Country Manager – Afghanistan

Are you a seasoned humanitarian professional with a passion for making a tangible difference in one of the world’s most challenging environments? The Danish Red Cross is seeking a dynamic and experienced Country Manager to lead our mission in Afghanistan. In this pivotal role, you will shape the strategic direction of our operations, manage a dedicated team, and build strong partnerships with the Afghan Red Crescent Society (ARCS) and other key stakeholders. Your leadership will directly contribute to improving the lives of the most vulnerable communities in Afghanistan.

As the leader of our dedicated team of five—including one international delegate and four national staff—you will play a pivotal role in shaping and driving our mission forward. Our team is united by a shared purpose: to strengthen ARCS’s capacity, deliver essential services, and build resilience within communities facing immense challenges.

Your main tasks include:

• Strategic Leadership: Provide visionary leadership and strategic direction to the DRC team in Afghanistan, ensuring alignment with our International and Country Strategy. You will oversee the development and management of a diverse portfolio of humanitarian projects, focusing on health, emergency response, and capacity building.
• Team and Security Management: Lead and manage a team of international delegates and national staff, fostering a high-performance culture while ensuring their safety and well-being. You will be responsible for maintaining a secure operating environment and updating the security plan in collaboration with regional and global security advisors.
• Programme Development and Management: Drive the development of new programmes in partnership with ARCS and other stakeholders. Monitor and evaluate ongoing projects to ensure they meet their objectives, comply with donor requirements, and deliver sustainable impact. You will oversee all financial management aspects, ensuring that funds are used efficiently and transparently.
• Partnerships and Representation: Serve as the DRC’s key representative in Afghanistan, building and maintaining strategic partnerships with ARCS, IFRC, ICRC, and other national and international organizations. You will lead the dialogue with donors, mobilize resources, and advocate for the needs of the most vulnerable populations.
• Capacity Building: Support the ARCS in enhancing their capacity for effective programme implementation, focusing on areas such as health services, disaster management, and volunteer management. Your guidance will help ARCS strengthen their operational capabilities and improve community resilience.

What we are looking for:

• Extensive Experience: Minimum of 8 years of experience working with humanitarian organizations in complex, high-security environments. Prior experience in Afghanistan or Central Asia is highly desirable.
• Proven Leadership: Demonstrated ability to lead diverse teams, manage security risks, and deliver results in challenging contexts.
• Technical Expertise: Strong background in Health (Emergency or Mobile Health, MHPSS) or Disaster Management (Preparedness, Anticipatory Action, and Response) programming. Experience with major donors like EU/ECHO, Danida, or UN is essential.
• Strategic Thinker: Ability to align country operations with broader strategic goals and develop sustainable programmes that meet the needs of the target populations.
• Excellent Communicator: Strong networking, coordination, and facilitation skills, with full proficiency in English.

You will become part of the World’s largest humanitarian organization

The Red Cross Red Crescent Movement is the world’s largest humanitarian organization. We help people on both sides of a conflict and in the remotest corners of the world, regardless of their religion, race or political views. The Red Cross is always there. We save lives every day, and we equip people with the tools they need to get through crises and disasters. We are part of your local community no matter where you live. With your help, we can be wherever we are needed, always. We are passionate about what we do – and we are proud of our job!

International Department in the Danish Red Cross supports vulnerable people in Africa, Asia, Europe and the Middle East, in close cooperation with Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies in more than 20 countries, and had an annual turnover of more than 1 billion Danish kroner in 2023 for our international operation. We work specifically on building preparedness and response capacity. DRC works both with long term activities and short-term response particular within health, disaster preparedness and response.

We offer a meaningful work at a purpose-driven workplace with truly engaged colleagues. We focus on professional challenges, well-being and a flexible organizing of your work life. All of us contribute to a great work environment and colleagueship.