Catholic Relief Services’ International Development Fellows Program

CRS empowers Fellows to hone their skills and gain practical field experience while contributing to impactful work. Each Fellow works alongside experienced CRS staff to address critical issues facing developing countries today. CRS invites applicants of diverse backgrounds who are committed to the agency mission and strategy to join the global team.

Develop Critical Project & Management Skills

• Designed to Prepare Fellows for Success
  • The Fellowship is a unique 12-month professional development opportunity, designed to prepare Fellows for success in a range of onward positions with CRS. The Fellowship is centered upon skill building in the following four areas:
    • Project Management
      • Activity planning & implementation
      • Monitoring, evaluation, accountability & learning
      • Resource/budget management
      • Reporting
    • Project Design
      • Research, assessments, analysis
      • Participatory design
      • Results framework & theory of change
      • Proposal development
    • Systems & Operations
      • Supply chain and logistics
      • Human Resources
      • Finance & compliance
      • Safety, security, risk mitigation
    • Partnership
      • Project planning
      • Program implementation
      • Capacity strengthening
      • Reflection & assessment

Engage in Impactful Work

• Make A Difference
  • CRS works with a vast network of partners to engender sustainable change and provide lifesaving help when emergencies arise. Fellows support CRS’ impactful work in a wide variety of sectors and assume varying levels of responsibility.
  • Common Fellowship Tasks
    • Lead new emergency response projects
    • Serve as interim project manager
    • Participate in the design of new projects
    • Oversee assessments and data collection
    • Develop accountability frameworks
    • Write reports and proposals

Benefits

• A Partnership for Health & Success
  • At CRS, they value employee health and well-being and provide comprehensive benefits to meet your needs and those of your family. Benefits include an international medical plan, dental and vision insurance, generous leave, a highly competitive retirement program, and family-friendly allowances for overseas staff. CRS also prioritizes and invests in staff safety and security and provides travel and property insurance, disability coverage and Employee Assistance Programs.
• Medical/Dental/Vision
  • Fellows enjoy an international medical plan as well as vision coverage with zero deductible for in-network providers and low coinsurance and copayments.
• Safe Furnished Housing
  • CRS provides each Fellow with basic furnished housing, which includes electricity, running water, internet and security services (if necessary). The Fellow’s housing is usually an apartment or house near the CRS office.
• Paid Time Off (Vacation, Sick, & Personal)
  • CRS provides Fellows 20 days of paid vacation along with 12 days of sick leave annually. In addition, they offer 4 personal days to attend to emergency or non-emergency situations occurring during a normally scheduled work day.
• Travel & Medical Evacuation
  • CRS covers relocation costs such as transportation to and from the country of assignment, visas, inoculations, etc. Additionally, CRS provides 100% employer-funded medical evacuation coverage for the Fellow and their dependents.
• Retirement Benefits (403b)
  • CRS offers a 50% match on the first 6% of contributions as well as a contribution of 7% of pay regardless of employee contributions, after six months of service. (Note: Employees without a social security number are eligible to participate in an offshore retirement fund with the same contribution calculation.)
• Continued Education
  • Upon hire, Fellows have access to CRS’ robust online learning platform. Additionally, CRS will reimburse up to $5,200 per year for employees pursuing degrees and professional certifications, after one year of employment.

Program Requirements

• Candidate Profile
  • At CRS, they celebrate diversity within the workforce and are committed to developing local leadership in the communities they serve. They recruit Fellows from around the world, including nationals of the countries where they work and from underrepresented groups in the U.S. and globally. They welcome applications from candidates of all faiths and secular traditions who share the values and the commitment to serving those in need.
• Minimum Fellowship Requirements
  • Graduate degree in a relevant field
  • At least six months work or volunteer experience in a developing country
  • Fluency in English with strong oral and written communication skills
  • Professional proficiency in a second language (preference given to French, Arabic and Portuguese)
  • Able to work in locations with tropical and infectious diseases and limited access to medical facilities.

For more information, visit CRS.