Country Director, Sudan

Kirkens Nødhjelp/ Norwegian Church Aid

Norwegian Church aid is one of the largest aid organisations in the Nordic region. Together with our international network and partner organisations in the ACT Alliance we are able to reach millions of people each year and help make a positive difference around the world. We are determined to work towards eradicating injustice and we therefore work with advocacy, long-term development in local communities and providing emergency assistance. NCA is a faith-based actor, and has Norwegian churches and congregations as its constituency.

Do you have the judgement, resilience, and leadership skills to guide an organisation through one of the world's most challenging operational environments?

Sudan presents an exceptionally complex humanitarian and development context. As Country Director, you will lead a dedicated team, navigate uncertainty and risk, build strong partnerships, and ensure that NCA continues to deliver meaningful programmes for communities affected by conflict and displacement.

We are looking for an experienced and grounded leader who can make sound decisions under pressure, exercise prudence in complex and high-risk situations , strengthen people and teams, and maintain strategic direction in a rapidly changing environment. Are you the leader we are looking for?

About the position

As Country Director, you will have overall responsibility for NCA's Sudan Country Programme and provide strategic leadership and oversight across programmes, operations, finance, security, and people management.

Reporting to the Head of Geographic Division for East Africa, you will lead a diverse Country Management Team and represent NCA in dialogue with authorities, donors, partners, and relevant coordination forums.

This is a senior leadership role combining strategic direction with the ability to navigate operational complexity, security risks, organisational change, and the realities of delivering humanitarian and development programmes in a conflict-affected context.

Key responsibilities

As Country Director, you will:

• Lead the strategic direction and implementation of NCA's Sudan Country Programme.
• Drive programme quality, impact, and accountability across the humanitarian and development portfolio.
• Lead and develop the Country Management Team and foster a collaborative, accountable, and high-performing organisational culture.
• Ensure effective security management, risk mitigation, safeguarding, and duty of care for staff and partners.
• Oversee financial management, compliance, resource allocation, and the organisational sustainability of the country programme.
• Represent NCA with donors, authorities, partners, and relevant coordination mechanisms.
• Identify opportunities and lead resource mobilisation efforts to sustain and develop the programme portfolio.
• Guide the organisation through change, uncertainty, and operational complexity while maintaining strategic focus.

Qualifications and experience

We are looking for a senior leader with substantial experience from international humanitarian and/or development work. You should have:

• A master's degree in international development, humanitarian action, political science, public administration, management, or another relevant field. Extensive and relevant professional experience may compensate for formal education.
• Significant senior leadership experience managing complex humanitarian and/or development programmes in fragile, conflict-affected, or high-risk environments.
• Demonstrated experience leading multidisciplinary teams, organisational change processes, and performance improvement.
• Proven experience with donor relations, resource mobilisation, financial oversight, risk management, and representation with senior external stakeholders.

Experience living and working in complex, fragile, or conflict-affected environments will be highly relevant. We also value a strong understanding of conflict sensitivity, localisation, and partnership-based programming.

Professional fluency in English is essential, while knowledge of Arabic is a significant advantage. You should also have strong digital literacy and be comfortable using technology for management, communication, and organisational oversight.

The position requires willingness and ability to undertake field travel in challenging operating environments and to live in shared accommodation in accordance with NCA's Sudan set-up.

Personal qualities

To succeed in this role, we believe you are:

Strategic and decisive

You make sound and timely decisions in complex and uncertain situations. You exercise strong judgement and balancing decisive action with careful consideration of security, financial, and organisational risks, while bringing conflict sensitivity to your decisions.

A people-centred leader

You invest in people and teams, build trust and accountability, and create the conditions for collaboration, learning, and strong performance.

Resilient and adaptable

You remain composed and effective when circumstances change rapidly. You can navigate setbacks and uncertainty without losing sight of strategic priorities.

A diplomatic and influential communicator

You build constructive relationships across cultures and stakeholder groups. You communicate with clarity and credibility and are comfortable representing the organisation at senior levels.

What we offer

This is an opportunity to lead one of NCA's most strategically important and challenging country programmes.

You will work alongside dedicated national and international colleagues and strong local partners to support communities affected by conflict, displacement, and crisis.

NCA offers a meaningful senior leadership role with significant responsibility and professional autonomy, as well as the opportunity to shape organisational impact in a highly dynamic environment. You will be part of a values-driven international organisation and supported by colleagues across NCA's country programmes and Head Office.

If you combine strategic leadership with resilience, prudence, sound judgement, decisiveness, and a genuine commitment to people and partnerships , we would like to hear from you.

Ethical Commitments

Norwegian Church Aid is committed to high standards of ethics and accountability in all that we do. As an employee, you will be required to sign the following documents when entering into an employment contract:

Kindly note that this position is based in a non-family duty station, and family members cannot accompany the employee during the assignment.

• ACT Alliance Code of Conduct
• Sexual Exploitation, Abuse, Harassment, and Child Safeguarding Policy

These are binding documents for all employees. We therefore ask you to familiarise yourself with them before applying. You can find the documents on our website: https://www.kirkensnodhjelp.no/etterettelighet

Nøkkelord

Om denne stillingen

Tittel:

Country Director, Sudan

Bedrift:

Kirkens Nødhjelp/ Norwegian Church Aid

Arbeidsplass:

Norway, Oslo

Ansettelsestype:

Fulltid

Nettside:

www.kirkensnodhjelp.no

Sektor:

Organisasjoner

Stillingstype:

Midlertidig

Utløper:

22 Nov 2026 (16 dager)

Kontaktpersoner

DH

Dirk Hanekom

Country Director Sudan

LJ

Lasse Jansen

Rådgiver

Hvor vi befinner oss

Sudan

Port Sudan