Duty station: Caracas, Venezuela

Internal candidates are highly encouraged to apply.

The Country Director (CD) position for NRC in Venezuela represents a critical leadership role within one of the most complex humanitarian settings in Latin America. The Country Director will ensure NRC’s impact on the ground while managing the risks specific to the Venezuelan context. This role requires a strategic leader who can adapt to a changing context and represent NRC externally and contribute to humanitarian coordination and advocacy in country and regionally.

The ideal candidate for the Country Director role is a seasoned humanitarian professional with extensive experience in leading complex operations in volatile contexts. They will bring a proven record of high-level strategic leadership, program innovation, and stakeholder engagement, particularly within crisis settings. The individual must be adept at managing diverse, cross-functional teams, empowering staff, and fostering an environment of collaboration, respect, and accountability. Experience in Latin America, or a deep understanding of the region’s political, social, and cultural nuances, will be essential.

The Country Director must be a resilient and adaptable leader, capable of making tough, informed decisions in a rapidly changing environment. This person will need to build and strengthen NRC’s reputation and relationships with government entities, donors, partners, and local communities, ensuring that NRC’s operations align with local needs while adhering to humanitarian principles.

With a team of experienced humanitarian professionals under their direction, the Country Director will be expected to:

• Inspire and motivate staff to deliver high-quality, impactful programs.
• Lead through NRC’s values, fostering a culture of dedication, innovation, inclusivity, and accountability.
• Strategically manage risk and security, ensuring the safety and well-being of all team members.
• Spearhead efforts to build capacity within the team, especially for national staff, while cultivating future leaders within NRC.

1. Generic Responsibilities

The following is a brief description of the role:

• Line management responsibilities for directly reporting staff. This includes the performance management cycle; setting clear goals aligned to country strategy and priorities, and to follow up and support staff’s achievement.
• Responsible for key processes as workforce planning, recruitment, staff induction and development and ensure Duty of Care for own staff.
• National representation and coordination.
• Development and execution of country strategy.
• All in-country activities, personnel and the Country Management Group (CMG).
• Safety and security of all staff.

1. Specific Responsibilities

• Leading the adaptation of NRCs geographical presence and targeting to the context and in line with NRC priorities regionally and globally.
• Leading the adaptation of the workforce and cost structure to the operational context and funding levels.
• Responsibility for managing risks in an unpredictable legal and political context.
• Leadership of maintaining and diversifying the funding for the response.
• Leading the development of a strategy for partnering with local actors.
• Engagement and leadership in humanitarian coordination in Venezuela.
• Contribution to regional programming and advocacy initiatives lead by the regional office.

1. Generic Professional Competencies

• Minimum 5 years’ experience from working as a Senior Manager/Country Director in humanitarian/recovery context.
• Experience working in complex and volatile contexts.
• Documented/proven results related to the position’s responsibilities.
• Knowledge about own leadership skills/profile.
• Fluency in English, both written and verbal.

Find more details about the role HERE.

1. What We Offer

• Type of contract: 2-year contract.
• Salary/benefits: According to NRC salary scale, terms and conditions.
• Duty station: Caracas, Venezuela.

Find out more about the benefits of working for NRC HERE.

Important information about the application process:

• Internal candidates only: please click on the suitcase icon labelled “I am an employee” to be redirected to NRC’s internal careers site.
• When creating your profile, include your full name as given on your passport. Complete all the system-required fields for experience, employment history and education.
• Submit your application and CV in English, taking care to attach your latest CV.
• Applications that do not meet the minimum standards in terms of experience or qualifications will generally not be considered. Unsolicited applications not related to this specific job advertisement will not be considered.
• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. We receive many applicants for each vacant position.
• Knowledge of the context in Latin America
• Fluency in Spanish, both written and verbal

Why NRC?

The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) is an independent humanitarian organization helping people forced to flee. Our 15,000 staff work in crises across 40 countries, providing life-saving and long-term assistance to millions of people every year.

Watch this short video to see NRC in action.

NRC has been active in Venezuela since 2005. In 2019 we established an independent country office in light of the deteriorating humanitarian crisis.

NRC is one of the largest NGOs in Venezuela, with an annual budget of USD 10 million. Our work includes water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), education, livelihoods and food security, information, counselling and legal assistance (ICLA) and protection from violence. In addition to direct implementation and capacity building of local communities, NRC also plays a critical role in coordination at multiple levels.

Venezuela’s protracted economic, social and political crisis has led to a severe humanitarian and protection crisis. Millions of people have fled the country, many others have been internally displaced, and at least 7.7 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance or protection.

Consecutive years of economic contraction, sociopolitical tensions, informal dollarisation and hyperinflation mean most families are unable to afford food. Long-term state underfunding of facilities and neglect of public infrastructures affect electricity and water distribution. At least 1.5 million children are out of school. Lack of documentation – birth certificates and identity cards – concerns 50 per cent of Venezuelans, hindering people’s ability to access basic rights and services. Venezuela has also seen an increase of violence due to the extended presence of irregular groups. Venezuelans on the move are furthermore at higher risk of exploitation and abuse.

• Learn more about NRC HERE and NRC Venezuela HERE.

Internal candidates are encouraged to apply, and we are also open to external applicants who can show a commitment to NRC and being part of a challenging, but important mission to make a difference.

NRC might review applications before the advertised deadline, therefore interested candidates are encouraged to apply early.

Please note fluency in both English and Spanish is required for this position. Candidates who do not command either of the languages will not be able to be considered.

Level of Education: Bachelor Degree

Work Hours: 8

Experience in Months: No requirements