Technical Advisor II – Food Security, Livelihoods and Markets

Position duration: (Tentative July 1, 2026 – December 31, 2027)

Project Overview

Catholic Relief Services is implementing a global emergency response initiative designed to deliver timely, lifesaving 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, 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. This role will support cash readiness efforts of Country Programs and partners, as well as provide technical support for ongoing programming, and new emergency programs, related to cash, market-based programming, and emergency food security and livelihoods.

Job Summary  

This position is embedded in the Humanitarian Response Department (HRD) Market-based Rapid Response and Recovery (MBRRR) Team. The HRD MBRRR Team is the agency lead for Cash & Market-based Programming and the emergency Food Security & Livelihoods Sectors. As part of this team, the Technical Advisor II will provide technical advice, guidance, and support to a wide range of program design and implementation issues with a focus on larger projects in the area of food security and livelihoods and markets in line with Catholic Relief Services (CRS) program quality principles and standards, donor guidelines, and industry best practices to regional and Country Program (CP) teams to advance the delivery of high-quality programming to the poor and vulnerable. The incumbent’s technical knowledge, advice and guidance will contribute to determining how effective, adaptive and innovative CRS’ food security and livelihoods and market based programming is. 

Roles and Key Responsibilities 

• Contribute to the development and implementation of agency-wide strategies, standards, tools, and best practices in food security and livelihoods that effectively engage partners, donors and governments. Help ensure a cross-sectoral approach integrating gender, protection mainstreaming, and disaster risk reduction.
• Provide technical solutions to regional and CP teams, remotely and on-site, for strategic planning and how to best apply program design and implementation standards, best practices, partnership principles, tools, and M&E, ensuring high-quality implementation.
• Contribute to regional and CP efforts to pre-position CRS for growth opportunities in food security and livelihoods. Lead or contribute to the development of the technical design for large and/or complex proposals, including defining appropriate monitoring systems and indicators. 
• Advise project teams on integrating donor strategies, priorities and technical requirements into CRS’ approach.
• Contribute to capacity strengthening initiatives in food security and livelihoods programming for staff and partner through helping develop learning and training strategies and agendas/curriculums, conducting trainings and workshops, and mentoring and coaching to CP staff.
• Contribute to knowledge management and learning through collecting and analyzing program data, evaluating strategic projects, assisting with measuring program impact, capturing and sharing lessons learned and best practices, and research and internal reports.
• Establish and maintain relationships with donors, peer organizations, research and other institutions. Participate in forums in food security and livelihoods to collect and share best practices and promote CRS’ work.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities  

• Knowledge of and ability to apply program monitoring and evaluation best practices, including applying data collection tools and methodologies, data analysis, and data presentation.
• Strong relationship management skills with ability to influence and get buy-in from people not under direct supervision and to work with individuals in diverse geographical and cultural settings.
• Good strategic, analytical, problem-solving and systems thinking skills with capacity to see the big picture and ability to make sound judgment
• Knowledge of and ability to conduct market assessments and response analysis to inform modality decisions across different areas of programming, particularly in emergency rapid-onset humanitarian contexts.
• Strong understanding and application of technical principles and concepts in Food Security and Livelihoods. Good knowledge of related disciplines to ensure proper cross-sectoral approach. Understanding of nutrition technical principles.
• Strong networking and relationship building skills with donors, peer organizations, and faith-based civil society partners. Understanding of partnership principles.
• Ability to development and produce curricula, tools, and other products to support Market-based Programming interventions and programming. Ability to transfer knowledge to diverse audiences through training, mentoring, and other formal and informal methods.
• Good written and oral communication skills.
• Presentation, facilitation, training, mentoring, and coaching skills.
• Proactive, resourceful and results-oriented.
• Proficient in MS Office packages (Excel, Word, PowerPoint), Web Conferencing Applications and understanding of information and budget management systems and knowledge-sharing networks. 

Preferred Qualifications 

• Master's Degree in international development, or fields related to food security, livelihoods and market-based response programming.
• Experience working in an INGO.

Required Languages: English required, plus at least one of the following languages: French, Spanish, Portuguese, Arabic.

Travel: be willing and able to travel up to 50%. 

Supervisory Responsibilities: No

Catholic Relief Services is the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. Catholic Relief Services works to save, protect, and transform lives in need in more than 100 countries, without regard to race, religion or nationality.  Catholic Relief Services’ relief and development work is accomplished through programs of emergency response, HIV, health, agriculture, education, microfinance, and peacebuilding.  We welcome as a part of our staff people of all faiths and secular traditions who share our values and our commitment to serving those in need. CRS’ processes and policies reflect our commitment to safeguarding children and vulnerable adults from abuse and exploitation.

CRS welcomes candidates from the countries and regions in which we work. In the event the successful candidate is an expatriate, the anticipated duration of the assignment is informed by a term limit, based on the type and level of the job and the needs of the agency.

CRS is committed to safeguarding program participants, community members, staff and volunteers from all forms of exploitation and abuse.  The successful candidate is expected to sign and adhere to CRS´ Code of Conduct.

CRS talent acquisition procedures reflect our commitment to safeguarding the rights and dignity of all people - especially children and vulnerable adults - to live free from abuse and harm.

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

CRS is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

General Requirements

CRS offers are contingent on the selected candidate’s ability to legally work where the position is to be performed. Every government has a unique set of work permit eligibility requirements.  All positions requiring residence or frequent travel outside a home country must undergo and clear a pre-employment medical clearance; some work permit processes require clearing a separate government administered medical examination.

CRS prioritizes candidates who are citizens/ permanent residents of the countries where we have CRS offices.