Country Director at HIAS

ABOUT US:

Over one hundred years ago, the Jewish community founded HIAS (originally the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society) in New York City, the immigrant gateway to America. Supporting Jews fleeing persecution and poverty in Eastern Europe, our founders were guided by the traditions, texts, and history of the Jewish people – a history of oppression, displacement, and diaspora. HIAS has since helped generations of Jews facing violence because of who they were, and HIAS remains committed to helping Jewish refugees anywhere in the world. Today, our clients at HIAS come from diverse faiths, ethnicities, and backgrounds, as do our staff. We bring our experience, history, and values to our work across five continents, ensuring that refugees today receive the vital services and opportunities they need to thrive.

HIAS is a learning community, committed to diversity and inclusion. We do our work with integrity, accountability, transparency, and a commitment to the highest ethical standards. We seek employees from diverse backgrounds and life experiences to join our teams located in the United States and across the globe. People who identify as BIPOC, people with disabilities, people from the LGBTQ+ community, and people with lived experiences of forced displacement or immigration are all encouraged to apply. We are committed to building a diverse workforce that reflects our vision, mission, and values.

VISION:

HIAS stands for a world in which refugees find welcome, safety, and opportunity.

MISSION:

Drawing on our Jewish values and history, HIAS provides vital services to refugees and asylum seekers around the world and advocates for their fundamental rights so they can rebuild their lives.

VALUES:

Welcome • Acogimiento • Hospitalité • Hachnasat Orchim

We Welcome the Stranger

Justice • Justicia • Justice • Tzedek

We Pursue Justice

Empathy • Empatía • Empathie • Chesed

We Approach our Clients with Empathy

Partnership • Compañerismo • Coopération • Chevruta

We Believe in Changing the World through Partnership

Courage • Coraje • Courage • Ometz

We Act with Courage to Build a Better World

Resilience • Resiliencia • Résilience • Ruach

We Adapt and Thrive, Continuously Demonstrating our Resilience

POSITION SUMMARY:

HIAS seeks a Country Director, Venezuela who will be responsible for overseeing HIAS’ operations in Venezuela and the implementation of its community protection services for vulnerable populations, including refugees and host community members. The Country Director, Venezuela provides strategic vision and leadership, ensuring that HIAS Venezuela’s programs align with HIAS’ Refugee Rights Framework. They are also the public face of the agency, regularly engaging with various stakeholders from the government, multilateral agencies, private and public donors, the private sector, and both international and national NGOs to help advance humanitarian assistance, refugee rights, and protection.

The successful candidate has demonstrated the ability to build capacity and provide effective leadership and management skills. They have a strong commitment to refugee protection and relevant experience implementing, monitoring and overseeing humanitarian programs. This role reports to the Regional Director, LAC and works closely with HQ stakeholders across multiple departments. This role is based in Caracas, Venezuela, with frequent travel throughout Venezuela.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

PROGRAM MANAGEMENT

• Develops detailed strategic goals and vision for HIAS Venezuela in alignment with HIAS’ Refugee Rights Framework, regional strategy, and commitment to principled humanitarian assistance.
• In coordination with HIAS’ technical specialists, oversees the design and successful implementation of all programs offered by HIAS Venezuela.
• Works closely with HQ and Regional Office to develop country program objectives.
• Manages the timely submission of high-quality proposals and leads required donor negotiations.
• Ensures that all staff have the necessary tools, resources, and information to deliver and evaluate services that meet or exceed internationally accepted standards and protocols.
• Maintains responsibility for all reporting to donors and HQ.

OUTREACH & REPRESENTATION

• Serves as HIAS’ primary liaison with key partners and stakeholders in Venezuela, particularly the relevant government authorities and other domestic and global partners, including multilateral agencies, private and public donors, the private sector, and both international and national NGOs.
• Represents HIAS in all national humanitarian coordination mechanisms where HIAS is participating in the Venezuela context and liaises with the Regional Office to coordinate HIAS’ position in these and other regional humanitarian coordination fora.
• Liaises with HIAS’ Advocacy, Communication, Community Engagement and Development teams as needed, drafts and edits materials for outreach and representational purposes.

HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT

• Manages and builds the capacity of HIAS Venezuela employees.
• Ensures a positive work environment and compliance with HIAS’ Core Values, Code of Conduct, and Safeguarding policies for all field office staff.
• Provides ongoing training and learning opportunities in areas of core competency and priority.
• Establishes organizational structure, job descriptions, performance measurements that reflect clear work expectations aligned with program goals and HIAS Venezuela’s HR manual.
• Works collaboratively with regional and HQ liaisons on all personnel-related issues and ensures compliance with local labor laws and regulations.

FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT

• Oversees the overall implementation of all necessary financial and administrative systems to ensure that HIAS Venezuela has met all legal requirements and operates in a manner consistent with HIAS’ global financial standards.
• Oversees financial reporting, audit and in-country financial legal compliance, and cash flow.
• Provides timely, accurate and effective oversight of all aspects of country financial operations consistent with laws, donor requirements, and HIAS’ policies and procedures.
• Implements effective fiscal controls and institutes and monitors a system to ensure the accuracy and timeliness of all aspects of financial managements.
• Provides regular reports to HQ to ensure grant compliance and safeguard against uncovered program costs in budgets.

ACCOUNTABILITY

• Models HIAS’ values through collaboration, strategic decision-making, evidence-based programming, and efficient management of resources.
• Ensures accountability through effective monitoring and impact assessment; complies with HIAS and donor policies, procedures, and requirements.
• Ensures accountability through HIAS’ Accountability to Affected Populations (AAP) framework.
• Ensures compliance with HIAS’ Prevention of Sexual Exploitation & Abuse (PSEA) policies by all staff.
• Contributes to the development of systems to better measure and demonstrate the impact of HIAS’ work.
• Creates a managerial environment in country to safeguard refugee protection and ensure adequate training to all employees and those representing HIAS on HIAS’ safeguarding policies and procedures.
• Ensures compliance of staff, volunteers and project partners with all HIAS’ policies and procedures.

SAFETY & SECURITY

• Maintains responsibility for safety and security of all HIAS employees and assets.
• Ensures that updated safety and security policies and procedures are in place and implemented.
• Consistently monitors the security environment in Venezuela and provides analysis to the Regional Director, LAC and the Senior Director, Safety & Security.

QUALIFICATIONS & REQUIREMENTS:

• Graduate degree required.
• A minimum of ten (10) years of experience with the NGO sector, specifically in humanitarian response and emergency settings; a minimum of five (5) years of experience managing country programs in excess of 250 staff.
• Must be a Venezuelan citizen, resident, or willing to relocate to Venezuela.
• Oral and written fluency in English and Spanish required.
• Experience in age, gender, and diversity mainstreaming, PSEA and community-based and human rights approaches preferred.
• Excellent written communication and oral presentation skills, including experience presenting to a wide variety of audiences; demonstrated ability to work effectively with a wide range of stakeholders and facilitate multiparty discussion and collaboration.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook) and budget and accounting software.
• Experience developing and implementing project objectives, indicators and budgets; experience in cash-based interventions and work with vulnerable populations.
• Knowledge of results-based management and experience overseeing procurement and audit procedures a plus.
• Excellent strategic thinking and problem-solving skills; a flexible, creative, and collaborative working style.
• Ability to travel throughout Venezuela, regionally and internationally, as required, at times to insecure or difficult working environments.
• Commitment to HIAS’ mission and values and refugee protection.

DIVERSITY:

HIAS is committed to a diverse and inclusive workplace. As an equal opportunity employer, all qualified applicants will be considered for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, ethnic background, ancestry, citizenship status, religious creed, age, sex, gender, sexual orientation, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, registered domestic partner or civil union status, familial status, pregnancy, childbirth, military status, protected veteran status, political orientation, or other legally protected status.