Job Title:                          Country Director

Reports to:                       Regional Director

Terms:                               Fixed Term Contract, 24 months, Fully Accompanied

Location:                          Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo

Salary:                               Grade 7/ €61,613 - €68,459

Requirements:                The position requires frequent travel to the areas of operation

About Concern:              

Established in 1968, Concern is a non-profit, non-governmental humanitarian organisation, dedicated to the reduction of suffering and the ultimate elimination of extreme poverty in the world’s poorest countries. Concern’s vision, our mission and our work are all defined by one goal – ending extreme poverty, whatever it takes. Concern strives for a world free from poverty, fear and oppression.

Our culture is values driven and we believe that our people are central to all that we do and are key to delivering on our goal of Reaching the Furthest Behind First. We are committed to ensuring a workplace where everybody feels valued and are enabled to succeed in their work and contribute to delivering on our mission.

Role Purpose:                 

Within this dynamic working environment, diverse team and wide portfolio of programmes and donors, you will have overall responsibility for the strategic development and management of the Concern country programme in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). You will ensure that the programme meets objectives as set out in the DRC Country Strategic Plan (CSP) for 2022-2026, annual plans and programme proposals. You will also ensure that the country programme is in line with Concern policies, procedures and meets the Core Humanitarian Standards. You will lead the Country Management Team (CMT) and represent the organisation with government, donors and other international organisations.

Responsibilities:

Leadership & Strategic Direction:

• Leading the Country Management Teams and ensuring participative decision-making processes
• Leading a team of national staff and international staff, and ensuring staff capacity, organisational structures and programme approaches are fit for purpose and able to effectively deliver strategic organisational goals
• Leading by example and supporting the Concern team to achieve organisational outcomes.
• Providing overall leadership and management, strategic direction, and technical leadership to the country programme to achieve expected results within budget and timeframe.
• Serve as principal liaison to donors and the Government of DRC, ensuring high levels of coordination and maintaining productive working relations, while engaging with and nurturing relationships with all key stakeholders (partner organizations, local government, civil society, etc.) on administrative, financial, and programmatic matters.
• Engaging with major organisational advocacy issues, providing support and leadership for key strategic campaigns.
• Supporting and ensuring the implementation of the current CSP and lead the development of the next country strategic plan from 2027-2031.
• Championing gender equality, adaptation and mitigation of climate change, and conflict sensitivity across Concern’s programmes and systems.

Risk Management & Accountability:

• Ensuring optimal use of financial resources; managed in a transparent and accountable manner, consistent with Concern’s and donor policies, systems and procedures, delivering quality results and demonstrating value for money.
• Responding robustly to any suspicions or reports of fraud, safeguarding or code of conduct abuses or other misdemeanours, and adhering to Concern’s policy and procedures on investigations
• Ensuring Concern complies with all relevant national legal and administrative requirements
• Identifying all risks and implementing mitigating measures in conjunction with the Country Management Team.
• Lead and manage the implementation of safeguarding policies and procedures, and response to breaches of the Concern Code of Conduct and associated policies, in collaboration with the Safeguarding department
• Promote and ensure compliance with the Core Humanitarian Standard (CHS) commitments and quality criteria
• Ensure that all staff are familiar with the principles underpinning accountability, safeguarding and Concern’s Complaints and Response Mechanism (CRM) and ensure that information about Concern’s commitments on accountability and safeguarding are disseminated among programme participants and communities.

Security Management:

• Ensuring an overall comprehension of the security context and liaise with other organisations and key actors in the field of security.
• Overall responsibility for security management in-country and leading incident management in the event of a serious security incident
• Ensuring all staff are aware of and adhere to the Security Management Plan (SMP) as well as key security procedures in place and ensure these are reviewed regularly and updated as necessary.

Programme Development & Implementation:

• Ensuring adequate financial resources for continual programming in country and engaging actively with in country and regional donors.
• Supporting the Programme Director to ensure programmes are designed, implemented, monitored and evaluated in line with Concern Worldwide policies, incorporating a results-based management approach, and external standards such as the Red Cross/Red Crescent Code of Conduct, Sphere, and the CHS are adhered to
• Leading and supporting efforts in fundraising, identification of new opportunities, donor relations and leading the development of the country funding strategy
• Enabling an organisational culture that supports effective learning, sharing and continual improvement of programme quality.
• Conducting regular monitoring and support visit to the field bases.
• Championing sustainable approaches that empower communities to be more resilient.

Support Systems & People Management:

• Supporting and guiding the Systems and Finance functions to ensure effective and efficient HR, administrative, logistical and financial support is provided to staff of Concern Worldwide.
• Supporting the Country Finance Controller (CFC) in budget preparation, revision and monitoring; ensuring that budget holders actively manage their budgets and prepare accurate budgets in line with the annual plan.
• Ensure that Concern’s IT systems provide efficient and effective communication and data management for the organisation, linking with Concern Worldwide systems.
• Supporting and guiding the Operations Director and HR Manager to ensure there are competent and empowered human resources, in a fair, diverse and efficient workplace
• Undertaking initiatives to ensure a good working environment and team spirit so Concern is perceived as an employer of choice for national and international staff.
• Ensuring job requisitions are prepared on a timely basis for international positions
• Ensuring staff Performance and Development Review’s (PDRs) are undertaken for all staff with appropriate training, development and career opportunities identified and budgeted.
• Ensuring good working conditions for all staff and implementing team building activities

 Representation & Networking:

• Creating a strong and visible profile for the organisation, as a leading actor in the fight against poverty, climate change, social protection and resilience programming.
• Communicating information regarding Concern and its programme at National level to Government, Donors and INGOs, alliances and networks across a range of fora.
• Ensuring the coordination with other NGOs, the United Nations Systems as well as other key actors in DRC.
• Engaging appropriately with the media to ensure that Concern’s values, vision and programmes are highlighted.
• Representing Concern Worldwide in strategic national and international meetings.
• Ensuring relationships and formal agreements with the government are maintained and updated.
• Ensuring regular contacts with the donor community

Role Holder Requirements:

Your skills and experience will include:

• Relevant post graduate qualification
• Five years’ or more experience in senior position with an international NGO in similar contexts.
• Management of diverse and multi-sectoral programmes
• Management of a diverse team of senior staff
• Management of systems and finance functions, including knowledge of donor compliance.
• Working with major international donors and securing external donor funding.
• Knowledge and experience of incorporating key approaches across programmes
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills and a confidence to engage and represent Concern at public fora, media and donors.
• Delegation, time management and prioritizing skills
• Computer literate and good knowledge of Word and Excel.
• Excellent English and French
• Empathy with Concern’s mission, vision and goals, and our target group

We would also like:

• You to be flexible and reliable
• You to be culturally sensitive and empathic to others
• You to be able to work under pressure and to strict deadlines.
• You to have a good sense of humour

To apply:  CVs should be submitted through our website at https://jobs.concern.net by the closing date.

Due to the urgency of this position, applications will be shortlisted on a regular basis and we may offer posts before the closing date. 

Please note that Concern Worldwide does not provide Visa sponsorship.

If you have any concerns about our recruitment process and need particular assistance - for example if you have a visual impairment or are neurodivergent - please let us know and we will do our best to accommodate you. 

Concern has an organizational Code of Conduct (CCoC) with three Associated Policies; the Programme Participant Protection Policy (P4), the Child Safeguarding Policy and the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Policy accessible here. These have been developed to ensure the maximum protection of programme participants from exploitation, and to clarify the responsibilities of Concern staff, consultants, visitors to the programme and partner organization, and the standards of behavior expected of them. In this context, staff have a responsibility to the organization to strive for, and maintain, the highest standards in the day-to-day conduct in their workplace in accordance with Concern’s core values and mission. Any candidate offered a job with Concern Worldwide will be expected to sign the Concern Staff Code of Conduct and Associated Policies as an appendix to their contract of employment. By signing the Concern Code of Conduct, candidates acknowledge that they have understood the content of both the Concern Code of Conduct and the Associated Policies and agree to conduct themselves in accordance with the provisions of these policies. Additionally, Concern is committed to the safeguarding and protection of vulnerable adults and children in our work. We will do everything possible to ensure that only those who are suitable to work or volunteer with vulnerable adults and children are recruited by us for such roles. Subsequently, working or volunteering with Concern is subject to a range of vetting checks, including criminal background checking. 

Your Personal Data 

During this job application, you will provide Concern with your personal data. Concern takes its responsibilities towards this personal data very seriously and is committed to complying with all relevant data protection legislation. 

For additional information please consult our web site or contact the Human Resource Division in our Head Office. 

You have certain rights under data protection legislation. For more information on how to exercise those rights please visit www.concern.net/about/privacy 

Concern Worldwide is an Irish-based non-governmental, international, humanitarian organisation dedicated to the reduction of suffering and working towards the ultimate elimination of extreme poverty in the world’s poorest countries.