Senior Advisor - Operational Support Costs

Senior Advisor- Operational Support Costs Department/Country: Overseas Support Department, Management Policy & Information Group Reports To: MPI Team Leader Location: Baltimore, MD Band: E FLSA: Exempt Background: CRS operates more than 60 offices overseas, often in challenging situations. These offices administer over 1000 projects. The principle of stewardship requires that CRS operate in the most cost efficient ways possible, and increasing competition for donor support makes this all the more compelling. For that purpose, applying global experience from inside and outside of CRS to the costing of operational support overseas is critical to the Agency’s long term health. Operational support is comprised of line functions (HR, Finance, SCM, IT, Administration, including Compliance and Security). In CRS the costs of these activities are allocated to projects on the basis of cost drivers and their application to pools of “allocated direct” costs.

Job Summary: The position holder is responsible for advancing the cost efficiency of CRS’ operational support activities in field offices throughout the world. S/he works in collaboration with Deputy Regional Directors and field staff to identify standards, best practices for their achievement, and ways best practices and innovation can be adopted in challenging field situations.

Primary Responsibilities: 1. Coordinate Agency-wide learning on cost efficiency: a. Communicate with colleague institutions and use cross-sector engagement to identify ways that cost efficiency metrics are collected and used as an incentive for management action. Stay abreast of new developments that lead to cost efficiency. b. Support Overops field and HQ technical staff, and collaborate with technical staff in other divisions (Finance, HR, Supply Chain, and IT) as they hone in on more specific cost drivers for allocated direct expenses and their direct-direct equivalents. Primary focus should be on staffing cost drivers including articulation of project benefits received for HR, Finance, Supply Chain, IT, Admin, Compliance and Security within and outside of partnership relationships. c. Support Overops field and HQ technical staff, and collaborate with technical staff in other divisions (Finance, HR, Supply Chain, and IT) as they identify “goalposts” for efficiency that take appropriate environmental factors into account. d. Lead global community of practice. 2. Identify best practices that lead to cost efficiency: a. Communicate with colleague and for profit institutions and analyze/write/disseminate case studies on best practices. b. Assess results of specific cost-efficiency driven efforts (e.g. operating model changes relative to the physical location of services). 3. Support Country Programs as they work to develop and adopt best practices: a. Make recommendations about policies that impact cost efficiency. b. Incorporate lessons about cost drivers, esp. for allocated direct costs, in program and project planning guidance documents and participate in reviews of planning documents from that perspective. Analyze cost patterns and identify outliers for remediation through cross-fertilization and replication of best practices. c. Develop tools that facilitate the adoption of best practices, (e.g. monthly cost allocation review checklist). d. Facilitate best practices including innovations across regions and/or countries as required. e. Develop, collaborate on, and deliver country, regional, and global training programs that build capacity; mentor staff as needed. 4. Supervise the Budget Analyst as s/he supports Overops deliberations on optimal use of private allocation and manages selected special funds; focus on areas that maximize the impact of allocation investments on program effectiveness and efficiency.

Agency-wide Competencies (for all CRS Staff) These are rooted in the mission, values, and principles of CRS and used by each staff member to fulfill his or her responsibilities and to achieve the desired results. • Serves with Integrity • Models Stewardship • Cultivates Constructive Relationships • Promotes Learning

Key Working Relationships Internal: Deputy Regional Directors for Management Quality, Regional Finance Officers, Director of HR Programs and Services, Director of Global Finance, Chief Knowledge Officer, Director of Business Development, Management Quality Coordinators in Country Programs External: NGO and relevant corporate colleagues

Qualifications 1. Masters degree; MBA preferred. 2. 5-10 years’ experience providing operations advisory support to international field offices preferred, in the profit or not-for-profit sector. 3. Management experience preferred 4. Demonstrated experience of using financial information to make efficiency decisions. 5. Outstanding oral and written communication skills 6. Demonstrated ability to work as a member of a team, in collaboration with technical experts. 7. Conversant French 8. Willingness and ability to travel 33% of time Applicants must be legally able to work in the United States at the time of application.

How to apply:

To apply, please visit http://crs.org/about/careers/ Search for Requisition D653

EOE/M/F/D/V