Country Director

Job Posting Organization:
The Danish Refugee Council (DRC) is one of the world’s leading humanitarian NGOs, established to protect, advocate for, and promote durable solutions for displacement-affected populations. DRC has been operational in South Sudan since 2005 and has a significant presence in various regions including Upper Nile, Eastern Equatoria, and Abyei Administrative Area. The organization operates in multiple countries across East Africa and the Great Lakes region, including the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, and Uganda. DRC is committed to delivering humanitarian assistance and protection services, focusing on areas such as emergency response, protection, WASH, shelter, economic recovery, humanitarian disarmament, and peacebuilding. The organization employs a collaborative approach to ensure impactful programming and strong external representation.

Job Overview:
The director" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">Country Director (CD) for DRC’s South Sudan operation is expected to provide strategic leadership and overall management of the organization’s country operations. This role requires a strong, adaptive, and principled leader capable of navigating a complex humanitarian and operational environment. The CD will report to the Executive Director of the EAGL Hub and will be accountable for the overall direction, quality, safety, and integrity of DRC’s programs and operations in South Sudan. The position demands effective advocacy, sound financial oversight, operational risk management, and a focus on staff safety and wellbeing. The CD will also supervise senior management staff including the Head of Programme, Head of Support Services, Area Managers, and Head of Safety, ensuring that the organization’s strategic priorities are met while fostering a collaborative and accountable organizational culture.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The key responsibilities of the Country Director include:

• Strategic Leadership: Provide visionary leadership across DRC South Sudan operations, ensuring alignment with DRC’s global strategic priorities and fostering a collaborative organizational culture.
• Representation and External Engagement: Act as the primary representative of DRC with national authorities, donors, UN agencies, NGOs, and other stakeholders, enhancing DRC’s visibility and positioning within the region.
• Programme Oversight and Development: Ensure quality and impactful program implementation, support program development and fundraising efforts, and promote accountability to affected populations.
• Safety and security" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">Security: Maintain accountability for safety and security management, ensuring operations comply with DRC security policies and procedures.
• Operational and Financial Management: Oversee financial management and compliance with donor requirements, ensuring efficient resource allocation.
• People Management: Lead and support senior managers, promote staff wellbeing, and ensure effective performance management systems are in place.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates must possess a minimum of 7 years of senior management experience in humanitarian and/or development settings, including experience as a Country Director or in a similar senior leadership role. A Master’s degree in Political Science, International Development, Economics, Humanitarian Affairs, or a related field is required. Candidates should have demonstrated experience leading operations in complex and insecure environments, strong representation skills with donors and authorities, and proven experience in donor engagement and managing multi-donor portfolios. Experience working on displacement-related issues, particularly with internally displaced persons (IDPs) and conflict-affected populations, is essential. Previous experience in East Africa and/or the Horn of Africa is strongly preferred.

Educational Background:
The educational background required for this position includes a Master’s degree in a relevant field such as Political Science, International Development, Economics, or Humanitarian Affairs. This advanced degree is crucial for understanding the complexities of humanitarian operations and the socio-political dynamics in which DRC operates.

Experience:
The position requires a significant level of experience, specifically a minimum of 7 years in senior management roles within humanitarian or development contexts. Candidates should have a proven track record of leading operations in challenging environments, managing large teams, and engaging with diverse stakeholders, including donors and local authorities.

Languages:
Full professional proficiency in English is mandatory for this position. Additional language skills relevant to the region may be considered advantageous but are not explicitly required.

Additional Notes:
The contract length for this position is 24 months, with the possibility of renewal based on performance and funding availability. The employment band is classified as D-Management, and the work location is Juba, South Sudan. The anticipated start date is 1 August 2026 or soon thereafter. The application process requires candidates to apply online through DRC’s recruitment platform, submitting a cover letter and an updated CV in English. Applications sent via email will not be considered, and candidates who have previously applied do not need to reapply as their applications will remain under active consideration. The closing date for applications is set for 1 July 202

• DRC is committed to creating an inclusive work environment and is an equal opportunity employer.