Country Director, Tajikistan At Mission East

Location: Dushanbe, Tajikistan. With regular trips to project locations throughout the country.

Occasional travel to other of our office locations as required by the role.

Contract: 24 Month Fixed Term, with opportunity to renew.

Mission East is an international relief and development organisation working in crisis-affected countries in the former Soviet Union, the Middle East, Asia and Africa. We deliver emergency relief during disasters as well as long-term development assistance. We are based on Christian values. Mission East works to support vulnerable people and help local communities lift themselves out of poverty and marginalisation. We work directly with our beneficiaries or through local and international partners. We constantly strive to strengthen the relevance, effect and sustainability of our programmes.

More information on Mission East can be found at: https://missioneast.org

Our work in Tajikistan

Mission East has a twenty-year record of working in Tajikistan. Our organization started post-war with a relief programme and then moved into development programming, with a focus on rural community development and disability & inclusion.

Mission East has its country office in the capital Dushanbe, with programmes in Sughd, Khatlon, and Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region. The major programme areas are WASH, DRR and Inclusion (especially disability and gender rights). Mission East’s work takes place both by direct implementation and work with local civil society partners and is funded by a variety of (primarily European) institutional donors.

The role of Country Director

The role of Country Director will contribute to the further strategic direction of Mission East’s activities in Tajikistan and will lead and direct Mission East activities in Tajikistan delivering all aspects of country programme management such that they are compliant to internationally recognised standards of quality, good practice, and local legislative requirements.

The Country Director will be accountable for in-country leadership and representation of all aspects of Mission East’s work in Tajikistan; management and expansion of a set of successful rights-based WASH, DRR and Social Inclusion projects; coordination and leadership of the related teams of technical and support staff, and; development of the existing projects and teams into a cohesive country portfolio with a sound and sustainable financial base and effective government and institutional donor relations.

About the candidate

We are in search of an individual with demonstrable management experience and who can demonstrate their experience and involvement in hands-on development work in rural, remote and challenging locations. We’re looking for a candidate with substantial experience in overseas programme and office management in an international relief and/ or development setting, preferably in the sectors relevant to current Tajikistan portfolio. This must include significant field experience including management of national and international staff, project planning and implementation, and budget management. With a university degree in a relevant field and fluent in spoken and written English, individuals will be experienced in donor liaison, preparation and successful funding of large relief and development projects, including budgets, log frames, and work plans.

Leadership experience in a humanitarian/development INGO setting, including strategy development and detailed coordination is essential. You will bring cultural awareness and excellent interpersonal and cross-cultural communication skills and be able to negotiate and work with foreign experts, managers, government officials, national staff, other non-governmental staff, local civil society actors, community elders etc. As a candidate, as well as the other competences and skills listed in the selection criteria, you will display personal integrity and high standards of personal conduct and a sympathy with Mission East organisational values.