Country Director, Ukraine At International Rescue Committee

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CONTEXTUAL BACKGROUND

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) has worked across the Middle East, North Africa, and Ukraine (MENAU) region for more than twenty years, responding to some of the world’s most complex and protracted humanitarian crises.

Today, more than 75 million people across the MENAU are in need of humanitarian assistance, as conflict, displacement, climate change, and economic instability continue to disrupt lives and limit access to essential services. Vulnerable groups—especially women, children, and people on the move—remain most at risk.

With more than 1,500 staff working across Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Syria, Yemen, and Ukraine, the IRC delivers integrated programs that meet both immediate and long-term needs improving access to health, safety, education, and economic wellbeing, and helping those affected by crisis to survive, recover, and rebuild their lives.

IRC Ukraine is entering its fourth year of response to the full-scale invasion by Russian in February 2022 and, as such, is an evolving country program into a new phase of the response. The office has three field offices, in addition to the main office in Kyiv, over 250 staff and 15 local partners. All programming activities are located in the East and Southeast of the country, in the areas along the frontline, in the sectors of protection (child protection, women & girls protection, and general protection), economic recovery & development, and health.

SCOPE OF WORK

The Country Director for Ukraine is responsible for overall leadership and management of IRC operations in the country, including stewardship of resources, staff safety and security, program quality and accountability, and performance management. The Country Director is likewise IRC’s principal representative to the government of Ukraine, donors, international organizations, other NGOs, and the media. In this role, you will be responsible for responding effectively to a constantly evolving environment with effective humanitarian and early recovery programs, implemented directly and alongside partner organizations. Finally, the Country Director leads country program staff in pursuing the outcomes identified in the Strategy Action Plan (SAP), bringing them together to deliver high-quality, cost-effective programming results.

Success in this position will require you to show exemplary leadership abilities with strong communications and interpersonal skills. The successful candidate will enjoy developing networks to build partnerships and diversify program resources and will have prior experience with programming and systems in complex insecure environments. Given the operating environment, the Country Director will need to be attentive to risk management and have proven skills in leading strategy development.

Reporting to the Senior Director for the Ukraine Crisis, this position receives support from regional and headquarters staff in the areas of program quality, new business development, safety and security management, finance, operations management, and external affairs. The Country Director is expected to actively participate in defining the IRC’s public advocacy positions.

The overall security situation in Ukraine is dynamic and varies from one IRC operating area to another. Security is volatile in IRC areas of operation, and this role requires someone with strong context analysis and security and access experience. This position should expect frequent travel within the country.

SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES

Leadership and Representation

  • Lead the country program by maintaining open and professional relations with colleagues, promoting a strong team spirit, and providing guidance, oversight, and resources to enable staff to perform successfully.
  • Lead strategic representation and positioning with Ukraine Government authorities at various levels; donors (including institutional, non-institutional and private), European Union; UN and other international organizations; international and local NGOs; and networks such as INGO coordination mechanisms and appropriate working groups. Develop and maintain a high level of understanding of donor priorities and planned funding.
  • Play a leadership role in efforts to improve humanitarian response coordination in Ukraine
  • Provide leadership for strong, mutually beneficial, and effective partnerships with Ukrainian organizations.
  • Seek out and pursue respectful and safe opportunities to raise the profile of the work of the IRC and its partners in Ukraine, as well as the lives and the needs of the people the IRC seeks to serve.
  • Lead country program collaboration with colleagues in the IRC’s MENAU region to deliver regional programming and advocacy.
  • Ensure leadership and management processes enable the IRC to effectively adapt to contextual changes and fully leverage opportunities to expand humanitarian access and assistance.
  • Collaborate closely with regional leadership and neighboring country programs to address cross-border and regional issues coherently and effectively.

Strategic Direction, Program Quality and Growth

  • Set the strategic vision and direction of the country program is aligned with IRC’s strategy to serve more people with the most responsive and highest quality programming possible and secure the resources necessary to do so.
  • Ensure the strategy action plan is of quality, implemented and guides decision making, to achieve IRC’s ambitions in Ukraine and contribute to IRC’s strategic objectives globally.
  • Ensure program quality through consistent use throughout the country program of rigorous assessment, design, and proposal development and review processes; comprehensive monitoring & evaluation, accountability and learning systems; staff development investments; and partner organization capacity strengthening.
  • Actively seek out and pursue opportunities to expand, in line with the IRC’s mission, humanitarian, resilience and development programming in Ukraine, in terms of populations and areas served.
  • Develop a deep understanding of the geopolitical landscape and remain current on context analysis and develop responsive strategies to ensure the IRC mission can be carried out appropriately in case of contextual changes.
  • Ensure timely submission of competitive, responsive, and high-quality proposals, and support colleagues in negotiations with donors.
  • Lead implementation of IRC’s objective of expanding partnerships with Lebanese civil society organizations, and ensuring strong collaborative, principled partnerships that deliver effective and efficient program outcomes.
  • Remain current on national and regional issues impacting the country program and partners and develop responsive strategies to changing contexts.
  • Ensure the SMT delivers the leadership, management structures, staffing skills and approaches, and operational systems required to ensure a coherent “one IRC” approach to achieve Ukraine and regional objectives.
  • Identify opportunities for appropriate expansion and growth of programs, supported by the acquisition and investment of human resources

Emergency Response Management

  • Take primary responsibility for overall strategic and operational emergency response readiness and action for the country program.
  • Lead Country Context Analysis, Emergency Response Planning and Strategy Development as well as In-Country Emergency Response Teams
  • Ensure the country program maintains robust emergency preparedness and response capacity, including crisis management structures, clear decision-making protocols, and surge readiness to enable rapid operational scale-up or adaptation in volatile contexts.
  • Lead and oversee the management timely, well-coordinated, and principled responses to emergencies, including conflict escalation, displacements, critical incidents, and program disruptions.
  • Engage with Regional and Global Emergency Response Teams prior to, during and post emergency response, in line with organizational Emergency Guidelines.
  • Represent IRC with peer organizations, and other emergency response agencies operating in Ukraine.
  • Ensure coordinated emergency response in the event of cross-border/regional emergencies.

Safety and Security Management

  • Take primary responsibility for overall management of safety and security for the country program.
  • Lead and oversee the management of all security risks and incidents, ensure timely, well-coordinated, and ensure primacy of the wellbeing and security of our clients, staff and partners. Create and maintain a culture of safety and security awareness throughout the country program, including training and briefings that prepare all country program staff for security incident prevention and response.
  • Keep security, evacuation, and contingency plans current and accessible to country program staff.
  • Maintain close coordination and communication with the Regional Safety and Security Director on safety and security concerns and evolving issues that could adversely affect IRC staff or operations.
  • Liaise with the regional office, with peer agencies and use the tools and information portals available to keep abreast of all security-related matters; In case of necessity, ensure adequate roll-out of emergency procedures.

Staff Performance Management and Development

  • Supervise and mentor direct-report staff, including communicating clear expectations, setting performance objectives, providing regular and timely performance feedback, and leading documented semi-annual performance reviews.
  • Provide direct oversight and guidance to multi-disciplinary teams across cross-cultural settings, ensuring performance excellence and alignment with strategic objectives.
  • Effectively manage staff across various functions and locations, including setting clear expectations, performance monitoring, and accountability frameworks.
  • Lead sensitive and complex staff-related conversations (e.g., performance issues, conflict resolution) with professionalism, empathy, and respect.
  • Mentor and coach high-potential staff to support career progression and leadership development within the organization.
  • Promote a culture of continuous learning and knowledge sharing across teams and departments.
  • Pursue nationalization of senior management positions, especially as the country program stabilizes.
  • Promote and monitor staff care and well-being. Support appropriate interventions in response to identified staff care needs of both national and international staff.
  • Undertake regular reviews of labor and salary markets in Ukraine for the purpose of enhancing the competitiveness of the IRC’s overall compensation package for national staff.

Stewardship and Operational Management

  • Drive operational excellence to achieve optimal efficiency and cost-effectiveness in all functions and operations of the country program.
  • Oversee the development, deployment and utilization of financial and operational policies, procedures, and systems to deliver compliance with IRC and donor requirements.
  • Ensure responsiveness and appropriate levels of in-person and remote support to all offices, especially in the areas of People and Culture, Finance, Compliance and Risk Management and Supply Chain.
  • Provide timely and effective oversight of the Ukraine country program’s financial position.
  • Maintain effective and coordinated budget monitoring processes for grant funds and discretionary funds.
  • Ensure a country-wide culture of safeguarding, grounded in accountability, transparency, and survivor-centered response. Provide strategic leadership to mainstream safeguarding across all country program operations and partnerships, in line with IRC’s Safeguarding Policy.

Key Working Relationships

Position Reports to: Regional Vice President – MENAU

Position directly Supervises: Direct reports include the Deputy Director for Programs, Deputy Director for Finance, the Deputy Director for Operations, People and Culture Deputy Director, Safety & Security Coordinator, and other support leadership positions.

Key Internal stakeholders: Country Program: All staff, Region: MENAU Regional Team, Head Office: Crisis Response and Recovery Department (CRRD), Ethics & Compliance, Operations and Strategy, Finance, Global Philanthropy & Partnerships, Technical Excellence and General Counsel.

Key External Stakeholders: Partner organizations, host country government officials, public and private donor agencies, international and national NGOs, UN agencies

PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS

Strong leadership abilities and interpersonal skills, and ability to deploy strong communications effectively, both internally and externally, and in emergency operational contexts. Ability to build networks, partnerships and diversify program resources.

  • Graduate degree in a relevant field preferred.
  • At least 12 years of dynamically responsible international work experience, including leadership at the Country Director level of multi-site, multi-sectoral operations in a complex operating environment, with demonstrated responsibility for emergency preparedness, crisis management, and operational response. Preference for experience in the MENAU Region.
  • Prior experience working within organizational structures in transition.
  • Experience working in conflict/post-conflict or disaster response situation.
  • Fluency in English is required. Fluency in Ukrainian an asset.

Demonstrated Technical and Leadership Competencies

  • Proven leadership in managing diverse, cross-cultural teams with a strong focus on staff development and mentorship.
  • Skilled in navigating complex ethical, security, and operational challenges in dynamic contexts.
  • Strong communicator with experience representing organizations to donors, partners, media, and senior stakeholders.
  • Demonstrated success in program oversight, donor compliance, and strategic fundraising, particularly with US and European donors.
  • Effective in partnership management, budget oversight, and responding to shifting priorities with agility.

How to apply

Visit IRC Careers: https://theirc.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/External_Careers/job/Kyiv-Ukraine/Country-Director–Ukraine_JR00004739