Closing date August 4, 2023
Job Title: Project Manager II – Child Protection and Care
Department: Programs
Supervisor: Director Health and Social Services
Job Type: Full Time
Grade: 10

Country/Location: Uganda/Kampala

About Catholic Relief Services:
Catholic Relief Services (CRS) is an international non-governmental organization (NGO) supporting relief and development work in over 100 countries around the world. CRS carries out the commitment of the Bishops of the United States to assist the poor and vulnerable overseas. CRS' Catholic identity is at the heart of our mission and operations, serving people based on need, regardless of creed, ethnicity, or nationality. CRS works through local church and non-church partners to implement its programs.
CRS has worked in Uganda since 1965, initially providing emergency assistance to Sudanese refugees living in the north. Over the years, CRS has expanded its programming to address development needs in western, central, and eastern Uganda. CRS' projects in Uganda currently include agriculture, health, microfinance, peacebuilding, and youth. CRS Uganda implements its programs through partnerships with local organizations, including the Catholic Church, other faith-based organizations, and community entities for maximum impact and sustainability.

Project Background:
As part of its Vision 2030 agency strategy, CRS is investing in six strategic change platforms to achieve results at scale. One of these key strategic change platforms is Strengthening Families for Thriving Children Strategic Change Platform 5 (SCP5). This Strategic Change Platform is a bold initiative to support vulnerable children to thrive in safe, healthy, and nurturing families, create more resilient and supportive communities, work with our Catholic partners, civil society and governments to establish policies and systems that strengthen families. SCP5 also aims to influence governments, donors, Catholic actors and other regional and global stakeholders to redirect resources and support to strengthening families.
The platform is implemented across CRS country programs, one of which is Uganda. CRS Uganda is leveraging success from its protection focused programs, 4Children and SOCY to achieve national care reform at scale in Uganda, by influencing other actors in the sector to change practices, policies and resources in support of family strengthening and family care.

Job Summary:

The Project Manager is responsible for providing high-level social welfare and child protection oversight as well as quality assurance to the project staff and partners. The project Manager provides technical guidance, coordinates and supports local implementing partners. S/he also promotes active coordination and collaboration between external care reform projects working on care reform in the country. S/he leads country program efforts to pre-position CRS for strategic opportunities in Child Protection and Care Reform, plays a catalytic role and provides technical guidance in country strategy development, proposal development and project design with a focus on scale. In addition, the Project Manager will liase and collaborate with the Strategic Change Platform five global team, particularly the Regional Family Care Advisor and the Senior Technical Advisor for Family Strengthening and Alternative Care

Specific Responsibilities
Program Quality
• Ensure that project implementation is in line with the projects’ technical approach, approved work plan, and that project deliverables meet expected technical quality standards.
• Coordinate, support, and monitor project activities to ensure technical adherence to international social welfare and child protection standards, documented best practices and relevant donor guidelines, by both project staff and implementing partners.
• Together with local partners, develop and provide training to all project staff on child protection and safeguarding policies that meet CRS’ policies on the protection of vulnerable children and adults - ensuring safeguarding mechanisms are active and effective throughout project duration.
• Maintain regular communication with the SCP5 Regional Family Care Advisor and ensure key changes in approach and focus are done in consultation with the SCP5 global team, CRS Director Health and Social Services, DHOP, and relevant project Consortium focal points.

Program Management and Administration
• Serve as the main technical point of contact for implementing partners to provide support and guidance, identify and address emerging issues, problem-solve and troubleshoot technical issues.
• In consultation with Director H4S, coordinate, support and monitor the implementation of project activities in line with the project’s technical approach and approved work plan and budget.
• Oversee the development, implementation and review of monthly plans to monitor progress of expected outputs and deliverables. This monitoring includes guiding CRS staff and consortium partners to address emerging issues identified by stakeholders throughout the planning and execution of the project.
• Facilitate coordination between implementing partners, CRS and MGLSD.
• Provide technical support and guidance to implementing partners and other collaborating agencies to ensure that project objectives are achieved to the highest technical standards.