Catholic Relief Services (CRS) is recruiting a Chief of Party to provide strategic leadership and overall management for an anticipated health systems strengthening programme in Nigeria, with a strong focus on sustainability, quality improvement, surveillance, monitoring & evaluation (M&E), and health information systems.
Job Description
As Chief of Party, you will serve as the senior-most project leader, accountable for programme delivery, donor relations (notably CDC–PEPFAR), consortium coordination, compliance, and risk management. The role combines high-level strategic leadership with rigorous operational oversight in a complex and security-sensitive environment.
Key Responsibilities
Programme Leadership & Delivery
Lead the design, implementation, consolidation, and close-out of a large, multi-activity health systems strengthening project.
Ensure delivery of timely, high-quality results in line with donor expectations, CRS programme quality standards, and MEAL policies.
Embed sustainability and phase-out strategies from project inception.
Donor & Stakeholder Engagement
Serve as the primary liaison with CDC–PEPFAR, government counterparts, private sector actors, and non-governmental stakeholders.
Represent CRS at high-level meetings, technical forums, and policy engagements.
Contribute to sector thought leadership through learning dissemination and external engagement.
Team Leadership & Talent Development
Provide line management to senior technical and operations staff, including advisors in Health Information Systems, Surveillance, M&E, and Continuous Quality Improvement.
Foster a high-performing, inclusive, and supportive team culture.
Lead recruitment of senior staff, oversee performance management, and mentor future leaders.
Risk, Security & Compliance
Proactively monitor national and regional risks affecting staff and programming.
Ensure adherence to CRS security, safeguarding, and duty-of-care policies.
Maintain full compliance with CDC–PEPFAR grant regulations, including financial oversight, partner budgets, and donor reporting.
Financial & Operational Oversight
Approve programme expenditures, budget revisions, and donor cost modification requests.
Promote efficient and transparent use of donor and agency resources.
Ensure strong coordination between programme and operations teams.
Partnerships & Consortium Management
Coordinate consortium partners and align implementation with CRS partnership principles.
Organise joint planning, review, and learning workshops.
Learning, Adaptation & Capacity Strengthening
Create an environment that encourages learning, innovation, and rapid problem-solving.
Identify performance gaps and ensure delivery of high-quality training and technical assistance for CRS and partner staff.
Required Qualifications
Master’s degree in International Development, International Relations, Public Health, or a related field (PhD preferred).
Minimum 7 years of relevant senior management and technical experience.
At least 5 years’ experience managing donor-funded programmes, including complex, high-value grants.
Demonstrated experience in health systems strengthening, health information systems, surveillance, M&E, and service delivery quality improvement.
Prior experience as a Chief of Party or senior technical advisor.
Minimum 2 years’ experience managing and mentoring senior staff.
Core Skills & Competencies
Proven ability to manage complex programmes with challenging logistics.
Strong strategic, analytical, and systems-thinking capabilities.
Excellent stakeholder, relationship, and consortium management skills.
High-level written and verbal communication and presentation abilities.
Proactive, solutions-oriented, and results-driven leadership style.
Proficiency in MS Office and project/budget management systems.
Preferred Qualifications
Recognised sector leadership (peer-reviewed publications, conference presentations, or similar).
Experience building and strengthening institutional partnerships.
Familiarity with CRS partnership strategy and operational models.
Language Requirement: English (required)
Apply via link
What CRS Offers
A collaborative, mission-driven work culture committed to serving vulnerable communities.
Competitive benefits aligned with the country of employment.
Opportunities to lead high-impact, nationally significant public health programmes.
About Catholic Relief Services
Catholic Relief Services is the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States, operating in over 100 countries. CRS works to save, protect, and transform lives through emergency response, health, HIV, agriculture, education, microfinance, and peacebuilding programmes—without regard to race, religion, or nationality. CRS is deeply committed to safeguarding, integrity, and the dignity of all people.