2026:Catholic Relief Services Hiring Technical Advisor I – Shelter & Settlements for Remote Global Humanitarian Role
Catholic Relief Services (CRS) is seeking an experienced humanitarian professional for the position of Technical Advisor I – Shelter & Settlements RAPID, supporting a global emergency response initiative designed to provide timely and life-saving assistance during rapidly evolving crises.
The position is remote, with no relocation being offered, and has a tentative duration from September 2026 through 31 December 2027. Applications are open until 31 August 2026.
This opportunity is particularly suited to professionals with expertise in shelter and settlements, emergency programming, project design, proposal development, monitoring and evaluation, capacity strengthening and humanitarian response.
About Catholic Relief Services
Catholic Relief Services is a global humanitarian and development organisation working to improve the lives of people affected by poverty, disasters, conflict and other crises.
Through its global emergency response initiative, CRS is strengthening its ability to respond quickly and flexibly when communities face sudden shocks and prolonged emergencies.
The initiative emphasises several important humanitarian principles, including operational readiness, rapid response activation, locally led implementation, accountability to affected communities and safe, dignified programming.
The Technical Advisor will play an important role in ensuring that Shelter and Settlements programming is technically strong, adaptable and aligned with recognised humanitarian standards.
About the Technical Advisor Role
The Technical Advisor I – Shelter & Settlements RAPID will provide technical advice and support to Country Program teams across a range of programme design and implementation issues.
The role will help teams apply CRS programme quality principles, donor requirements and industry best practices to shelter and settlements interventions.
The successful candidate will contribute to improving the effectiveness, adaptability and innovation of CRS Shelter and Settlements programming across different humanitarian contexts.
The position combines technical advisory work with strategy development, proposal support, capacity strengthening, monitoring and learning, and relationship management.
Key Responsibilities
One of the main responsibilities will be supporting the development and implementation of agency-wide strategies, standards, tools and best practices related to Shelter and Settlements.
The Technical Advisor will help ensure that programming effectively engages partners, donors and governments while incorporating cross-sectoral considerations such as gender, protection mainstreaming and disaster risk reduction.
The advisor will also provide technical solutions to Country Program teams. This support may be delivered remotely or through on-site engagement, depending on programme needs.
Technical advice may cover strategic planning, standards, best practices, partnership approaches, monitoring and evaluation tools and programme implementation.
Proposal Development and Technical Writing
A significant part of the role involves supporting project design and proposal development.
The Technical Advisor will contribute to the preparation, design, submission and approval of project concepts and full proposals.
When required, the successful candidate may serve as a technical writer on proposal development teams.
This will involve helping project teams incorporate donor strategies, priorities and technical requirements into CRS programming approaches.
Strong writing and analytical skills will therefore be important for candidates seeking this position.
Capacity Strengthening
The Technical Advisor will also support capacity strengthening for CRS staff and partners working in Shelter and Settlements.
This may include helping to develop:
- Learning strategies
- Training strategies
- Training agendas
- Curricula
- Workshops
- Coaching approaches
- Technical learning activities
The advisor may conduct training sessions and workshops while also providing coaching and mentoring to strengthen the technical capacity of teams and partners.
This means the position is not limited to providing technical answers. It also involves helping others develop the skills and knowledge required to deliver quality humanitarian programmes.
Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning
The role includes collecting and analysing programme data and contributing to organisational learning.
The Technical Advisor will help capture lessons learned and identify good practices from specific projects.
These findings can then be shared to support improved decision-making and contribute to the wider Shelter and Settlements learning agenda.
Candidates with experience in programme monitoring, evaluation, data analysis and learning will therefore be well positioned for the role.
Partnerships and External Engagement
The position also involves maintaining relationships with donors, peer organisations, research institutions and other relevant stakeholders.
The Technical Advisor will participate in Shelter and Settlements forums to exchange knowledge, identify emerging best practices and promote CRS’s work.
Strong relationship management and networking skills are important because the role requires influencing and gaining support from people who may not report directly to the advisor.
The successful candidate should be comfortable working with individuals and organisations across diverse geographical and cultural environments.
Skills and Experience Required
CRS is looking for candidates with a combination of technical expertise, humanitarian experience and strong interpersonal capabilities.
Important skills and knowledge include:
- Shelter and Settlements technical principles and concepts.
- Project design and proposal development.
- Technical proposal writing.
- Capacity-strengthening approaches.
- Monitoring and evaluation.
- Data analysis.
- Donor and partner relationship management.
- Networking with peer organisations.
- Partnership principles.
- Strategic thinking.
- Analytical and problem-solving skills.
- Systems thinking.
- Technical writing.
- Presentation and facilitation.
- Training, mentoring and coaching.
- Strong communication and collaboration abilities.
Candidates should also be proactive, resourceful and results-oriented.
Educational Requirements
A Bachelor’s degree is required in architecture, engineering, urban planning, construction management or another relevant field related to Shelter and Settlements.
Applicants must also have a minimum of five to eight years of relevant professional experience, with progressively increasing responsibilities.
Experience within an international NGO is considered ideal.
At least two years of relevant field-based experience in Shelter and Settlements is also required.
This means the opportunity is aimed at established humanitarian professionals rather than entry-level candidates.
Language Requirements
English fluency is required.
Knowledge of additional languages is considered an advantage. These include:
- Arabic
- French
- Spanish
- Portuguese
Additional language skills can be particularly valuable for professionals working across CRS’s international humanitarian operations.
Travel Requirements
Although the position is remote, candidates must be willing and able to travel up to 50%.
The role may therefore require travel to support Country Program teams and provide technical assistance in different humanitarian contexts.
Applicants should take this requirement into consideration when assessing their suitability for the position.
Remote Work and Duration
The position is explicitly described as remote, and relocation is not being offered.
The tentative employment period is expected to run from September 2026 through 31 December 2027.
The remote nature of the position makes it potentially attractive to experienced humanitarian professionals who can provide global technical support without relocating to a new country.
However, the travel requirement means that candidates should be prepared for periods of international or field-related travel when programme needs require it.
CRS Competencies
CRS expects its staff to demonstrate strong professional and ethical standards.
The organisation highlights competencies including personal accountability, integrity, trust-building, collaboration and openness to learning.
Leadership competencies include the ability to lead change, develop and recognise others, and maintain a strategic mindset.
These competencies reflect the importance CRS places on responsible leadership, teamwork, continuous improvement and staff development.
Benefits and Working Environment
CRS describes its working culture as collaborative and mission-driven, with a focus on improving the lives of people affected by poverty and humanitarian crises.
For U.S.-based staff, CRS offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes medical, dental, life insurance, vision coverage and a retirement savings plan.
For successful candidates employed outside the United States, salary and benefits are based on the country of employment and the relevant CRS office.
How to Apply
Interested candidates should submit their application through the CRS online recruitment portal.
Applicants should carefully review the position requirements before applying and ensure their CV demonstrates relevant experience in Shelter and Settlements, humanitarian programming, proposal development and technical advisory work.
Candidates should pay particular attention to the required educational background, five to eight years of relevant experience and minimum two years of field-based Shelter and Settlements experience.
Key Details at a Glance
Position: Technical Advisor I – Shelter & Settlements RAPID
Organisation: Catholic Relief Services (CRS)
Location: Remote
Relocation: Not offered
Tentative duration: September 2026 – 31 December 2027
Application deadline: 31 August 2026
Experience: 5–8 years relevant experience
Field experience: Minimum 2 years in Shelter & Settlements
Education: Bachelor’s degree in architecture, engineering, urban planning, construction management or related field
Language: English required; Arabic, French, Spanish or Portuguese advantageous
Travel: Up to 50%
Supervision: No direct supervisory responsibilities
Why This Opportunity Stands Out
The Technical Advisor I – Shelter & Settlements position offers an opportunity to contribute to humanitarian programming at a global level while supporting rapid responses to crises.
The role combines technical expertise with programme design, proposal development, capacity strengthening, learning and partnership engagement.
For professionals with a background in architecture, engineering, urban planning, construction management or related Shelter and Settlements disciplines, it provides an opportunity to apply technical knowledge to humanitarian challenges affecting vulnerable communities.
The remote working arrangement, international scope and opportunity to contribute to emergency response programming make this a potentially valuable career opportunity for experienced humanitarian specialists.
Qualified professionals should consider applying before the 31 August 2026 deadline and ensure their application clearly demonstrates their technical, field-based and humanitarian experience.
APPLY HERE
For more opportunities such as these please follow us on Facebook,Linkedin & WAchannel
Join Our WhatsApp Community
Disclaimer: Remote Job Opportunities (RJO) is not the organization offering this opportunity. For any inquiries, please contact the responsible organization directly. Please do not send your applications to RJO, as we are unable to process them. Due to the high volume of emails we receive daily, we may not be able to respond to all inquiries. Thank you for your understanding.
