County Head of Office (Isiolo)

Reports to: Deputy Chief of Party – Operations (Nawiri Project)

Length of Contract: September 30, 2025 (with option to extend based on performance)

About CRS

Catholic Relief Services (CRS) carries out the commitment of the Bishops of the United States to assist the poor and vulnerable overseas. Our Catholic identity is at the heart of our mission and operations. We welcome as a part of our staff and as partners, people of all faiths and secular traditions who share our values and our commitment to serving those in need. 

CRS is an international non-governmental organization (NGO) supporting relief and development work in over 100 countries around the world. CRS programs assist persons on the basis of need, regardless of creed, ethnicity, race or nationality. CRS works through local church and non-church partners, including the Government to implement its programs.

CRS opened operations in Kenya in 1965. For over 50 years, we have worked throughout the country to implement programs in agriculture, livelihoods, health and nutrition, water, sanitation, emergency relief and peace building. We have built deep relationships with the Government of Kenya and the Catholic Church through ongoing collaboration and support.

Background:

CRS is leading the Nawiri Project,  a consortium of international non-governmental organizations, local implementing partners and international/ national research institutions to implement a multi-year USAID Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (BHA) Resilience Food Security Activity (RFSA). Our partner agencies include Isiolo and Marsabit county governments, Isiolo and Marsabit Caritas, JSI, Village Enterprise, Concern Worldwide, IBTCI, Tufts University and Kenyatta University. The overarching goal of this multi-sectoral activity is to sustainably reduce levels of Persistent Acute Malnutrition (PAM) in Marsabit and Isiolo Counties of Kenya’s arid and semi-arid lands (ASALs). Following completion of Phase 1 (Oct. 2019 – Feb. 2022), the project is now in its implementation phase, focused on systems and institutional strengthening. An extension period means the project will now run until 2027, but with less presence over time as local actors including county governments increasingly take over.

Job Summary:

The County Head of Office will manage and represent Nawiri activities operating through its fully operational county office in Isiolo County, to ensure implementation of high-quality programs. S/he will provide leadership in the management of the office, with emphasis on representation, administration, human resources, security, transport, procurement and external relations with government and other partners. S/he will ensure the development and effective management of operational systems and resources and the delivery of high-quality programming in coordination with the CRS main office in Nairobi.

Job Responsibilities: Manage planning and implementation of all key activities at the county office level ensuring alignment with Country Program (CP) and agency strategic programming and operations excellence priorities and standards. Approve expenses, monitor spending, and make budget adjustments in line with operational and programmatic needs and donor requirements. As the primary representative of Nawiri in Isiolo County, strengthen existing and develop new relationships with local partners, government and community organizations. Ensure high-quality project implementation, management, and compliance with programmatic standards, policies and procedures through project review systems and quality control (comprehensive M&E systems, budget review and analysis). Promote documentation of program reviews, success stories, and lessons learned. Plan, coordinate, monitor and report on activities and required resources to ensure cost efficient and quality service delivery from administrative support functions. Anticipate delivery challenges to ensure service continuity.  Coordinate Nawiri activities with the consortium partners including overall coordination with the Nawiri sub-offices to ensure effective sequencing, layering and integration of activities within Nawiri and with other programs.  Approve expenses, in line with CRS approval matrix, monitor spending, and make budget adjustments in line with operational needs and donor requirements. Serve as the security focal point for Isiolo County. Proactively manage security and mitigate security risks. Ensure a safe work and living environment through leading implementation of safety and security protocols and staff care and well-being best practices. Effectively manage talent and supervise up to 7 direct reports, providing guidance and leadership in making systems efficient, effective, transparent and in line with the agency and donor’s policies, procedures and regulations, ensuring integrity and compliance to the agency accepted standards. Manage team dynamics and staff well-being. Provide coaching, strategically tailor individual development plans, and complete performance management for direct reports. Proactively and effectively manage resources and promote stewardship, ensuring program and operations teams and partner staff have and optimize the appropriate human, financial, and material resources and tools. Monitor day-to-day operations to ensure all operational services (HR, Finance, Supply Chain, Admin, ICT) are delivered with high quality in an efficient manner and adhere to policies and to ensure accountability and integrity to CRS and Donor’s standards and requirements. Manage risk and address challenges that affect the proper stewardship, optimal utilization and maintenance of program assets and resources (financial, human, and material). Ensure coordination with Main Office Ops Department. Report immediately to the DCoP-Operations any issues, constraints and challenges in complying with CRS and Donor’s standards policies and regulations and with government’s laws. Create and maintain the proper conditions for learning. Establish a safe environment for the sharing of ideas, solutions, and difficulties and the capacity to detect, analyze and respond quickly to small deficiencies. Identify capacity strengthening needs for staff and partners and coordinate with CRS Kenya program and operations teams to address capacity strengthening. Personal Skills Excellent strategic, analytical, systems thinking, and problem-solving skills, with capacity to see the big picture and ability to make sound judgment and decisions. Strong relations management abilities. Ability to relate to people at all levels internally and externally. Strategic in how you approach each relationship. Ability to maintain confidential information and commitment to professional integrity. Team leadership abilities Proactive, resourceful, solutions-oriented and results-oriented Able to live in an environment where everyday comforts may not be readily available. Required/Desired Foreign Language Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English; ability to draft and edit reports. Excellent verbal communication skills in Kiswahili. Dialects local to Isiolo County a plus.

Travel Required  25% of the time

Key Working Relationships:

Supervisory: Deputy Head of Office,Administrative Officer, System Strengthening Specialist, County Research Coordinator, and administrative management of consortium partner staff.

Internal:  Country Representative, Head of Programs, Head of Operations, Chief of Party, DCOP Operations and DCOP Programs, and Nairobi based operations staff.

External:  Local government officials, Local/international NGO offices, and UN agencies operating in the project area.