Humanitarian Services Program Specialist at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Job Description

• The Welfare and Self-Reliance Department helps the Church to further its religious mission by providing standard support services to foster self-reliance, care for the poor and the needy, and provide opportunities for giving and service by helping members become economically and emotionally self-reliant; providing access to essential food and clothing items, helping members prepare for and respond to disasters; and providing humanitarian aid to relieve suffering. This position provides support to a specific program within Welfare Services.  This support may include project planning, technical expertise in conceptualizing and producing audio-visual, written and other materials for Church-wide distribution and within the Welfare Department.  Facilitating training and consulting with ecclesiastical leaders. This position reports to the Area Humanitarian Manager who is located in Zimbabwe Harare office.

Responsibilities

• Support the implementation of humanitarian projects in assigned countries/provinces in alignment with the 5-year area humanitarian plan and global Church priorities.
• Assist in coordinating with internal departments and external partners (e.g., NGOs, local officials) to support project logistics and execution.
• Contribute to project documentation, data collection, and reporting to ensure transparency and accountability.
• Provide operational support in budgeting, procurement, and compliance under the guidance of Area Humanitarian Manager.
• Participate in monitoring and evaluation activities to assess project outcomes and identify areas for improvement.
• Oversee and manage humanitarian construction projects, ensuring they are completed on time, within budget, and according to specifications.
• Coordinating with contractors and subcontractors, obtaining permits, managing budgets and schedules, and ensuring compliance with safety regulation.
• Identify, anticipate, and manage project-specific risk factors (HSE, environmental, cultural, financial, and operational), implementing mitigation strategies and supporting incident response as needed.
• Develop and manage project schedules and phase plans
• Utilize Church systems and tools for project tracking, communication, and reporting.
• Maintain awareness of humanitarian trends and best practices relevant to assigned responsibilities.
• Collaborate with other specialists to support member-focused humanitarian efforts and sector-specific initiatives.
• Address moderately complex problems using established procedures and guidelines. Apply analytical skills to evaluate options and recommend solutions, escalating more complex issues that require broader judgment or cross-functional input.
•  Receive direction on priorities and guidance on complex issues, while independently managing routine tasks and contributing to team objectives.
• Supervise and train humanitarian missionaries in carrying out humanitarian efforts in the area.

Percentages may vary based on area / region need:

• 50% - Manage the humanitarian project life cycle for specific country/province efforts and support the implementation of the 5-year area humanitarian plan and applicable global priorities.
• 30% - Identify and maintain relationships with internal Church divisions, external NGOs, organizations, and government officials to accomplish the 5-year area humanitarian plan in assigned countries/provinces.
• 15% - Report, evaluate, and analyze area humanitarian initiatives, programs, and activities to area/HQ leadership, as assigned.
• 5% - Manage the application of technology, communications, and systems and other work as applicable.

Qualifications

• Must be in possession of a valid Temple Recommend and be certified by their priesthood leader to be worthy to hold it.
• A Bachelor’s degree in construction, engineering, or related field coupled with at least 5 years of related experience.
• Strong understanding of the principles and guidelines of welfare and self-reliance services and humanitarian standards and the ability to apply them to the 5-year humanitarian plan and address and resolve complicated humanitarian challenges.
• Successful experience managing multiple vendor relationships at a given time.
• In-depth knowledge of construction processes and construction laws and practices, which includes understanding building codes, design plans, construction drawings, and specifications for a given project.
• Understands project estimating concepts to the level required to verify bids, to understand market rates, and to understand how to process change orders.
• Understands contractual language and concepts and how to negotiate to protect the Church's interests while providing quality service.
• Intuitive ability to establish relationships of trust with mid-level and some senior Church, organization, and community leaders and represent the Welfare and Self-Reliance Department with professionalism and integrity.
• Excellent problem-solving, listening, change management, and negotiation skills, including strong written and verbal communication skills and English language proficiency.
• Ability to learn systems and processes quickly and be proficient using personal computers to utilize databases, spreadsheets, word processing, internet, text, and e-mail communications.
• Must have excellent project management and report writing skills.
• Demonstrated experience training employees, volunteers, and other staff on-site and remotely, individually or in groups.
• Must be able to work collaboratively and travel up to 40% of the time.