Country Representative - CARE Cuba

Job Description

CARE Canada is looking for a Country Representative - Cuba

ABOUT THE ROLE / WHAT THE ROLE OFFERS

CARE Canada’s bold Strategic Plan, From Caring Comes Courage (2021 – 2027), sets out CARE Canada’s commitment to bring all our resources, talent, and expertise together to unlock women’s leadership for a gender-just future. It recognizes that to lead change and realize a better life for herself and her community, every woman needs to be safe, healthy and have a dignified livelihood. It also fundamentally realizes that ‘business as usual’ is no longer good enough: this Plan challenges us to reimagine how we achieve our mission, inspire Canadian investment in that mission, and transform our organization to be future-ready.  “From Caring Comes Courage” includes two explicit commitments related to Decolonization and localization and to Diversity Equity and Inclusion.

Within the Confederation of CARE International, CARE Canada is responsible for CARE Cuba, and the country representative (CR) we are looking for is a champion of decoloniality, promotion of locally led leadership and diversity, equity and inclusion.

In Cuba, there is no register for international NGOs. The CR is considered an employee of CARE Canada at all effects and has the mandate to represent all the CMPs that have interest in the country.

The Country Representative (CR) has the overall responsibility for the effective management of CARE International interests in country of assignment based on CARE International and CARE Canada’s mission, vision, core values and program principals and Operational Code.

The position encompasses the leadership and overall responsibility of the CARE Cuba’s performance, improving program quality and expanding current programing; ensuring communication with donors, CARE Canada and other CARE International members; strengthening of the financial management system; enhancing internal controls, ensuring the CO’s financial viability, and enhancing team capacity. The CR reports to the CPO (Chief Program Officer), is in regular contact with Corporate Finance and receives support upon need from the Security Advisor, HR, and other relevant units at CARE Canada.

The CR models CARE Canada’s commitments towards Diversity Equity and Inclusion, and promotes Decolonization and Locally led programming and leadership as per CARE Canada operational plan. They model and ensures systematic practice of CI values and new ways of working by fostering innovation, helping to build effective teams, coalitions and networks and encouraging on-going team development to motivate and strengthen the teams’ resilience in the face of change. They promote gender equality and diversity among the CARE Cuba team and in programming.

In doing so, they:

Ensures that CARE’s role in the country continuously evolves for maximum impact and relevance to the environment

Positions CARE as a partner of choice and an influential voice in reducing poverty and social injustice and promoting gender equality.

Leads the changes aligned to the CARE Cuba Country Presence Review outcomes, as per CI global program strategy and 2020 vision

Country Office Highlights

CARE has been present in Cuba since 1995 where it maintains a program of approx. $1-2 million annual budget, focused on food security; disaster risk reduction and humanitarian response; and the socio-economic empowerment of communities – with a particular focus on women and youth. The program is fully implemented through Cuban partners (with no direct CARE Cuba implementation) and in close collaboration with Cuban Government Ministries and other authorities. As such, the CARE office in Havana is small; the CR works with a team of 5-12 including key team of local partners. Canadian and European (member states, and private actors) donors currently fund the CARE program in Cuba. It is the CR’s responsibility to keep abreast of and pursue new resource mobilization opportunities, together with the CARE Member Partners that support CARE Cuba.

WHAT YOU OFFER / ABOUT YOU

• University degree in a relevant discipline or equivalent combination of education and work experience

• Minimum of ten years of experience in international development or humanitarian assistance;

• At least five years of successful experience at the senior management level in overseas postings, in countries vulnerable to multiple natural hazards / disasters (experience in country of assignment is preferred);

• Proven experience in leading multi-disciplinary and multi-national teams;

• Leading the review and reformulation of strategic plans;

• Solid understanding of financial and budget management, and of best practice programming (expertise by sector would be an asset);

• Proven abilities in decision-making and problem-solving including in emergency contexts;

• Experience in security management; and

• Flexibility and willingness to undertake local, regional and international travel.

• Bilingual (spoken and written fluency in Spanish and English)

• Capacity to understand and adapt to different culture

WHAT WOULD MAKE YOU EXTRAORDINARY

• Past experience working in a highly government-controlled environment (preferably Cuba)
• Experience working in a non-direct implementation/delivery environment, working through local partners for successful program implementation
• Master’s degree in relevant discipline is an asset.

REQUIREMENTS

Promote and maintain an organizational culture that advances gender equality, reduces power abuse and inequalities, and fosters trust and safety.

Create an environment within CARE’s workplaces, programming, and communities where CARE works that is free from sexual harassment, sexual abuse and sexual exploitation and child abuse (SHEA-CA).

Ensure high standards of prevention and response measures for SHEA-CA are in place consistent with the CARE International (CI) Safeguarding Policy and Safeguarding Code of Conduct.

WHAT WE OFFER / ABOUT CARE

• Starting salary range between $115,000 - $125,000 base salary, plus allowances
• Comprehensive benefits package and confidential employee assistance program services available to you and your dependents from your first day of employment
• 3 weeks of annual leave (increases to 4 weeks from 2nd year of employment)
• In addition to annual leave, we offer a December 24-January 1 office closure so we can all recharge simultaneously
• Inclusive holiday policy
• Paid sick leave
• Parental leave top-up
• Employer contributions to group pension plan after first year of employment
• Optional participation in group RRSP (eligible from first day of employment)
• International travel opportunities
• Annual all-staff retreat in Ottawa
• Learning and development opportunities and specialized training
• Flexible work hours to support employee wellbeing and productivity
• A focus on wellness and work-life balance
• Amazing colleagues who are very committed to CARE’s mission

If you are someone who thrives on challenge, loves to be part of a dynamic team and you are passionate about making a difference, then this opportunity is for you! Don’t think you check all the boxes? Reach out anyway – we would love to hear how your experience translates to this role! Please apply directly at https://bit.ly/4hMAUQh by April 11, 2025. Please note resumes will be reviewed on an ongoing basis and the advertisement will be removed once a candidate has been identified. We are only able to consider candidates who currently have the right to work in Canada.

CARE Canada is committed to employment equity, welcomes diversity in the workplace and encourages applications from all qualified applicants. Recruitment-related accommodations for persons with disabilities are available on request.

CARE Canada has a mandatory vaccination policy currently in place with accommodations based on the Ontario Human Rights Code.

As part of CARE Canada’s commitment to preventing sexual harassment, exploitation and abuse, we conduct reference checks on all final stage candidates in line with the Interagency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. By applying to this role with CARE Canada, you are giving us consent to contact your previous employers to seek information in line with this scheme.

About the Organization

Founded in 1945 with the creation of the CARE Package®, CARE is a leading humanitarian organization fighting global poverty. CARE places special focus on working alongside women and girls. Equipped with the proper resources women and girls have the power to lift whole families and entire communities out of poverty. In 2023, CARE worked in 109 countries, reaching 167 million people through more than 1,600 projects. To learn more, visit www.care.ca

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