Caritas Identity and Mission Senior Officer

Country: Holy See Organization: Caritas Closing date: 4 Sep 2026 Job title and functional level: Senior Officer – Level 9 Department: Confederation Development Line Manager: Director of Confederation Development Work Place: CI General Secretariat – Palazzo San Callisto Caritas Internationalis is a global confederation of 162 Catholic organisations working in more than 200 countries and territories. As an expression of the Church’s mission, we serve the poor, vulnerable and excluded, regardless of race or religion, working together for a just world. Guided by the values and principles of Catholic Social Teaching and inspired by the Gospel, we work with people facing poverty, exclusion, conflict and the effects of climate change. It’s not only about reacting when crises happen. We stay, we listen and we act, helping communities through urgent needs and as they rebuild their futures. Caritas promotes integral human development and integral ecology by serving, accompanying, defending and listening to people living in poverty, whilst together caring for our common home. We respond to emergencies and natural, humanmade and complex humanitarian crises, providing essential and social services, and health care.We speak out against the causes of poverty and injustice, and work together, as brothers and sisters, advocating and campaigning for a just world built on love, peace, and solidarity. Our work is informed by reflecting on the 'signs of the times' through a 'see, judge and act' methodology. We strive to bring about a long-term, positive impact on the lives of those we serve. This requires us to be both effective in our work, and good stewards of the resources entrusted to us. Our times are challenging and complex. Whilst it could be argued that recent decades have seen progress in health and living standards for many people in the world, this has happened at the cost of growing inequality in wealth and power, social fragmentation and environmental degradation, underpinned by an unjust economic system. Main responsibilities: • To coordinate, animate and mobilise the Confederation’s Regions and Members, on activities and initiatives which promote Caritas’ identity, vision and mission within and outside the network, in collaboration with the Confederation’s relevant structures (e.g. Caritas Identity and Fraternal Cooperation Committee); • To facilitate and enhance global, regional and national initiatives related to Caritas’ identity, mission and partnership/fraternal cooperation, in cooperation with the Regional Secretariats; • To facilitate and support the implementation of the CI Strategic Framework focusing on the elements related to Caritas identity and mission, through the work of the CI related working structures, and particularly through the work of the Caritas Identity Committee. Implement this work mainly by animating members, contributing to and preparing the necessary related documentation, and supporting discussions and resolutions; • To contribute to the reflection on Caritas’ identity and facilitate the development of induction and training modules on Caritas’ mission and values for leadership, staff, volunteers etc.; • To facilitate activities and initiatives to enhance partnership and fraternal cooperation, and the development of training modules to strengthen and enhance partnership principles across the Caritas network and beyond, in cooperation with the relevant Confederation structures; • To work in collaboration with the relevant Strategic Orientation Committees with regard to topics related to Catholic Social Teaching, Caritas mission, values and principles, and consult with the relevant Confederation’s stakholders on those topics, as needed; • To support relevant stakholders and Confederation’s structures in building and strengthening relationships between Member Organisations and with Bishops’ Conferences, and with other Catholic and faith-based actors; • To work in collaboration with the relevant Holy See Dicasteries, Bishops’ Conferences, other relevant organisations, universities and institutes of higher education to build relationships, enhance promotion and understanding of Caritas identity, vision and mission; • To support the work of strengthening Caritas in the parishes and other faith-based community structures at the grassroots structures; • To contribute to the work on increasing effectiveness of the Caritas Confederation, and collaborate with relevant staff at the CI General Secretariat and relevant bodies at global and regional levels, with specific focus on partnership, values-based leadership and compliance with standards related to identity and mission; • To organise and participate in meetings/events on related topics; • To coordinate and facilitate the work of the CI General Secretariat on Caritas identity, vision and mission, Catholic foundations, consistency with values and principles in the documents produced; • To represent the CI General Secretariat with relevant communities of practice and external stakeholders; • To make sure that activities and initiatives related to the work areas above are in line with the operational plan and budget; • To contribute to the overall work of the Confederation Development Department and to the growth of the team. Profile • University degree(s) in a subject related to humanitarian, development, international relations, social sciences, faith-based contexts, and/or other relevant field(s); • At least 7 years of professional experience in a Catholic-inspired organisation, including an active role in facilitation, animation, and/or programme management; • Deep knowledge and extensive experience of the Church and Caritas structures; • Profound experience in the charitable work, also within parish or similar structures; • Working proficiency in written and oral English; knowledge of French, Spanish and/or Italian is a strong asset; • Knowledge of development and humanitarian issues; • Knowledge of organisational development and capacity strengthening processes, developing training modules and facilitating training sessions; • Strong analytical, monitoring, evaluation and reporting skills; • Capacity to work in a diverse team and a multicultural environment with a spirit of respect and service; • Understanding of an “accompanying attitude” and ability to promote it with Regions and Member Organisations; • Capacity and willingness to be flexible and to work well under pressure; • Capacity and willingness to work with discretion regarding matters of high confidentiality or importance; • Ability to communicate clearly and to a high standard (oral and written); • Ability to meet assigned deadlines and be results-oriented; • Adaptability, flexibility and availability to travel in different countries, even with short-term notice; • Proficient computer skills and experience working with Microsoft Office software (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, etc.); • Demonstrable empathy and respect for the faith and values of the Catholic Church; • Understanding of, and commitment to, the principles of Catholic Social Teaching. To learn more about position at Caritas Internationalis please download brochure here. How to apply Please send the CV, the cover letter (English language) and the Job Application by 4th September 2026 (12:00 Rome time) to the attention of Dr. Yari Bergamasco, Human Resources & Legal Affairs Manager, to hr@caritas.va Please, note that the interviews for this position will be held by 10 October 2026. Details will be communicated to shortlisted candidates later. Important information for non-EU candidates: Employment is subject to obtaining the necessary entry visa and all required authorizations from the competent authorities, including authorization for health insurance coverage. Please note that this process may take a considerable amount of time and could result in a delayed start date. Should the required visa and/or authorizations not be granted, Caritas Internationalis will be unable to proceed with the appointment.