Country Director, Central African Republic At Dr. Denis Mukwege Foundation

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Title: Country Director

Location: Bangui, Central African Republic, including travel to locations outside of Bangui

Period: Starting June 2026 for 12 months, with possibility to extend

Working days: Full-time

Reporting to: Director of Care and Country Programmes

About Us

The Dr. Denis Mukwege Foundation is an international rights-based, survivor-centred organisation working to change the global response to conflict-related sexual violence. The Dr. Denis Mukwege Foundation supports survivors’ demands for a world where sexual violence as a weapon of war is no longer tolerated, and bears consequences for individual perpetrators and states.

We work for a future where survivors receive the holistic care and compensation they need to rebuild their lives. We create opportunities for survivors to speak out and be heard, and where they can organise to create change, influence policies, and demand justice and accountability. We are working towards a future where sexual violence in conflict is no longer seen as inevitable but is recognised for what it is: a crime that should have consequences. We want the international community to draw a line against wartime sexual violence and to hold states and individuals accountable.

MF in Central African Republic

The Dr Denis Mukwege Foundation (MF) has been engaged in the Central African Republic (CAR) since 2018, by supporting the creation of the Mouvement de Survivantes en Centrafrique (MOSUCA), the country’s first national movement for survivors of sexual violence.

In 2020, the Foundation joined a consortium project named Nengo, or dignity in Sango, CAR’s local language. The project aimed to develop a one-stop centre in Bangui, inspired by the Panzi model from the Democratic Republic of Congo. MF was responsible for the medical and psychological care pillars of the project, together with Panzi Foundation DRC.

In 2021, MF established its first country office in Bangui, Central African Republic. Via the Nengo project (closed in June 2025) and in collaboration with other subsequent donors and partners such as the International Criminal Court’s Trust Fund for Victims, the Global Survivors Fund, the UN Humanitarian Fund, the UN Trust Fund to End Violence Against Women and Fistula Foundation, MF has been able to reach over 5000 survivors of gender-based violence, including women and girls with grave gynaecological problems, with access to holistic care services; and has ensured continued training for 2000+ healthcare workers, SGBV professionals and community health workers.

Job Overview

The Country Director leads the Mukwege Foundation’s country programme in the Central African Republic (CAR), providing strategic leadership, operational oversight, and representation at the highest level.

The role is responsible for the overall quality, coherence, and effective implementation of the country programme, including the annual planning process and budget management. The Country Director ensures the smooth functioning of the country office and provides direct leadership to the Country Management Team, consisting of the Programme Director, Logistics Coordinator, and Finance & Administration Coordinator. In total, the role oversees a team of approximately 25–30 staff.

As the Foundation’s senior representative in CAR, the Country Director engages with national authorities, donors, and key stakeholders, fostering strong partnerships and ensuring alignment with the organisation’s mission and objectives.

The role is also responsible for ensuring full compliance with Mukwege Foundation safeguarding standards, internal policies, national and international laws, and donor regulations. In addition, the Country Director identifies and supports the development of new strategic opportunities to strengthen programme impact.

The Country Director brings a solutions-oriented approach and excellent intercultural communication skills, with the ability to work effectively across diverse teams and contexts.

Main Responsibilities

Programme

  • Overseeing the management of the country programme in line with the agreed Strategic Plan and country-specific Annual Plan.
  • Ensure compliance with internal and donor reporting requirements including ensuring the submission of Monthly SitReps and regular Programme Progress reports and internal financial reporting.
  • Ensuring the timely and quality preparation and submission of donor reports and other project documentation.
  • Ensuring the application of sound feedback mechanisms throughout the country programme, in line with MF policy and guidance.

Representation and Fundraising

  • Representing the Foundation in different coordination fora, events, meetings and conferences, in coordination with other senior members of MF team in Bangui.
  • Coordinating with the country management team to ensure appropriate representation with relevant Ministries and other state partners.
  • Building strong and collaborative relationships with other stakeholders in CAR including survivor-led organisations, civil society organisations, healthcare actors, among others.
  • Identifying opportunities for fundraising related to MF’s programme ambitions in CAR, and contextual developments.
  • Developing high quality fundraising proposal drafts, and finalise where applicable, based on feedback from relevant technical team members.
  • Supporting strong relationships with current and potential future donors and partners.

Team Leadership and Management

  • Line managing the members of the country management team.
  • Ensuring appropriate coordination and communication to facilitate good functioning of the country office.
  • Organising and documenting coordination meetings and forums as appropriate among teams and staff and/or support other staff with supervision responsibilities to do the same.
  • Ensuring the application of all MF internal procedures and safeguarding policies and procedures.

Context and security monitoring and analysis

  • Closely monitoring the developments in-country at the national and regional level and providing regular analyses with regard to the security context and humanitarian situation.
  • Ensuring that the country programme’s security procedures are up-to-date and applied in line with MF policies.
  • Ensuring regular updating of the country security package and risk analysis matrix.
  • Collaborating with security networks in-country such as INSO, CCO, OCHA and MINUSCA to ensure the country office is up-to-date on the security context and relevant staff receive security updates and briefings.
  • Establishing a reliable communication chain about security incidents, brief and provide updates to all staff and visitors and ensure all visitors receive any required documentation upon entry into the country when on missions.
  • Ensuring the proper application of, and compliance with, security protocols and policies, and thus will support and encourage reporting any potential incidents and submit them in a timely manner according to MF policy.

Finance and Logistics

  • Ensuring the effective use and management of financial and logistical resources available to the country programme, including ensuring the regular updating of the office inventory and reporting on equipment use.
  • Supervising the execution of the programme and specific projects to meet internal and/or donor requirements, including ensuring that all financial reports are submitted on or before deadlines.

Working relationships and work-environment

  • Contributing to a good working environment and fostering good communication and working relationships among the country team and The Hague team, together with the Director of Care and Country Programmes.

Compliance, prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse, fraud and abuse of power

  • Maintaining MF’s good reputation and ensuring that MF’s Code of Conduct, integrity policy, anti-fraud and prevention of sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment, and safeguarding policies are well-known by staff, partners, beneficiaries and contractors, and are adhered to at all times.

Profile and qualifications

The ideal candidate brings a strong combination of leadership experience, technical expertise, and commitment to working with survivors of conflict related sexual violence in complex settings:

  • Excellent communication skills in French, with a strong working knowledge of English.
  • A minimum of 10 years of progressively responsible professional experience, including at least 5 years in international and/or multicultural environments.
  • Proven experience of at least 12 months in a Country Director or equivalent senior leadership role within an international NGO.
  • Strong experience in senior-level representation and donor relations management.
  • Solid understanding of the operational, political, and protection dynamics of working in fragile and conflict-affected contexts; experience in Central Africa is a strong asset.
  • Demonstrated experience working with survivor networks, local partners, and community-based organisations in conflict-affected settings, with a strong affinity for supporting survivors of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV). Experience with holistic care models and survivor-centred, trauma-informed approaches is highly valued.
  • Proven ability to manage and supervise multidisciplinary teams, with strong leadership and people management skills.
  • Experience in managing security and duty of care for teams operating in volatile or humanitarian environments.
  • Excellent interpersonal and intercultural communication skills, with the ability to build trust, demonstrate empathy, and engage respectfully with survivors and partners.
  • Strong analytical, strategic thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making abilities.
  • Flexible, proactive, and solutions-oriented, with a proven ability to adapt to changing contexts and contribute to meaningful change.
  • Ability to work under pressure with strong coping mechanisms in stressful environments.
  • Cultural sensitivity and the ability to operate effectively in insecure and complex environments.
  • Strong capacity to build partnerships and represent the organisation at senior and strategic levels.

Diversity

The Mukwege Foundation is an international organisation with a diverse, international team and its HQ office in The Netherlands.

We believe in the value of a diverse (leadership) team. We believe that a diverse, equitable and inclusive workplace is essential to our work. We welcome people from all backgrounds, ethnicities, cultures, and experiences. It will be considered a plus if the candidate can contribute to the diversity in our team.

Remuneration and benefits

The Dr Denis Mukwege Foundation offers a very competitive package for this position in CAR.

Salary conditions: This position is classified in the MF function house at scale 11. Depending on qualifications and experience, the basic gross salary will be between €4610 – €6022 per month. In addition, you will receive an allowance of €20 per day spent in CAR.

The compensation package includes:

  • Medical insurance and medical evacuation coverage
  • 20 days of annual leave
  • 3 rest and recuperation (R&R) periods per year for a maximum of 5 days each
  • One air ticket from the recognised domicile to Bangui at the beginning of the assignment and one air ticket from the Bangui to the recognised domicile at the end of the assignment
  • Transport and accommodation in Bangui

How to apply

Please send your cover letter and CV no later than 17 May 2026 to Lucy Shanahan at: vacancies@mukwegefoundation.org. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. The vacancy may be closed earlier if a suitable candidate is identified, so we encourage you to submit your application as soon as possible.

Please note that the Mukwege Foundation complies with the GDPR policy on personal data security. If you are not selected for this role, we will delete all applicant data from our records within three months of the vacancy deadline.