Project Coordinator

Exciting Career Opportunities with CRS

Farmer to Farmer Background:

CRS Nepal is supporting the agriculture and livelihoods sector in Nepal with multiple research projects on cash crops and goat value chains and its ongoing USAID Farmer-to-Farmer (F2F) program. The Farmer-to-Farmer (F2F) Program, which has been implemented globally by USAID in five-year cycles since 1985, provides technical assistance from United States (U.S) expert volunteers to farmers, farmer groups (cooperatives and associations), agribusinesses and other agriculture sector institutions. The main goal of the program is to generate sustainable, broad-based economic growth in the agricultural sector through voluntary technical assistance. A secondary goal is to increase the U.S. public’s understanding of international development issues and programs and international understanding of the U.S. and U.S. development programs. CRS has been implementing F2F in Nepal since 2018. The current phase of F2F programming started in Oct 2023 and runs until September 2028.

CRS Nepal Invites applications from eligible and interested candidates for the following position:

Project Coordinator for Farmer to Farmer Project (1 position based in Lalitpur): As a member of the F2F project team, the Project Coordinator will coordinate and report on all project activities. A thorough and service-oriented approach will ensure that the project consistently applies best practices and constantly works towards improving the impact of its benefits to those it serves. The organizations F2F supports through the program are called host organizations.

Roles and Key Responsibilities:

• Support the coordination and implementation of all assigned project activities as outlined in the detailed implementation plan (DIP) in line with CRS program quality principles and standards, donor requirements, and good practices.
• Ensure compliance with the F2F MEAL system (documentation of reports and other resources, Indicator Tracking Table [ITT], PERSUAP, etc.) as per donor and country program requirements and country program requirements and assist with identifying information for project report and case studies on promising practices.
• Analyze MEAL data and prepare information required for semi-annual and annual reports, as per the program standards. Closely follow up and communicate with the MEAL Manager for any guidance and clarifications needed.
• Coordinate with procurement and administration team for the provision of logistical and administrative support to volunteers and host organizations.
• Ensure learning properly accompanies project activities throughout the project cycle. Support accountability through coordinating project evaluation activities and guiding partners in their efforts to reflect on project experiences. Analyze implementation challenges and report any inconsistencies and/or gaps to inform adjustments to plans and implementation schedules. Assist host organizations in their efforts to reflect on project experiences. Collaborate with host organizations to prepare reports per the established reporting schedule.
• Support and coordinate capacity building and technical assistance needs of partner organizations and monitor capacity building and technical support activities to ensure effective impact per project guidelines and standards.
• Conduct gender assessments and micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) of hosts in conjunction with the F2F Country Director.
• Coordinate and oversee working relationships with all local project stakeholders, host organizations, and volunteers and serve as the liaison between them and the project team. 
• Ensure project documentation for assigned activities is complete with all required documents and is filed per agency and donor requirements. Assist host organizations with identifying information for project reports and case studies on promising practices.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in agriculture or animal sciences or other related discipline. 
• Minimum of 4 years of work experience in project support, ideally in the field of agriculture and for a development-focused non-governmental organization (NGO). Additional experience may substitute for some education.
• Experience in participatory action planning and community engagement.
• Experience monitoring projects and collecting relevant data.
• Experience using MS Windows and MS Office packages (Excel, Word, PowerPoint).

Required/Desired Foreign Language – Able to communicate clearly in written and spoken English and Nepali

Travel Required

• At least 65 percent of the time is anticipated to be spent in the field. This includes engaging with host organizations, gathering data, and accompanying volunteers to their assignment sites.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Analysis and problem-solving skills with the ability to make sound judgments.
• Good relationship management skills and the ability to work closely with local partners.
• Proactive, results-oriented, and service-oriented.
• Attention to detail, accuracy, and timeliness in executing assigned responsibilities.
• Commitment to gender equality and social inclusion.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience in mobilizing the U.S. volunteer is a plus.
• Candidates with GESI diversity are a plus, including gender (female, other); marginalized groups; persons with disability; and origin from geographically marginalized locations is a plus. 

Agency REDI Competencies (for all CRS Staff):

Agency competencies clarify expected behaviors and attitudes for all staff. When demonstrated, they create an engaging workplace, help staff achieve their best, and help CRS achieve agency goals. These are rooted in the mission, values, and guiding principles of CRS and are used by each staff member to fulfill his or her responsibilities and achieve the desired results.

• 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.

Supervisory: None

Key Working Relationships:

• Internal: CRS F2F Country Director, CRS Nepal Head of Programming, members of the global CRS F2F team and Operations Team, HR Team, and Programs Team.
• External: CRS host organizations- Government, Research, University, NGOs, private agribusinesses, producers’ organizations, and local communities.

Disclaimer:  This job description is not an exhaustive list of the skill, effort, duties, and responsibilities associated with the position.

To apply for above positions, please click on this link http://bit.ly/crsnepal-jobs by 18 August 2024.

Contract Type- contract till 29 September 2028.

NOTE: While uploading any file: please make file name as:  Name_ Resume/ Name- Cover letter

By applying to this job, you as the candidate, understand and acknowledge that CRS requires its staff to treat all people with dignity and respect and to actively prevent harassment, abuse, exploitation, and human trafficking. Further, you understand that if you are a successful candidate, you will be subject to a comprehensive background check, and your personal/professional references will be asked to evaluate your behaviors related to the above safeguarding-related topics.

CRS is an equal opportunity employer committed to a staff composition that reflects the social and ethnic diversity of Nepali Society. It encourages applicants from marginalized communities and geographically remote areas, persons with disabilities, women and other genders are encouraged to apply. CRS Nepal provides many benefits for its staff members including staff development opportunities, paid maternity and paternity leave, nursing hours for nursing mothers, per diems for the child of the staff when staff travel out of station on official business etc.

Only short-listed applicants will be contacted. Reimbursement for lodging and transportation will be provided for the shortlisted candidates who travel from outside of Kathmandu Valley for written test and interview.