The Vice President, Country Leadership is a high-impact executive role responsible for ensuring that our strategy is successfully implemented and scaled across its countries of operation. As the organization deepens its localization model and empowers a growing cadre of Managing Directors (MDs), the VP, Country Leadership is the driving force behind operational excellence, program fidelity, client outcomes, and strategic growth across complex and dynamic environments.

Reporting to the CEO, this role serves as a key bridge between global strategy and country-level execution by supporting MDs to lead high-performing, values-driven teams and ensuring that each country has the systems, leadership, and resources it needs to thrive.

This role also oversees the Director of Advocacy and Director of Country Leadership to connect country-level implementation with national and regional strategies.

The position is open to anyone based in our country of operations: Rwanda, Kenya, Ethiopia, South Sudan or Chad.

Strategic Management of Managing Directors

• Supervise and coach Managing Directors of each country to ensure high-quality implementation of programs, operations, and team leadership
• Serve as a strategic thought partner to MDs, supporting country-level planning, performance management, and adaptive execution.
• Track and synthesize regional trends, surfacing insights and risks that inform enterprise strategy and innovation.
• Lead country strategy reviews and recalibrations in collaboration with the VP of Strategy and MDs.
• Serve as Interim Country Director during prolonged vacancies as needed.
• Ensure legal and regulatory compliance with General Counsel.
• Lead crisis management and operational risk assessments in partnership with the senior leaders.
• Oversee country expansion planning and execution, ensuring alignment with organizational standards and sustainability.
• Model inclusive, values-based leadership promoting a culture of safety, inclusion, and accountability across all teams and operations; hold others accountable to do the same.

Cross-Functional Alignment

• Partner with functional VPs (Finance, People, Strategy, Programs, External Affairs, Digital) to ensure coherent support and cross-functional collaboration to country teams
• Resolve interdepartmental challenges and foster shared ownership of program outcomes.
• Champion operational excellence and shared accountability across departments and geographies.

Advocacy and External Representation

• Supervise the Director of Advocacy to ensure country and regional advocacy strategies are well-coordinated and aligned with organizational goals and country contexts.
• Represent us in external meetings with partners, funders, and stakeholders in countries of operation and in regional and international events In partnership with the VP of External Affairs.
• Support MDs in building national and regional partnerships, government and donor relationships, and fundraising and advocacy activities.
• Align messaging and donor engagement with MDs, Development, and Communications teams, including on multi-country awards.
• Contribute to alignment of communications, donor messaging, and positioning across countries and global functions with the VP of External Affairs.

Safeguarding

• Ensure robust safeguarding systems are in place in all operations—promoting staff training, clear protocols, and a culture of transparency and safety.
• Identify and mitigate operational and safeguarding risks in collaboration with the Legal and Risk functions.
• Act promptly and appropriately on any safeguarding concerns, fostering a culture of transparency, trust, and collective responsibility.

• Leads with Strategic Foresight - Co-creates and executes strategies aligned with long-term organizational goals. Applies a future-focused lens (5+ years ahead) to translate high-level vision into actionable plans that drive sustainable impact.
• Operates with Organizational Savvy - Leads effectively within dynamic systems, understanding and managing the interdependencies of policy, process, and people. Builds alignment and influence across formal and informal structures.  Uses inspirational leadership strategies to drive ownership and initiative at all levels of the organisation.
• Drives Change Effectively - Leads change initiatives with a structured, people-centered approach, balancing outcomes with an understanding of the human experience of change.

• 12–15+ years of senior leadership experience in international development, social enterprise, or complex operational environments, including at least two years successful tenure as Country Director, Country Representative, or similar. Multi-country program management would be a plus.
• Demonstrated success coaching and developing executive-level leaders.
• Demonstrated experience in advocacy work and knowledge of at least one pillar of our work
• Strong cross-functional leadership skills with the ability to resolve tension and align diverse stakeholders.
• Ability to adjust leadership style in real-time to fit diverse cultural, contextual, and operational challenges.
• Track record of using data to drive improvement and inform strategic decision making.
• Experience using a future-focused mindset to continuously evolve for impact in fast-changing markets.
• Willingness and ability to travel internationally up to 40% of the time and at times spend extended times in countries of operation.
• Master’s degree in a relevant field preferred but not required.
• Deep commitment to equity, client-centered innovation, and collaborative leadership.
• Lived experience of displacement is highly valued and encouraged for leadership roles.

• Competitive salary, and potential Performance-based bonus
• Incredible company culture, with opportunities for learning and growth
• Diverse colleagues across the region, and policies that demonstrate commitment to equity and inclusion
• Ability to make a significant social impact to your community
• Health insurance for self and family
• Staff savings and provident fund, negotiated bank rates for long-term employees
• Generous annual leave, parental leave, and sabbatical options.

Note: This position is with our partner. BAG is posting on their behalf to support their recruitment.