Country Director, Rwanda

Job Description

Devex Talent Solutions (DTS) is currently assisting CARE in their search for a Country Director to based in Rwanda.

The Country Director (CD) provides overall leadership and strategic direction for all operations within the country, ensuring alignment with CARE’s global mission to save lives, combat poverty, and promote social justice.

CARE seeks a visionary leader whose approach, experience, and behaviors reflect the following attributes:

• Leads with Purpose and Clarity
• Adapts to Complex Contexts
• Demonstrates an Entrepreneurial Mindset
• Models Integrity and Accountability
• Builds and Empowers Diverse Teams
• Engages and Influences Externally
• Drives Operational Discipline and Risk Awareness

The CD is accountable for program quality, operational excellence, and risk management in complex and fragile contexts, ensuring that resources are effectively managed and compliance standards are met.

As CARE’s primary representative, the CD cultivates and maintains high-level relationships with government authorities, donors, civil society, and the private sector. The role requires proactive resource mobilization, including developing innovative funding streams beyond traditional bilateral and institutional donors, and positioning the organization as a trusted and influential partner.

The CD champions innovation in programming, advancing community-led and locally owned solutions that meet the needs of vulnerable populations, especially women and girls. By fostering inclusive partnerships, the CD strengthens organizational resilience and sustainability, adapting to shifting political, economic, and security dynamics.

The CD also leads, mentors, and inspires a diverse team, driving a culture of accountability, learning, safety, and inclusion. With entrepreneurial thinking and visionary leadership, the CD ensures high performance, sustainable impact, and transformative change for communities.

RESPONSIBILITIES AND TASKS

Strategy and Execution (20%)

• Lead the development and execution of the Country Office’s multi-year strategy, ensuring alignment with CARE’s global and regional priorities while responding to the national development agenda.
• Drive organizational transformation and entrepreneurial innovation in roles, systems, and approaches, ensuring the CO remains agile, relevant, and competitive in a fast-changing environment.
• Exercise adaptive and opportunity-driven leadership, tailoring strategies to shifting political, social, and economic contexts while leveraging emerging opportunities.
• Build organizational capacity for strategic foresight and scenario planning, enabling evidence-based decision-making and resilience to shocks.

People Leadership and Development (20%)

• Provide visionary leadership to a diverse team, cultivating a culture of innovation, inclusion, collaboration, accountability, and alignment with CARE’s values.
• Champion a results-oriented environment by setting clear expectations, monitoring performance, and driving continuous improvement.
• Identify and develop exceptional talent, ensuring robust succession planning, leadership pathways, and entrepreneurial thinking across all levels.
• Strengthen resilience and organizational continuity through innovative knowledge transfer and capacity-building processes.

Resource Mobilisation & Representation (20%)

• Design and implement comprehensive resource mobilization strategies to secure diversified funding from institutional, multilateral, philanthropic, and private sector partners.
• Cultivate and expand relationships with traditional and emerging donors, government institutions, civil society, and private sector actors.
• Apply business-minded leadership to explore innovative financing models, including impact investments, CSR partnerships, social enterprises, and local resource generation, to strengthen sustainability.
• Represent CARE externally, positioning the CO as a credible and influential partner, enhancing its visibility, and shaping donor and policy agendas.

Operational Excellence & Risk Management (20%)

• Oversee operational systems to ensure efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and compliance with CARE global standards.
• Lead risk management and safeguarding efforts to protect staff, partners, and program participants, ensuring strong security, fraud mitigation, and regulatory compliance.
• Ensure financial sustainability through effective budgeting, cost recovery, and prudent allocation of resources.
• Monitor and adjust management structures to remain fit-for-purpose and proportionate to income.

Program Quality and Impact (20%)

• Ensure that programs are evidence-based, community-centered, and innovative, leveraging technology, entrepreneurial models, and digital solutions to deliver scalable and transformative impact.
• Ensure compliance with program quality standards, M&E systems, and timely delivery of high-quality projects.
• Foster local ownership by strengthening civil society capacity, co-creating solutions, and advancing CARE’s localisation agenda.
• Leverage partnerships with government, private sector, and communities to scale innovation and deepen program impact.

QUALIFICATIONS

EDUCATION/TRAINING

Required

• Bachelor’s Degree in related field

Desired

• Master’s Degree in related field

EXPERIENCE/TECHNICAL SKILLS

Required

• 6-8 years in senior management position in development field.
• Partnership Development: Expertise in cultivating, managing, and leveraging partnerships across sectors, including government, NGOs, and local organizations.
• Advocacy: Strong skills in influencing government policy and representing CARE’s interests in various forums.
• Team Management: Proficiency in recruiting, developing, and managing teams, including the ability to build the skills of existing staff and manage diverse teams across different contexts.
• Risk Management: Ability to identify, assess, and mitigate risks to ensure the safety and effectiveness of programs.
• Resource Mobilization: Experience in engaging with donors and securing funding to support program initiatives.
• Program Oversight: Strong skills in overseeing program implementation, ensuring innovation, quality, and alignment with strategic objectives.
• Cross-Sectoral Coordination: Ability to coordinate efforts across multiple sectors to achieve common goals.
• Operational Management: Managing operations, particularly in direct implementation contexts, to ensure efficient and effective service delivery.
• Diplomacy & Representation: Strong diplomatic skills, with experience working within cluster systems and representing the organization to external stakeholders.
• External Relations: Ability to foster cooperation with local and international actors, ensuring that partnerships contribute to organizational objectives.
• Change Management: Strategically planning, implementing, and communicating changes to ensure that they are well-received, adopted, and integrated by employees and stakeholders.

Desired

• Sector-Specific Knowledge: Familiarity with the sectors CARE operates in, including health, education, food security, and emergency response.
• Communication Skills: Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to articulate complex ideas clearly and persuasively.
• Networking: Established network within the international development sector, particularly with potential donors and partners.
• Monitoring & Evaluation: Knowledge of monitoring and evaluation (M&E) frameworks to track program impact and outcomes.
• Financial Management: Strong financial acumen, including budgeting, financial reporting, and ensuring cost-effective use of resources.
• Crisis Management: Experience in managing crises and responding to emergencies in challenging environments.
• Digital Literacy: Successfully adopts and champions new technology (digital solutions) to the relevant context. Is aware of technological trends and improves or solves business challenges by identifying, applying, or creating technological solutions.