Country Director

Action Against Hunger leads the global movement to end hunger. We innovate solutions, advocate for change, and reach 28 million people every year with proven hunger prevention and treatment programs. As a nonprofit that works across 55 countries, our 8,990 dedicated staff members partner with communities to address the root causes of hunger, including climate change, conflict, inequity, and emergencies. We strive to create a world free from hunger, for everyone, for good.

Action Against Hunger USA is part of the Action Against Hunger International network. As an independent NGO, Action Against Hunger USA currently manages operations in 8 countries: Kenya, South Sudan, Somalia, Tanzania, Uganda, Ethiopia, Zambia and Haiti.

I.     Summary

The Country Director (CD) leads the continuous strategic development and ensures growth of the Country Program. The CD integrates program and operational structure into a coherent country office. The CD represents Action Against Hunger at country level and with donors and is responsible for building the Action Against Hunger brand and reputation at country level.

Purpose

The role of the Country Director is to lead development and emergency programs at national level in addition to plan the integration of sectoral initiatives into coherent programs for development consistent with the country office priorities and growth needs.

Engagement

Develop relationships with, consult and represent Action Against Hunger to donors, local and national government authorities, organizational partners and collaborators, other INGOs and the local community with that aim of creating a positive profile for the organization within the country.

The Country Director will liaise with the Action Against Hunger country, regional, HQ and network staff on strategy, programming opportunities partnerships in addition to compliance matters.

Delivery             

Create an effective platform for delivery of development services by aligning internal capacities with national development priorities and Action Against Hunger strategic plans, build effective networks of collaboration to position Action Against Hunger as a critical partner.

II.      Essential job roles

• Provide vision and direction in the development of a country strategy that integrates programmatic and operational aspects of the country programs; ensure continued relevance with national context and alignment with and contribution to regional and global Action Against Hunger objectives.
• Guide program strategic development to take advantage of emergent opportunities and areas of work and consolidate strategic insight from regional and country level expertise.
• Develop and establish policies and systems in collaboration with the Action Against Hunger Senior Leadership Team at country level that are fully compliant with Action Against Hunger USA policy as well as with national/local legislation.
• Expand program funding through engagement with donors ensuring continuous flow of resources to support country program growth.
• Facilitate the technical development and growth of programmatic and operational functions of the country program through championing programmatic and operational country needs to regional and global levels of Action Against Hunger USA.
• Represent Action Against Hunger USA to national governments, bilateral/multilateral institutions and in NGO networks to build and uphold the Action Against Hunger brand and reputation as a reliable partner in the delivery of programs and as a key voice in nutrition sensitive programming.
• Responsible for creating and maintaining a positive and conducive working environment amongst all staff at country level to ensure a healthy and effective organizational culture which:

§ Promotes the Action Against Hunger Charter of Principles,

§ Embeds the Action Against Hunger USA Core Values into the daily working context,

§ Encourages teamwork, cross departmental and cross functional collaboration

§ Ensures staff members are valued, and staff engagement is maximized

III.      Supervisory Responsibilities

• The Country Director will directly line manage the Program Quality and Assurance Director, Operations Director, Head of HR and Head of Finance and other roles as per organogram.

IV.     Gender Equality Commitments & zero Tolerance to Abuse

• Foster an environment that reinforces values of women and men, and equal access to information.
• Provide a work environment where women and men must be evaluated and promoted based on their skills and performance.
• Promote a safe, secure, and respectful environment for all stakeholders, particularly for children, beneficiaries, and members of staff.
• Help to prevent any type of abuse including workplace harassment and sexual abuse and exploitation.
• Respect beneficiaries’ women, men, children (boys and girls) regardless of gender, sex orientation, disability, religion, race, color, ancestry, national origin, age, or marital status.
• Value and respect all cultures.

V.      Fiscal Responsibility

• The position will be the overall budget holder for South Sudan country office and will also be responsible for reporting to Action Against Hunger, the host government authorities on annual audits & other statutory obligations.

VI.      Physical Demands

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is required to sit for long periods and to concentrate on work, including typing, and turn out heavy volumes of work accurately, within short time frames under stressful situations in the context of a moderately noisy office with many interruptions. Must be able to proofread own work accurately so that only minor corrections are needed on an infrequent basis.
• The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

VII.     Working Conditions, Travel and Environment

• The duties of the job require regular job attendance of at least five days per week. Must be available to work outside normal office hours or at the weekends as required. 
• Must be able to travel as required for standard domestic and international business purposes. While performing the duties of this job in the field, the employee may be exposed to precarious settings under high security risks and/or very basic living conditions and outside weather conditions, as well as to infectious diseases.  

Requirements

I.    Required Qualifications and Professional Experience

• At least 15 years of senior management experience.
• Minimum 10 years of working in humanitarian and development contexts, preferably with experience in complex settings in Africa.
• Effective negotiator, with the ability to influence cross departmental and cross sector working.
• Proven analytical skills and ability to think strategically, including the ability to think beyond the country program context.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills to motivate and influence.
• Fluent in English (professional English needed)
• Results driven and demonstrable ability to set and communicate goals and ensure effective and appropriate decision making and problem solving.
• Ability to organize, mentor, engage and motivate a multicultural team.
• Strong emotional intelligence.
• Disciplined and able to work and arrive at decisions autonomously with minimal guidance. 

II.    Required Skills & Competencies

• Experience of fund raising from diverse donor institutions, especially USAID, DFID, EU.
• Advanced knowledge of donor guidelines and procedures (USAID, ECHO, EU, UNICEF, BPRM, WFP, DFID, GAC, SIDA, GFFO etc.)
• High level financial management skills to steer the operational budget
• Sound understanding of strategic human resource management principles, strategies and approaches
• Understanding of managing security and risk within an INGO context
• Good level of IT literacy and an understanding of how new developments in technology can positively contribute to the aims of an INGO
• Ability to manage the development of, and contribute to, the high-level analysis of the underlining factors of chronic under nutrition including socio-cultural factors

Benefits

Application Process.

Interested? Then apply for this position by clicking on the apply button. All applicants must upload a cover letter and an updated resume and both must be in the same language as this vacancy note. Closing date for applications: November 15, 2024.

We provide equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees & qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, ancestry, sexual orientation, national origin, age, handicap, disability, marital status, or status as a veteran. Action Against Hunger-USA complies with all applicable laws governing non discrimination in employment.