Sr Grants and Compliance Manager

CRS JOB DESCRIPTION

Position duration: Tentative July 15, 2026 – January 15, 2028

Project Overview 

Catholic Relief Services is implementing a global emergency response initiative designed to deliver timely, life‑saving humanitarian assistance in rapidly evolving crises worldwide. Over 18 months, the program enables fast, flexible action to address urgent needs arising from sudden shocks and protracted emergencies. It supports critical humanitarian sectors through context‑appropriate assistance while emphasizing operational readiness, rapid response activation, locally led implementation, accountability to affected communities, and safe, dignified programming. The initiative strengthens the organization’s ability to respond at speed and scale in complex and resource‑constrained environments, ensuring help reaches people most in need when it matters most. 

Job Summary

The Sr Grants and Compliance Manager, RAPID provides oversight of CRS grants and compliance systems across the global RAPID program. The role is responsible for leading the implementation, standardization, and continuous strengthening of CRS policies, procedures, and operational frameworks, ensuring consistent and compliant application across participating country programs and partners within the assigned RAPID portfolio. The role ensures a coherent, high-quality, and risk-informed approach to grant management, with accountability for system performance, compliance integrity, and operational effectiveness at scale. The position drives institutional learning, system improvement, and global harmonization of practices to support rapid, accountable emergency responses.

Roles and Key Responsibilities

Global Policy and Systems Leadership

• Lead the development and implementation of CRS RAPID emergency grants, including compliance policies, procedures, and systems.
• Establish and maintain standardized frameworks, tools, and protocols governing grant management and compliance.
• Ensure alignment with donor regulations, CRS policies, and host governments.

Strategic Grants Oversight

• Provide detailed oversight of RAPID grant management functions across the assigned RAPID portfolio.
• Ensure effective oversight of the full grant lifecycle and operational efficiency at scale.
• Collaborate across various workstreams within CRS including but not limited to program quality, MEAL, SDP, finance, global supply chain, and global risk and compliance.

Reporting

• Lead the design and implementation of reporting frameworks and practices for RAPID, ensuring consistent tracking of grant performance, compliance, and operational progress.
• Establish and maintain reporting systems and tools that support effective monitoring, informed decision-making, and alignment between program, compliance, and operational functions. 
• Provide oversight and quality assurance of country-level and partner reporting, ensuring completeness, accuracy, and alignment with CRS and donor requirements, while proactively identifying trends, gaps, and risks.
• Oversee the consolidation and review of RAPID reports, ensuring coherence across inputs from country programs, partners, and HQ teams prior to submission to donors and internal stakeholders.
• Serve as a technical resource on reporting standards and requirements, guiding CRS staff and partners to strengthen consistency, clarity, and compliance in reporting practices.
• Drive continuous improvement of reporting approaches, strengthening efficiency, usability, and alignment with broader grants management, compliance, and risk management systems.
• Provide inputs for budgeting and forecasting to support the Chief of Party. 

Risk Management and Compliance

• Lead identification and mitigation of systemic compliance and operational risks across RAPID-supported programs.
• Establish compliance monitoring mechanisms and controls for the RAPID project in line with CRS policy and procedures.
• Support audit readiness; ensuring integration of lessons learned into systems.

Capacity Strengthening and Learning

• Strengthen grants and compliance capacity across CRS staff and partners through tools, guidance, and training.
• Promote organizational learning and continuous improvement across RAPID programming.
• Support institutional strengthening of partners and country programs based on CRS and CI partnership principles. Provide key support in timely resolution of partner challenges. 

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Advanced knowledge of donor regulations and CRS compliance systems.
• Strong systems thinking and policy development capabilities.
• Strong presentation, facilitation, training, mentoring, and coaching skills. 
• Ability to think strategically and solve problems in a collaborative way.
• Ability to lead complex global initiatives and influence cross-functional stakeholders.
• Ability to be pro-active, self-motivated, resourceful and results oriented.
• Solid knowledge of humanitarian best practices, operational standards, and evolving guidance for emergency field operations. 

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s Degree in a relevant field.
• Experience effectively supervising and managing a team.
• Experience implementing or supporting humanitarian programming. 

Required Languages: Fluency in English required; French, Spanish, or Arabic preferred.

Travel: Must be willing and able to travel up to 20%.

Supervisory Responsibilities: Yes

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in a relevant field.
• Minimum 5 years of progressively responsible experience in grants management, compliance, or humanitarian operations.
• Experience supporting global or multi-country programs.
• Experience in complex emergency contexts.

Agency Competencies (for all CRS Staff):

• 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.

What we offer

CRS offers U.S. based staff a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, life insurance, vision, and a generous retirement savings plan.  Salary and Benefits packages for successful candidates employed outside the U.S. are based on the country of employment/in-country office where the candidate will perform the role.  CRS´ work culture is a collaborative, mission-driven culture committed to improving the lives of the poor throughout the world.