Job Description
Country Director – Solomon Islands
Location: Honiara, Solomon Islands (with flexibility to redeploy as required)
About the role
Cognition Learning Group is seeking an experienced Country Director to lead our operations in the Solomon Islands. This is a senior, high-impact leadership role with full accountability for country performance, programme delivery, commercial outcomes and stakeholder relationships.
As the Group’s senior in-country representative, you will provide strategic and operational leadership across a complex portfolio of donor-funded and government programmes, ensuring high-quality delivery, strong financial performance and an outstanding reputation with clients and partners.
Key responsibilities
- Act as Cognition Learning Group’s senior executive representative in-country, providing visible, credible leadership
- Lead and integrate all country operations, programmes and contracts under clear governance and accountability
- Ensure successful delivery of all contracts to scope, quality, timeline and compliance requirements
- Own commercial and financial performance, including budgets, forecasts, margins and cost control
- Build and maintain strong senior relationships with governments, donors and partners (e.g. MFAT, DFAT, ADB)
- Serve as the primary escalation point for client, contractual and delivery issues
- Lead, manage and develop senior in-country leaders and teams (60+ staff)
- Ensure compliance with donor, legal, safeguarding, health & safety and organisational policies
- Oversee risk management, audit readiness and governance processes
- Contribute market insight and strategic input to regional and Group leadership
About you
You are a confident, commercially astute leader with a strong track record in complex delivery environments. You are comfortable operating at executive level, managing multiple stakeholders, and leading diverse teams in international or low-resource contexts.
Essential experience and skills:
- Proven senior leadership experience with accountability for delivery, people and financial performance
- Experience leading multiple contracts or programmes simultaneously
- Strong commercial and financial management capability (budgets, forecasts, margins)
- Senior-level client and stakeholder management experience
- Experience working with governments, donors or multilateral agencies
- Strong leadership, decision-making and problem-solving skills
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- High intercultural competence and experience leading diverse teams
Desirable:
- Experience as a Country Director, Country Manager, Regional Lead or similar
- Knowledge of international education systems, education reform or capacity-building programmes
- Familiarity with donor compliance frameworks (MFAT, DFAT, ADB or similar)
- Postgraduate qualification in international development, education, public policy, business administration or related field
Why join Cognition Learning Group?
- Opportunity to lead high-impact education and development programmes
- Senior leadership role with real influence and autonomy
- Work with committed, values-driven professionals across the globe
- Competitive salary and benefits package
How to apply
Please submit your CV and a cover letter outlining your suitability for the role by 27 February. Panel interviews will be held in WC 9th March 2026
About the Organization
Cognition Learning Group is a leading provider of education, training, consultancy, and digital learning solutions. With offices around the globe, we proudly deliver knowledge to communities in more than 30 countries worldwide. We offer a wide range of services, designed to improve learning outcomes, create opportunities, and change lives for the better.
