Country Director Afghanistan
Starting Date / Initial Contract Details
Mid-Late November 2025. Full-time, two years
Role Summary
Leading a diverse team who are committed to serve the world’s most vulnerable with practical and compassionate care the Country Director oversees all programme and support activities in-country, including security management. Representing Medair in all issues relating to the country programme, the Country Director plays a key role in donor relations and manages the country strategy and the project implementation in conjunction with senior field managers.
Project Overview
Medair provides multi-sector humanitarian support (health, nutrition, WASH and food assistance) in Kandahar and Uruzgan Provinces. Projects include primary health care level health and nutrition services in remote, hard to reach or underserved areas. Medair maintains capacity to respond to emergencies such as disease outbreak or displacement, including the recent Kunar earthquake.
Workplace & Conditions
Kabul, Afghanistan. Periodic visits to field bases and more remote project sites.
Responsibilities:
• Programme Management: Oversee delivery of Medair’s Afghanistan programme, ensuring effective and principled delivery of quality services. Design/ update strategy and oversee drafting of funding proposals.
· External Representation: of Medair to external stakeholders (incl. humanitarian, community, authorities &donors). Actively participate in coordination fora. Develop and maintain relationships with donors.
· Security Management: Responsible for security management within the country programme. Oversee updating of security plans and guidelines. Manage incidents and lead on contingency planning.
· Financial Management: Support budgeting, maintain oversight of spending and grant management. Ensure appropriate compliance and controls are in place to mitigate risks of fraud or disallowances.
· Staff Management: Oversee all HR related issues within the programme. Line manage assigned staff. Maintain clear communication. Support and develop the team to work together effectively, modelling Medair’s values.
Qualifications, Experience & Technical Competencies:
• Higher level qualification or University degree in relevant subject
• Language skills: Excellent English (spoken and written)
• At least 3 years post-qualification professional experience in a management role
· At least 1 years post qualification experience in a complex humanitarian emergency
• Experience of security management and team leadership
Behavioural Skills
• Strong servant leadership skills with a consultative management style. Diplomatic, good communicator.
• Adaptable, team player, with a good understanding of cross-cultural issues
• Capacity to work under pressure and manage personal stress levels. Ability to keep a cool head in a crisis.
• Able to oversee multiple tasks, prioritising and delegating as required. Strategic thinker.
• Committed to team-building and able to develop and support other team members
Team Spiritual Life
Reflect the values of Medair with team members, local staff, people we serve, and external contacts. Work, live, and pray together in our Christian faith-based teams. Fully contribute to a rich spiritual team life, including team devotion, prayer, and words of encouragement.
Before you apply
Please ensure you are fully aware of the:
- Medair is committed to safeguarding the protection of beneficiaries, volunteers, staff and partners, and particularly children. Therefore, we do not employ staff whose background we understand to be unsuitable for working with children. Medair staff are required to give the utmost respect to, and comply with,Medair’s accountability policies and best practices.
- Medair Relief & Recovery Orientation Course (ROC) (which forms part of the recruitment selection process for field positions).
Application Process
To apply, go to this vacancy on our Medair page. Please do not make multiple applications. We will not review email applications. Only English-language applications / CVs will be reviewed.