Catholic Relief Services

Employment type: For Indefinite Period contingent to program funding availability

Job Summary:

The PM II Accountability Lead will provide strategic leadership and technical guidance for the design and implementation of CRS’s Accountability framework and Feedback, Complaint, and Response Mechanisms (FCRM) in line with the agency's MEAL policies, Core Humanitarian Standards (CHS), safeguarding protocols, and donor requirements. The Accountability Lead oversees system-wide accountability efforts, ensuring feedback channels are contextually appropriate, safe, accessible, and confidential, particularly for vulnerable populations. This includes leading the integration of Accountability to Affected People (AAP) principles into project design, promoting client-centered dialogue throughout the project cycle, and ensuring the consistent use of community feedback to inform adaptive program management. The Accountability Lead will supervise an accountability team and oversee staff and partners for capacity strengthening initiatives. By analyzing feedback trends and developing information products, the role supports evidence-based decision-making at project, country program, and agency levels. The position also represents CRS in accountability coordination forums, collaborates with cross-sectoral teams, and fosters strong partnerships to harmonize accountability practices and enhance program quality and responsiveness.

Roles and Key Responsibilities:

Strategic Leadership & Technical Assistance

• Lead the strategic development and implementation of the country program’s Accountability framework and systems in line with CRS’s MEAL policies, Core Humanitarian Standards (CHS), safeguarding and protection referral protocols, and donor requirements.
• Oversee the implementation of CRS’s feedback complaint and response mechanisms (FCRM) in line with agency quality principles and standards.
• Foster a culture of client-centered dialogue across all stages of the project cycle and that encourages staff and partners to prioritize community voice in decision-making processes.
• Lead the development and implementation of capacity-strengthening plans for CRS and partner staff on accountability, FCRM tools, and processes.
• Provide line management to the Accountability team, ensuring clear roles, performance management, and professional development.
• Analyze feedback trends and recurring issues across projects and develop information products to inform evidence-based decision making at project, CP and agency levels, supporting adaptive management and strategic learning.
• Lead the integration of Accountability to Affected People (AAP) principles into project design by ensuring feedback mechanisms, participation strategies and safeguarding measures are embedded from the outset and aligned with community needs and expectations

Monitoring & Systems Strengthening

• Oversee the context analysis to ensure feedback channels are aligned with community preferences, safe, accessible, and confidential.
• Oversee the implementation of FCRM channels on projects; ensure effectiveness, confidentiality, and accessibility for all community groups, especially vulnerable populations.
• Lead system-wide improvements in FCRM data management, analysis, and reporting in collaboration with program and FCRM ICT teams.
• Supervise routine audits and functionality assessments of accountability mechanisms across projects and partners.
• Provide oversight and guidance to ensure all feedback and complaints are appropriately documented, referred, tracked, and closed within the appropriate timelines and in line with CRS, donor and Government of Ethiopia guidance.

Learning and Adaptation

• Champion adaptive management and ensure feedback and complaints inform program adjustments.
• Contribute to learning reviews, After Action Reviews, and program reflection sessions to integrate accountability learning. Support the documentation and dissemination of accountability best practices and lessons learned.
• Serve as the focal point for accountability at the country program level, representing CRS in AAP coordination forums and with external stakeholders as needed.
• Foster strong, collaborative relationships with implementing partners to harmonize accountability approaches and ensure alignment with CRS standards.
• Coordinate closely with Safeguarding, Protection, Gender, and MEL teams to ensure a coherent and inclusive accountability approach.

Partnership & Coordination

• Strengthen capacity of partners on Accountability to Affected People (AAP), applying the appropriate application of partnership concepts, tools, and approaches.

Other Duties

• Carry out any other duties assigned by the supervisor and senior leadership.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Ability to work under pressure and deliver results.
• Strong critical thinking and creative problem-solving skills with the ability to make sound judgments.
• Strong relationship management skills and the ability to work effectively with local partners and culturally diverse groups.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with ability to write reports.
• Proactive, results-oriented, and service-oriented.
• Presentation, facilitation, training, mentoring, and coaching skills

Required Languages - English and Amharic

Travel - 50%

Supervisory Responsibilities (if none, state none)

Supervisory: Accountability System management TA, FCRM Case Management TA and Call Center Supervisor.

Key Working Relationships:

Internal: Safeguarding and Protection team, MEL staff, Project managers/staff, Deputy Country Representative for programs, hotline call center supervisor, call agents, and FCRM ICT technical advisor.

External: Accountability and MEAL/MEL staff across CRS implementing partners, other INGOs & NGOs.

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.