CARE is seeking an experienced country director (CD) to lead its operations in Afghanistan. The CD position in Afghanistan offers an exceptional and exciting opportunity for the right candidate.   The CD is CARE's most senior representive in the country and is responsible for ensuring that CARE's work in Afghanistan contributes to CARE's vision of "a world of hope, tolerance and social justice, where poverty has been overcome and people live with dignity and security."  The CD is expected to provide strategic leadership and general management oversight to the country operations, ensuring that CARE's role and mandate in the country is appropriate to the opportunities and challenges posed by the operating context. The CD is responsible for ensuring quality design, implementation and impact achievement of CARE Afghanistan's programs and advocacy efforts while fulfilling compliance of management standards at all levels of the CO as well as ensuring mechanisms for staff safety and security.

The CD is responsible for positioning CARE in Afghanistan as a partner of choice and a significant contributor to reducing poverty, social injustice, and exclusion of marginalized groups, especially women and girls from poor communities. As country director, he/she will proactively participate in various high-level advocacy work jointly with other partners both within Afghanistan and at the regional level with principled positions and diplomacy.  

The country director is responsible for overseeing implementation of CARE Afghanistan's strategic plan, including fund generation and management of a diverse program portfolio (including emergency programming), and aligning those with CARE USA and CARE International strategic plans. She/he will also ensure that systems are in place and properly implemented that advance the proper administrative & financial management, talent development, well-being and safety of CARE staff and the proper stewardship of CARE's resources.

The country director is responsible for promoting gender equity and diversity and ensuring an organizational culture where CARE's core values - Respect, Integrity, Commitment and Excellence - are practiced, team work is encouraged and all staff feel valued. She/he is responsible for establishing and maintaining strategic and productive relationships with host government officials, donors, partners, as well as both in-country and sub-regional civil society networks.   Beyond Afghanistan, the CD is an active member of the Asia Regional Leadership Team and thus responsible to contributing to the overall regional leadership and management strengthening processes, through liaising with various regional working groups and other Asia Regional Management Unit members.  

Requirements include:

• Bachelor's degree (master's preferred)
• 8+ years in senior management in the development field, ideally in Afghanistan or a similar context.  
• Demonstrated leadership and management skills in a complex international setting as well as the ability to coach and develop staff from a variety of backgrounds.  
• Strong financial management skills, including complex budget management, audit follow-up, and donor compliance & reporting.  
• Solid experience in establishing and maintaining collaborative relationships with donors and government counterparts. 
• Experience in leading in highly complex/emergency environments is also critical, as is the ability to manage crises and sudden developments with calmness and professionalism.  

This position is currently open to accompaniment for spouses only. Depending on the security situation, this status may be subject to change.