Desk Director

This is a fully remote position, open to applicants in United States.

📋 Description

• Provide strategic direction and oversight for a multi-country portfolio comprising up to seven country programs, valued at approximately $60 million each year.

• Directly manage Country Directors and the Desk Manager.

• Lead the Desk Team in support of country operations, program quality, donor relations, risk management, and organizational sustainability.

• Supervise program quality, operational effectiveness, financial oversight, compliance, and security across the portfolio countries.

• Ensure that country programs deliver high-quality, timely, and compliant services while effectively managing risk and maintaining donor trust.

• Collaborate with Finance, HR, Security, Supply Chain & Operations, Awards Management, and Technical teams.

• Assist in donor engagement, strategic positioning, and business development efforts.

• Oversee proposal development to guarantee that submissions are strategic, competitive, compliant, and in alignment with organizational priorities.

• Promote the proactive identification and mitigation of operational, programmatic, security, and reputational risks.

• Encourage collaboration, innovation, and knowledge sharing across countries and departments.

• Contribute to the organizational strategy, priorities, and continuous improvement as a senior leader in the Program Implementation Department.

• Travel internationally up to 30% of the time.

⛳️ Requirements

• Master's degree in International Development, Political Science, Social Sciences, or a related discipline.

• Extensive senior leadership experience in humanitarian and development organizations, including multi-country, regional, or global management roles.

• Proven success in managing large and complex donor-funded portfolios within fragile, conflict-affected, and rapidly evolving environments.

• Strong experience working with major institutional donors, including BHA, PRM, ECHO, UN agencies, and other international funding organizations.

• Comprehensive understanding of program cycle management, program quality standards, compliance frameworks, and risk management systems.

• Exceptional leadership and people management abilities, with experience in coaching senior leaders and building high-performing teams across various locations.

• Demonstrated capacity to influence, negotiate, and collaborate effectively with donors, partners, boards, senior executives, and cross-functional teams.

• Strong strategic thinking and decision-making capabilities, with the ability to navigate operational realities, humanitarian imperatives, and organizational goals.

• Excellent written and verbal English communication skills.

• Proficiency in French and/or Arabic is highly desirable.

• Experience in localization, partnership strengthening, climate resilience, or nexus programming would be an asset.

• Willingness to work within the UTC+1 to UTC+4 time zones.

• Capability to undergo enhanced pre-employment checks, references, self-declaration of criminal records, and other applicable checks.

🏝️ Benefits

• Competitive salaries and benefit packages that are applied fairly and transparently.

• Up to 30% international travel opportunities.

• An inclusive and representative workplace.

• Professional development through leadership, coaching, and support opportunities.

• The chance to contribute to organizational strategy, priorities, and continuous improvement initiatives.