Deadline: 1 November 2020
Individuals from all countries are invited to apply for Catholic Relief Services’ International Development Fellows Program to pursue their career in international relief & development work.
The CRS Fellowship is a unique 12-month professional development opportunity, designed to prepare Fellows for success in a range of onward positions with CRS. By completing this training program, Fellows are competitive candidates for a wide range of positions with CRS.
CRS empowers Fellows to hone their skills and gain practical field experience while contributing to impactful work. Each Fellow works alongside experienced CRS staff to address critical issues facing developing countries today. CRS invites applicants of diverse backgrounds who are committed to their agency mission and strategy to join their global team.
Background
The International Development Fellows Program is designed for individuals dedicated to a career in international development, with a focus on program management or operations. All Fellows complete a comprehensive practical training that includes project management, project design and proposal development, partnership and capacity sharing, monitoring and evaluation, budget and resource management, supply chain, logistics, human resources and security protocols.
Overseas placements are determined by CRS, and include locations around the world. Most Fellows continue to work for CRS, in a wide variety of positions, upon successful completion of the fellowship.
Primary Responsibilities
Under the supervision of an experienced staff member, the Fellow will support programming and operations in the following areas:
- Project Management
- Support implementation of current projects (activity planning with CRS staff and partners, monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning activities, etc).
- Support timely and accurate reporting and learning (write/edit reports in collaboration with CRS staff and partners, document lessons learned, etc).
- Support effective management of cash and in-kind resources (budget analysis, cash forecasting, financial reporting, commodity management, etc).
- Serve as acting project manager, as appropriate.
- Project Design and Proposal Development
- Support research & analysis to inform new project design (data collection/assessments, problem identification, stakeholder analysis, gender analysis, gap analysis, theory of change, etc).
- Work with CRS staff and partners to develop proposals (design workshops, technical and cost applications, packaging/editing, etc).
- Partnership & Capacity Sharing
- Work for CRS partners by supporting activity planning & implementation, project design, proposal development, monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning.
- Support partnership strengthening and capacity sharing (partnership reflection workshops, learning events, etc).
- Operations
- Support procurement by participating in bid analysis and vendor selection, contracting, receipt and warehousing of goods.
- Support staff recruitment by drafting job descriptions, reviewing applications, participating in interview panels.
- Support security by reviewing security protocols and manuals.
- Support supply chain management by reviewing systems for delivery, storage and distribution of goods, assisting with inventory counts, data collection, analysis & verification.
- Support strong financial management by analyzing budgets/spending, reviewing supporting documentation for financial transactions, etc.
- Support risk management and compliance by reviewing internal controls, systems for fraud prevention, CRS & donor guidelines, audit reports, mitigation plans, etc.
- Support roll-out of Project Insight, CRS’ integrated HR, Supply Chain and Finance system.
How much is the fellowship stipend?
The stipend is approximately $30,000 (paid in semi-monthly installments). Fellows pay their portion of health insurance premiums and contribute to housing like other CRS employees. Depending on the country assignment, Fellows may receive a cost-of-living allowance.
Benefits
At CRS, they value employee health and well-being and provide comprehensive benefits to meet your needs and those of your family. Benefits include an international PPO medical plan, dental and vision insurance, generous leave, a highly competitive retirement program, and family-friendly allowances for overseas staff. CRS also prioritizes and invests in staff safety and security and provides travel and property insurance, disability coverage and Employee Assistance Programs.
- MEDICAL/DENTAL/VISION: Fellows enjoy an international PPO medical plan as well as vision coverage with zero deductible for in-network providers and low coinsurance and copayments.
- SAFE FURNISHED HOUSING: CRS provides each Fellow with basic furnished housing, which includes electricity, running water, internet and security services (if necessary). The Fellow’s housing is usually an apartment or house near the CRS office.
- PAID TIME OFF (VACATION, SICK, & PERSONAL): CRS provides Fellows 20 days of paid vacation along with 12 days of sick leave annually. In addition, we offer 4 personal days to attend to emergency or non-emergency situations occurring during a normally scheduled work day.
- TRAVEL & MEDICAL EVACUATION: CRS covers relocation costs such as transportation to and from the country of assignment, visas, inoculations, etc. Additionally, CRS provides 100% employer-funded medical evacuation coverage for the Fellow and their dependents.
- RETIREMENT BENEFITS (403B): CRS offers a 50% match on the first 6% of contributions as well as a contribution of 7% of pay regardless of employee contributions, after six months of service. (Note: Employees without a social security number are eligible to participate in an offshore retirement fund with the same contribution calculation.)
- CONTINUED EDUCATION: Upon hire, Fellows have access to CRS’ robust online learning platform. Additionally, CRS will reimburse up to $5,200 per year for employees pursuing degrees and professional certifications, after one year of employment.
Explore more benefits in detail on the CRS benefits page.
Agency-wide Competencies
Based on the mission, values, and guiding principles of the agency, CRS competencies are to be exemplified by all staff in fulfillment of his or her respective roles and responsibilities.
- Builds Relationships
- Integrity
- Accountability
- Develops Talent
- Continuous Improvement and Innovation
- Strategic Mindset
Key Working Relationships
- Internal: CRS Country Representative, Head of Programming, Head of Operations, Program Managers, Operations staff.
- External: CRS partner organizations, local bilateral and multilateral institutions, host government, donor agencies, local/international NGO offices.
Eligibility Criteria
- Graduate degree in field relevant and applicable to international development (e.g. Agriculture, Health, Engineering, Business, Public Administration, Finance, Supply Chain).
- Fluency in English with strong oral and written communication skills.
- Professional proficiency in a second language (preference given to major languages spoken where CRS works).
- At least six months of work or volunteer experience in a developing country (or 5+ years living in a developing country).
- Able and willing to be based in locations with tropical and infectious diseases and limited access to medical facilities.
Skills Required
- Strong interpersonal skills; able to cultivate strong relationships while working with a wide range of individuals in and outside the agency
- Effective communicator; able to develop tailored and influential messaging for varied audiences
- Proactive; willing and able to take on additional responsibility, challenge assumptions and facilitate change
- Results driven; able to set and achieve ambitious goals and instill confidence
- Strategic thinker; able to formulate guiding questions, leverage resources and find creative solutions
- Discerning; able to maintain focus and provide good judgment amidst complexity and uncertainty
- Develops others; able to listen, coach and mentor
- Agile; able to operate effectively in a stressful, fast changing environment where security could change unexpectedly
- Aligned; able to support and champion the mission, vision, and values of CRS
- Motivated; interest in a career in development or emergency relief
- Flexible; willing to work in various regions and developing countries around the world
CRS is an equal opportunity employer. They welcome applicants of all backgrounds and nationalities. Candidates are not required to have U.S. work authorization, green cards or U.S. citizenship. CRS’ talent acquisition procedures reflect their commitment to protecting children and vulnerable adults from abuse and exploitation.
If, due to a medical condition or disability, you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the employment process, please e-mail at the address given on the website.
Selection Process & Timeline
Applications will be accepted through November 1st. The top candidates will be invited to complete a video interview, foreign language test and final interview (during the months of November–February). Please visit the FAQs for more information.
Due to the high volume of applications and rolling basis of the review, candidates will only be contacted if and when they advance to the next stage of the selection process.
For more information, visit https://www.crs.org/about/careers/fellowships