Country Director - Afghanistan

Place: Kabul, Afghanistan (movements to Kandahar, Herat, Kunduz, Nimroz, Bamyan)
Starting date: 22nd April 2025
Duration of contract: 12 months or 24 months
Closing date for applications: 12th February 2025

Humanity & Inclusion is an independent and impartial aid organisation working in situations of poverty and exclusion, conflict and disaster. The organisation works alongside people with disabilities and vulnerable populations, taking action and bearing witness in order to respond to their essential needs, improve their living conditions and promote respect for their dignity and fundamental rights.

Since its creation in 1982, HI has run development programmes in more than 60 countries and responded to numerous emergencies. Today, we have a budget of approximately 255 million euros, with 4794 employees worldwide.

At Handicap International-Humanity & Inclusion, we truly believe in the importance of inclusion and diversity within our organisation. This is why we are engaged to a disability policy to encourage the inclusion and integration of people with disabilities. 

Please indicate if you require any special accommodation, even at the first interview. For more information about the organisation: www.hi.org

JOB CONTEXT:
Central office is located in capital city (Kabul) and hosts the management team (including operations, support services, technical unit, MEAL, access and security), and a small operational team for 3 ongoing projects. HI Afghanistan is also present in Herat, Kandahar, Kunduz, Kabul, Nimroz.

HI is currently involved in different sectors of activities:

-        Physical and functional rehabilitation (both on service provision and training – tech assistance), in development and chronic crisis settings

-        Mental Health and Psycho-Social Support (MHPSS)

-        Inclusive livelihood

-        Mine Risk Education

-        Support in Inclusive Humanitarian Action with the Disability Inclusion Working Group

-        Atlas Logistics – service of mutualized access to storage and transport for humanitarian operators.

HI Afghanistan program is also strongly involved in rolling-out institutional policies, particularly regarding PSEAH, code of conduct, child protection, fraud and corruption policy. Operationally, objectives are to mainstream DGA (Disability / Gender / Age) policy, as well as operationalizing the PSEAH policy in all projects.

Nationally, HI is a strong actor in physiotherapy, MHPSS, P&O and Disability and Inclusion technical support and awareness. HI has supported the development of professional physiotherapists (PT) with designing curricula meeting standards recognized internationally, and a similar project to support training of prosthetics and orthotics (P&O) technicians.

HI Afghanistan employs 480 national staff and 16 international staff. We are looking for a Country Director to accompany and steer the deployment of the 2025-2027 Strategy, in a complex and challenging environment.

YOUR MISSION:

Under the responsibility of the Geographic Director MECA (Middle East & Central Asia), the Afghanistan Director contributes within his/her geographical area to the implementation of the mandate and the 10-year strategy of Humanity & Inclusion. He/she ensures optimal quality and impact of the activities in the Programme, through a delegation system with appropriate control mechanisms. He/she shares with all HI managers the responsibility of a sound management and successful functioning of the global organization, through paradigm changes.

Responsibility 1: Management 

• Be the top manager of the Programme organization
• Embody and transmit HI values, ensure compliance with code of conduct and institutional policies, ensure the expected mind set and individual and collective behaviours, and disciplinary measures when necessary.
• Conduct a Programme Steering Committee with his/her direct managers.

Responsibility 2: Deployment of HI Strategy 2025 and HI frameworks & regulations in the Programme 

• Conduct the development of the Programme’s Operational Strategy, and its implementation and annual monitoring
• Be responsible for fundraising and resource planning
• Ensure the deployment of and compliance with HI global frameworks, institutional policies and standards.
• Ensure financial control and monitoring of operations are effective in the Programme
• Be responsible for security management
• With both potential opportunities and risks in mind, ensure continuous monitoring and analysis of current developments in his/her geographical context

 Responsibility 3: legal representation

• He/She is the legal representative of the overall HI organization internally and externally, and promotes a high reputation and positive image of HI.
• Representation of HI vis-à-vis international organizations and coordination mechanisms & system.
• Negotiation and signature of operational partnerships, and monitoring of operational partnerships signed in affiliated countries

Responsibility 4: Influence and leadership

• Develop external influence of HI (forums, operational & strategic alliances, etc.) and the external representation of the organization (events, media) in the Programme’s geographical scope
• Carry out the overall HI mandate (e.g., advocacy, weapons, emergency) and organization (including Federation, Technical Divisions, National Associations, the Institute), internally and externally (be a representative of HI vis-a-vis external parties)

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE POSITION:

The position is based in Kabul. The climate in Kabul is continental with hot and dry summers, and cold winters with a high altitude of 1,800 meters. International and national staff are allowed to travel to bases in all provinces and to some project’s location, upon ad-hoc assessment of the security situation. Expatriates can be accommodated in the bases located in the 5 provinces (Kunduz, Kandahar, Nimroz, Paktika and Herat).  

The security and access situation in the Country is unpredictable, even though there is no direct targeting of international entities and individuals.

The Guesthouses in Kabul are shared between all international staff, and spacious, well equipped, secure and comfortable, in order to provide adequate living conditions and wellbeing to international staff considering the limitations to move around the city.  The guesthouses have small but functional sports facilities as well as common areas for recreational activities. HI in Afghanistan provides a cook and a cleaner for the Guesthouses during working days, and international food is available in various supermarkets in the Kabul, and delivery options for international and local food are available.

 Both women and men have to respect local culture and norms, which are important for acceptance by the communities were HI provides its services. 

• 8+ years of professional experience in the humanitarian/development sector.
• At least 3 years of experience as a Country Director in a difficult context.
• Proven success in programme management and strategic development skills
• Ability to understand complex geopolitical context and multi stakeholder’s environment.
• Extensive experience in security management, ensuring the safety of teams and beneficiaries.
• Stress prevention and management, HR management skills
• Strong capacity on transfer of skills
• Fluent in English

At HI, the conditions offered are up to your commitment and adapted to the context of your mission. https://hi.org/en/join-the-team

• 12 or 24 months International contract starting from 22th, April 2025;
• The international contract provides social cover adapted to your situation:
• Unemployment insurance benefits for EU nationals;
• Pension scheme;
• Medical coverage with 50% of employee contribution;
• Repatriation insurance paid by HI;
• Salary from 3232 € gross/month upon experience;
• Perdiem: 631,04€ net/month - paid in the field
• Hardship: 500 € net/month paid with your salary
• Paid leaves: 25 days per year;
• R&R: according to the level of the mission 5 days every 8 weeks
• Position:
• Unaccompanied:
• Payment for travel costs (air ticket & visa) and transport of your personal effects;
• Mission of more than 12 months: a child allowance of 100€ per month, per child (from the second child) paid in the field;
• Housing: Individual taken in charge by HI;
• If you are resident in the country: local package.