Country Director - Ethiopia Office

Transform Lives with Children Believe!

Join us to help break the barriers to education that steal children’s choices one by one until they have none. Together, we can foster an environment where education unlocks a world of choices, nurturing creativity, resilience, and hope for a better tomorrow. At Children Believe, we won’t stop until every child can dream fearlessly and grow up to live the life they choose to live.

Children Believe is currently recruiting for the following position: 

Country Director – Ethiopia Office

The Country Director (CD) provides strategic leadership to advance Children Believe's (CB) mission, enhancing in-country identity, brand, and capacity. This role strengthens CB’s credibility and  income through innovative programming, evidence-based results, and effective communication with key networks and stakeholders. The CD leads issues-based programming focused on Centres of Excellence (CoE), improving the quality of life for children and youth in empowered communities. This involves collaboration with partner organizations and influencing national policies by building relationships with government, NGO leaders, donors, and international organizations.

The CD drives business development by forming innovative partnerships with funders and the private sector and participating in relevant networks and coalitions. As part of CB's leadership, the CD contributes to strategy, performance, and culture, ensuring successful brand implementation and providing a country-specific perspective when needed. The CD is responsible for attracting, nurturing and retaining a collaborative team aligned with CB's mission, engaging with the Global Leadership Team (GLT), and demonstrating CB's values, vision, and mission 24X7. This includes overseeing the quality delivery of country programs and effective security management.

In this field-centric role, the CD provides leadership and technical guidance on program-related matters for CB and its subsidiaries, both in-country and regionally, while supervising and supporting all sub-projects/grants within the program portfolio.

This role includes, but not limited to:

1.Strategic Leadership – 15% of time

• Responsible to develop and execute country strategic and operational plans and tactics, aligned with regional/global strategy, vision and values with guidance from CIPO, P&P.

• Lead building the capacity of CB partners through effective training tools including workshops, seminars, coaching, etc.

• Establish and maintain effective relationships with local and regional partners, the development community and government agencies and network, advocate, raise awareness and position CB as a leading expert and credible resource on issues pertinent to child and community development.

• Champion CB’s global organization-wide initiatives contributing to global education, promoting awareness of international development issues, representing CB at local, regional and international fora, and positioning CB as an organization of choice.

2. Diversify Funding Source – 20% of time

• Achieve CB’s organizational objectives for income growth and revenue diversification by accessing nationally based funding sources, identifying new funding streams, and ensuring grant compliance in close coordination with Director Global Partnerships.

• Lead the development of a donor relations strategy; build and cultivate a strong network of bilateral, multilateral, corporate and foundation relationships in support of the revenue strategy.

• Promote centres of programming excellence which can be used by the central grant acquisition team of CB to develop new funding relationships with new donors on a global basis.

3. Achieving Quality Results – 20% of time

• Direct the operations of all programs and projects to achieve agreed results.

• Provide direction and support to CB partners, holding them accountable for timely deliverables and conscientious use of resources.

• Actively contribute to the planning, implementation and monitoring of CB supported programs/projects related to relief, commodities, child protection, development, etc. 

• Ensure program/project monitoring and evaluation reports are prepared and submitted according to established procedures and promotion of best practices

• Encourage/influence program/project community leaders to participate in training and information sharing activities.

• Actively engage programs/projects and communities in the planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of programs/projects.

• Facilitate inter-program/project collaboration and networking.

4. Risk & Security Management – 10% of time

• Ensure the financial integrity and viability of the Country Office (CO) and CB supported programs.
• Regularly review and recommend changes to policies, procedures and guidelines to measurably improve organizational effectiveness and comply with local legislation.
• Ensure the performance of all contracts, memorandums of agreement (MOAs), and other internal/external regulations.
• Recommend and take ownership for program and project affiliation, growth, graduation, disengagement and disaffiliation.
• Ensure timely and useful communications between COs, RO and the Office at Canada, including regular reporting and information. 
• Provide proactive oversight to corporate security aspects for safety of staff and safe operations. 

5. Capacity Building – 25% of time

• Lead and develop a high performing CO/RO team.
• Utilize CB’s subject matter experts as required to inform, approve and drive the work of the CB at local and regional level as applicable.
• Build staff capacity and a culture focused on achieving both quality and results.
• Recruit and retain top performing staff; evaluate performance, provide training, recognize and reward achievement and discipline as required. 
• Comply with all CB policies and procedures.

6. Other Assignments – 10% of time

• Other related duties as assigned.
• You will be required to contribute to the in-country/regional/ international program interventions in sync with organizational strategic directives.

The ideal candidate possesses:

Qualifications & Experience:

• Master’s degree or equivalent in Project Management, Business Administration, Social Sciences, or relevant development field.

• Over 10 years of experience in the development sector, with at least 4 years in a senior leadership role, including program management and execution aligned with CB's current strategy, particularly in education.

• Demonstrated expertise in:

• Utilizing Results-Based Management (RBM), Participatory Development Approach (PDA), and Logical Framework Analysis (LFA) tools, alongside project planning, management, monitoring, and evaluation.

• Leading business development and grant acquisition teams, including relationship-building with funding agencies.

• Advocacy, policy influence, and private sector engagement, including corporate social responsibility.

• Proven ability to create and implement strategic and operational plans, translate strategy into measurable actions, and manage related budgets.

• Strong leadership in developing, motivating, and evaluating cross-functional project teams to meet tight deadlines and navigate organizational change.

• Discretion, sound judgment, and problem-solving skills in handling sensitive and complex issues.

• Proficiency in group facilitation, training, capacity-building, community mobilization, and conflict resolution.

• Financial acumen, with the ability to analyze data to identify key issues and develop strategies.

• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, including public speaking, networking, and presentations, with fluency in English and applicable local language(s).

• Proficiency in MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and internet use; MS Project is a plus.

• Knowledge of key social, political, and economic issues at the country, regional, and global levels, with demonstrated cross-cultural sensitivity.

• Commitment to CB’s Christian Vision, Mission, and Values.

Attributes, Traits, and Behaviours:

• Demonstrate ownership, emotional intelligence, and creative problem-solving.

• Champion organizational decisions and model values like diversity, integrity, professionalism, results orientation, and accountability.

• Exhibit flexibility, adaptability, and effective communication.

• Foster inclusive collaboration and stakeholder engagement.

• Lead with an influential style and maintain personal health, stress management, and wellbeing.

Exhibit credible presence and instill confidence that results in respect.

How To Apply

If you believe you have that unique combination of a not-for-profit heart combined with the skills and interest for the “Country Director” position, please use this link:-

https://workforcenow.adp.com/mascsr/default/mdf/recruitment/recruitment.html?cid=cefdcbd8-57ee-4443-850b-74160ac06342&ccId=19000101_000001&jobId=532653&lang=en_CA

Applications are welcome from qualified applicants and will be received until September 26, 2024.
Applications must be submitted in English.
Applicants must be legally eligible to work in Ethiopia.

Consistent with our Child Protection/Safe-Guarding Policy the successful candidate must receive clearance by a criminal record check.

Children Believe is committed to diversity in the workplace and is an equal opportunity employer.

We thank all applicants for applying, however, only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.

People & Culture Team

Children Believe