Program Manager II, Environmental and Social Safeguarding at Catholic Relief

Roles and Key Responsibilities:

• Provide management, guidance, and technical oversight of the Thabat Project’s Environmental and Social Standards activities throughout the project cycle to ensure implementation and close-out are in line with CRS quality principles and standards, donor guidelines, and industry best practices. 
• Effectively manage talent for Thabat’s ESS team. Manage team dynamics and staff well-being. Provide coaching, strategically tailored individual development plans, and complete performance management for direct reports. 
• Lead the development of program learning - identify opportunities for learning, research and publications in the area of ESS. Facilitate the dissemination of promising practices and lessons learned to contribute to the agency's knowledge management agenda. Ensure integration of innovations and best practices.
• Oversee technical assistance and capacity strengthening activities in ESS for Thabat and Country Program staff and partner organizations to enhance program quality and impact.
• Oversee the identification, assessment and strengthening of partnerships relevant to ESS in compliance with World Bank requirements and the appropriate application of partnership concepts, tools and approaches.
• Ensure timely and appropriate project expenditures in line with financial plans and efficient use and stewardship of project material sources.
• Continue to adapt and strengthen Thabat’s ESS strategy, translating CRS’ commitments to the donor into systems, processes and tools that can be applied consistently across both project components to communicate ESS content to project stakeholders and ensure compliance with World Bank regulations.
• Develop annual work plans, quarterly action plans in coordination with technical teams and ensure that ESS activities are fully integrated into programmatic activities.
• Coordinate closely with Thabat’s MEAL team to ensure that ESS requirements and monitoring activities are integrated into Thabat’s MEAL system and that data collection tools reflect all necessary ESS requirements. 
• Lead all donor ESS communication and reporting processes, ensuring timely and comprehensive completion of all required reports, establishing systems to collect, aggregate, and analyze data necessary for reporting.
• Regularly update project leadership on ESS activity progress and compliance, flagging issues, concerns, and proposing solutions.
• Establish comprehensive systems to monitor compliance of key project stakeholders as defined in the project documents, including implementing partners, grantees, and sub-projects with World Bank requirements.
• Collaborate with CRS’ Global Support Units, including Climate Finance, Gender, and Social Protection teams, to share content, leverage best practice and communicate insights and learnings from implementing ESS in the Sudanese context with both internal and external audiences.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• MEAL skills and experience required.
• Staff management experience and abilities that are conducive to a learning environment.
• Experience using MS Windows and MS Office packages (Excel, Word, PowerPoint), Web Conferencing Applications, information management systems.
• Good experience in project grants management, including project design, preferably for grants from multiple bilateral and multilateral donors, including the World Bank.
• Demonstrated ability to write high-quality technical ESS content, including Strategies, Monitoring Tools/ SOPs /guidelines.
• Experience engaging with partner organizations
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with ability to make sound judgments and decisions and offer innovative solutions
• Strong relations management abilities. Ability to relate to people at all levels internally and externally. Strategic in how you approach each relationship.
• Good presentation and facilitation skills
• Proactive, resourceful, solutions-oriented, and results-oriented

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's Degree in a relevant field
• Experience in managing ESS compliance with the World Bank or a World Bank-funded project is essential. 
• Familiarity with IFC Performance Standards on Environmental and Social Sustainability is strongly preferred. 
• Knowledge of evolving corporate and donor ESG norms and standards.
• Experience in an international NGO is an advantage