization. This includes overseeing the review and design of the 2025-2027 Country Strategy, setting medium and long-term goals, and ensuring program and operational objectives are aligned with the established strategy.
• Ensuring all projects consistently meet and surpass CRS and donor standards, with an emphasis on maximizing impact and reach through effective design and implementation.
• Exercising strong management over senior programming and operations staff, providing high-quality supervision, fostering positive team dynamics, and supporting staff well-being. Direct coaching and mentoring are provided to the Head of Programs, Head of Operations, and other senior personnel, alongside strategic development of individual growth plans and completion of performance assessments for direct reports. The representative also oversees staffing strategies for major projects and leads recruitment processes for senior roles.
• Developing strategic partnerships with national Caritas affiliates, as well as other national and international organizations, in alignment with CRS partnership principles to leverage resources, reputation, and expertise. The role involves ensuring robust representation to key stakeholders including Catholic Church representatives, governmental entities at various levels, US government agencies, UN bodies, and international donors.
• Proactively managing and mitigating risk by monitoring pertinent national and regional developments that could affect staff or programming. The representative ensures all personnel adhere to CRS safety and security protocols and oversees the ongoing review and updating of these plans.
• Promoting and modeling a commitment to efficient use of agency and donor resources, guaranteeing operational compliance, and providing thorough oversight and analysis of monthly expenditures.
• Leading efforts to pursue strategic growth opportunities, facilitating prepositioning and capture planning, and maintaining collaborative relationships with HQ G-REM to maximize stewardship and impact of Leadership Giving awards.
• Creating and sustaining an environment conducive to learning and innovation by fostering open communication, rapid response to deficiencies, and the sharing of ideas and solutions. The representative promotes accountability and knowledge management, overseeing implementation of the MEAL policy and encouraging cross-sectoral and departmental learning.
• Cultivating a workplace culture rooted in respect, equity, diversity, and inclusion.
• Supporting the Caritas Country Forum on Ukraine in close collaboration with Caritas partners and networks.

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 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/mentoring 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.

Travel – Must be willing to travel up to 40% of the time within the CP’s countries and the region. 

Supervisory Responsibilities: Senior Management Team (Head of Programs and Head of Operations), Chief of Party.

Key Working Relationships:

Internal: Risk and Compliance Lead, HR Officer, Finance Manager, Deputy Head of Operations, PQ TA, RD, DRDs, RTAs including Regional Security Coordinator, Fellow CRs in EMECA, HRD, Charitable Giving, HRD & HQ Colleagues in all other departments.

External: Local Catholic Church leadership, Caritas and other faith-based partners in both countries; INGO and UN officials, CI member organizations, local Government officials, donor representatives, etc.

Basic Qualifications

• Master’s degree in international development, International Relations or a related field.
• 10 or more years’ experience managing complex relief and development programs.

Preferred Qualifications

• Demonstrated experience successfully managing a variety of complex, high-value projects from multiple international donors, including USG, EU, DFID, and UN agencies; understanding of relevant donor regulations.
• Demonstrated experience in successful cultivation of large-scale private donor awards
• Experience engaging partners and strengthening partnerships. Experience working with Church partners a plus.
• Staff management experience and abilities that are conducive to a learning environment. Experience coaching and mentoring senior program staff.
• Ability to represent the agency at high levels.
• Experience in MS Office package (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Visio), Web Conferencing Applications, and information and budget management systems.

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.

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.

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.