Role overview
What you'll be stepping into
Program Manager I – RAPID Disaster Risk Reduction and Anticipatory Action
Employer: Catholic Relief Services (CRS)
Job Title: Program Manager I – RAPID Disaster Risk Reduction and Anticipatory Action
Reports To: Head of Programming
Department: Uganda, Programming
Location: Kampala, Uganda
Job Type: Full Time
Job Category: Administrative
Application Deadline: 18 September 2026, no later than 5:00 PM
Job Overview
Catholic Relief Services (CRS) is seeking a Program Manager I – RAPID Disaster Risk Reduction and Anticipatory Action (DRR/AA) to lead the management and technical oversight of RAPID DRR/AA programming in Uganda.
The position will oversee disaster preparedness, anticipatory action, and emergency response activities following sudden-onset disasters and other humanitarian shocks. The successful candidate will ensure that effective systems and processes are in place to deliver high-quality programming that advances CRS’s mission of serving poor and vulnerable populations.
The Program Manager will lead the planning, implementation, monitoring, and reporting of project activities in accordance with the project scope of work, results framework, and Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) plan.
The role will also provide technical guidance and capacity-strengthening support to local partners and stakeholders while overseeing implementation across assigned geographic areas. The successful candidate will help ensure quality, accountability, timely delivery of results, and continuous improvement in emergency response and recovery programming.
Key Responsibilities
1. Program Management and Technical Oversight
Provide management, guidance, and technical oversight for RAPID DRR/AA activities throughout the project cycle.
Ensure project design, start-up, implementation, and close-out comply with CRS quality principles and standards, donor requirements, and industry best practices.
Oversee project planning, implementation, monitoring, and reporting in line with approved project frameworks and plans.
Ensure programming is delivered effectively, accountably, and within established timelines.
2. Team Management and Staff Development
Effectively manage talent supporting emergency response and recovery programs.
Supervise team members and promote positive team dynamics and staff well-being.
Provide coaching and support to staff.
Develop strategically tailored individual development plans for direct reports.
Manage performance and support a learning-oriented working environment.
3. Capacity Strengthening and Technical Assistance
Oversee technical assistance and capacity-strengthening activities related to Disaster Risk Reduction and Anticipatory Action.
Strengthen the capacity of CRS staff, local partner organizations, government counterparts, and other relevant stakeholders.
Support stakeholders to improve preparedness, response capacity, program quality, and impact.
4. DRR and Anticipatory Action Systems Strengthening
Provide technical leadership to strengthen DRR and Anticipatory Action systems, policies, standards, and practices in Uganda.
Support government, civil society, faith-based, and community actors to develop and operationalize frameworks, Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), tools, and technical guidance at national and subnational levels.
Collaborate with DMS, the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM), technical experts, and other stakeholders to establish hazard triggers.
Strengthen risk forecasting and monitoring systems.
Support development of evidence-based early action frameworks for drought, floods, and other climate-related risks.
5. Learning, Knowledge Management and Adaptive Programming
Collaborate with the RAPID global team and CRS Uganda Programming leadership to identify and document lessons learned.
Share promising practices and innovations emerging from DRR/AA and emergency response programming.
Support knowledge management and adaptive management processes.
Promote the integration of evidence and learning into program design and implementation.
6. Business Development and Proposal Development
Contribute to the growth of CRS’s DRR/AA and humanitarian portfolio.
Proactively identify relevant funding opportunities.
Support the development of project proposals.
Serve as a technical lead and/or writer for proposals covering DRR/AA, Anticipatory Action, preparedness, and emergency response.
Ensure proposals demonstrate quality technical design, realistic budgeting, appropriate staffing plans, and alignment with CRS and donor requirements.
7. Partnership Management
Oversee the identification and assessment of partnerships relevant to DRR/AA programming.
Support strengthening of appropriate partnerships.
Ensure partnership concepts, tools, and approaches are applied effectively throughout project implementation.
Work closely with local partner organizations to strengthen program delivery and capacity.
8. Financial and Resource Management
Ensure project expenditures are timely and appropriate.
Monitor spending in accordance with approved financial plans.
Promote efficient use and responsible stewardship of project resources and materials.
Support effective financial management throughout project implementation.
9. Coordination and Representation
Represent CRS in relevant coordination forums, clusters, and technical working groups.
Engage effectively with government counterparts, donors, UN agencies, local partners, and other stakeholders.
Strengthen collaboration and coordination around humanitarian response, disaster risk reduction, anticipatory action, resilience, and preparedness.
10. Other Responsibilities
Perform other duties and responsibilities assigned by the supervisor, consistent with the scope and level of the position.
Support evolving program priorities and contribute to the broader CRS Uganda humanitarian, DRR/AA, and resilience portfolio.
Basic Qualifications
Candidates should have:
A Bachelor’s degree in International Development, International Relations, Community Development, Disaster Management, Climate Adaptation, Resilience, or a related field.
At least 5 years of relevant field-based project management experience.
Strong knowledge of Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and Anticipatory Action (AA).
Knowledge of Uganda’s humanitarian and coordination mechanisms.
Knowledge of protection principles to support safe, dignified, and effective planning, coordination, and implementation of resilience and emergency response interventions.
Experience managing moderately complex projects.
Experience working with an international NGO.
Experience working closely with local partner organizations.
Preferred Qualifications
An added advantage would be:
A Master’s degree in International Development, International Relations, Community Development, Disaster Management, Climate Adaptation, Resilience, or a related field.
Demonstrated ability to convene, coordinate, and facilitate complex multi-stakeholder consultations and partnerships.
Experience working with government institutions, development partners, technical agencies, academia, and community stakeholders.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
The ideal candidate should demonstrate:
Strong critical thinking and creative problem-solving abilities.
Sound judgment and decision-making skills.
Staff management and leadership abilities that promote a learning environment.
Experience using Microsoft Windows and Microsoft Office applications, including Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.
Familiarity with web conferencing applications and information management systems.
Strong project grants management experience, including project design.
Experience managing grants from multiple public donors, including US Government and UN donors, is desirable.
Demonstrated ability to write high-quality technical proposals and reports.
Strong relationship management skills.
Ability to build effective relationships with people at different organizational levels.
Strategic approach to stakeholder engagement and partnership management.
Strong presentation and facilitation skills.
Proactive, resourceful, solutions-oriented, and results-oriented approach.
Key Working Relationships
Internal
The Program Manager will work closely with:
CRS Country Representative
Head of Programs
Head of Operations
Uganda-based technical experts
Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) team
Gender, Youth and Social Inclusion (GYSI) team
Partner Capacity Strengthening (PCS) team
Regional technical staff
CRS Headquarters technical staff
External
The position will engage with:
Local partner organizations
For-profit and nonprofit organizations
National government stakeholders
District government stakeholders
Sub-county and parish-level stakeholders
Community leaders
Donors
UN agencies
Other humanitarian and development stakeholders
Required Language
English: Fluent English is required.
Local Languages: Working proficiency in a local language is an added advantage.
Travel Requirements
The successful candidate must be willing and able to travel up to 30% to project locations and other areas as required.
Supervisory Responsibilities
None.
CRS Agency Competencies
All CRS staff are expected to demonstrate:
Personal Accountability: Consistently takes responsibility for personal actions and decisions.
Acts with Integrity: Models values aligned with CRS Guiding Principles and mission and demonstrates honesty.
Builds and Maintains Trust: Maintains consistency between words and actions.
Collaborates with Others: Works effectively in intercultural and diverse teams.
Open to Learn: Seeks experiences that provide opportunities to learn and develop new perspectives.
CRS Agency Leadership Competencies
The position also requires:
Lead Change: Looks for opportunities to improve the agency through agility, openness, and innovation.
Develops and Recognizes Others: Builds staff capacity and supports people to reach their full potential.
Strategic Mindset: Understands the role of agency strategy and team priorities and contributes to their effective implementation.
How to apply