Technical Advisor II –Water Smart Agriculture, Outreach for Impact

Catholic Relief Services is the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. CRS works to save, protect, and transform lives in need in more than 100 countries, without regard to race, religion or nationality. CRS' relief and development work is accomplished through programs of emergency response, health, agriculture, education, livelihoods, microfinance, peacebuilding, and resilience. 

The Technical Advisor II - Water Smart Agriculture (WSA) will support the expansion, quality, and long-term sustainability of Water Smart Agriculture programming led by Caritas and other national partners across Latin America and the Caribbean, in countries where CRS does not maintain a direct country program presence. Working through a locally led development approach, the position will complement and strengthen the technical capacity, leadership, and influence of national partners to design, implement, and scale high-quality climate-resilient agro-enterprise initiatives that respond to local priorities and opportunities.

The advisor will serve as a technical resource and strategic partner to local organizations, helping them adapt and apply Water Smart Agriculture approaches to strengthen community resilience, improve natural resource management, and enhance agricultural productivity in the face of climate change. Through technical accompaniment, capacity strengthening, peer learning, and resource mobilization support, the position will contribute to expanding the reach and impact of partners in agriculture and resilience programming while reinforcing local ownership and sustainability.

This position reflects CRS' commitment to locally led development. Success in this role will be measured by an increase in national partners’ capacities to effectively leading Water Smart Agriculture initiatives within their own contexts.

• Contribute to the strategic expansion of partner-led Water Smart Agriculture programming across Latin America and the Caribbean by strengthening the capacities, leadership, and technical excellence of Caritas and other local organizations.
• Serve as CRS' primary technical focal point for Water Smart Agriculture outreach and accompaniment in countries where CRS does not have a direct country presence.
• Provide technical assistance to partners on the design, implementation, monitoring, learning, and adaptation of climate-resilient agriculture programming.
• Support partners to identify opportunities for scaling and institutionalizing successful Water Smart Agriculture approaches within their own organizations and networks.
• Facilitate access to CRS and other partners’ technical expertise and specialized support through communities of practice, peer exchanges, mentoring relationships, and targeted technical assistance.

• Support partners in the design and improvement of agriculture, resilience, food security, and climate adaptation programs, ensuring technical quality, evidence-based approaches, and alignment with local priorities and donor requirements.
• Promote the application of Water Smart Agriculture methodologies and tools related to soil health, water management, regenerative agriculture, watershed management, climate adaptation, hybrid extension systems, and natural resource stewardship.
• Support the integration of gender equity, youth engagement, environmental sustainability, safeguarding, and learning into partner-led programming.
• Connect partners to  technical guidance on monitoring, evaluation, accountability, and learning systems that help them measure and communicate program impact.

• Jointly develop and implement partner capacity strengthening plans focused on Water Smart Agriculture and climate-resilient agriculture programming.
• Design and facilitate training workshops, field demonstrations, mentoring, coaching, and technical learning events.
• Strengthen partner capacity directly and coordinate support from other experts in areas including: 
  • Water Smart Agriculture which includes Conservation Agriculture and Agro-Enterprise 
  • Watershed planning and management
  • Climate adaptation planning
  • Farmer-to-farmer and hybrid extension approaches
  • Community-based natural resource management
  • MEAL systems and adaptive management
  • Coordination, cooperation and coalition building with appropriate national actors

• Promote and strengthen high-quality partnerships between CRS, Caritas organizations, and other Agriculture and Climate actors in accordance with CRS and Caritas Internationalis partnership principles and the Modus Operandi.
• Facilitate connection and collaboration with national actors in Agriculture as well as South-South learning, peer exchange, and collaboration among Caritas organizations and other partners implementing Water Smart Agriculture approaches.
• Foster collaboration with research institutions, technical service providers, government agencies, and regional networks that can support partner-led innovation and learning.
• Document and disseminate lessons learned, promising practices, and innovations generated by partner programs.

• In collaboration with partners, identify and pursue funding opportunities, and when mutually agreed, lead resource mobilization and donor engagement efforts to maximize funding prospects and advance shared program priorities. 
• Provide technical leadership and proposal development support to partner organizations seeking funding for Water Smart Agriculture, climate adaptation, resilience, and sustainable agro-enterprise initiatives.
• Assist partners in developing technical approaches, results frameworks, monitoring plans, and budgets that meet donor expectations while remaining grounded in local priorities.
• Strengthen partner capacity to position themselves as credible leaders and implementers of climate-resilient agriculture programming.

• Contribute to the continuous improvement of CRS Water Smart Agriculture methodologies, tools, guidance, and learning resources.
• Promote cross-country learning and exchange among partners implementing climate-resilient agro-enterprise initiatives.
• Support the development of regional learning agendas and communities of practice focused on Water Smart Agriculture and locally led development.

• Bachelor's Degree in Agronomy, Agriculture, Natural Resource Management, Environmental Sciences, Rural Development, International Development, or a related field required.
• Minimum of 8 years of relevant experience in agriculture, resilience, climate adaptation, natural resource management, rural livelihoods, or related sectors.
• Minimum of 5 years' experience providing technical assistance and capacity strengthening to local organizations.
• Demonstrated experience designing and supporting climate-resilient agriculture or natural resource management programming.
• Proven experience supporting proposal development and resource mobilization efforts.
• Experience working through local partners and advancing locally led development approaches.

• Master's Degree in Agronomy, Agriculture, Climate Adaptation, Natural Resource Management, or related field.
• Experience implementing or supporting Water Smart Agriculture, climate-smart agriculture, conservation agriculture, or regenerative agro-enterprise initiatives.
• Experience working with Caritas organizations, faith-based organizations, or other local development actors.
• Experience supporting programming in countries where direct CRS operational presence is limited or absent.
• Familiarity with climate adaptation and agricultural resilience priorities in Latin America and the Caribbean.
• Experience supporting donor-funded agriculture and resilience programming.

• Strong technical knowledge of climate-resilient agriculture, regenerative agriculture, soil health, water resource management, and community-based natural resource management.
• Experience designing and facilitating adult learning, training, mentoring, and coaching processes.
• Strong MEAL experience using data for learning and adaptive management.
• Excellent proposal development and technical writing skills.
• Demonstrated ability to engage, influence, and support partner organizations while respecting local leadership and ownership.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities with a focus on practical, locally appropriate solutions.
• Excellent relationship management and networking skills.
• Strong facilitation, presentation, and communication skills.
• Proactive, resourceful, collaborative, and results-oriented.

Required Languages: Spanish (required), English (preferred), Portuguese (a plus)

Travel: Must be willing and able to travel up to 40%.

Supervisory Responsibilities: None. Will provide technical supervision and mentoring to consultants, or short-term technical assistance personnel (TDYs).

Key Working Relationships

Internal: EMPOWER Team Lead, WSA Technical Advisors, Regional Focal Points including Business Development, MEAL, and Program Quality Staff.

External: Caritas National Organizations, Caritas Internationalis Member Organizations, agricultural research institutions, technical service providers, climate adaptation networks, government stakeholders, and donors supporting locally led resilience and agriculture programming.

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

CRS talent acquisition procedures reflect our commitment to safeguarding children and vulnerable adults from abuse and exploitation. CRS is an equal opportunity employer.

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.