Country Director - Zimbabwe

Trócaire is an International NGO (INGO) and a member of the Caritas International Federation. We work with local partners in the world's most at-risk communities and with people in Ireland to tackle the underlying causes of poverty and injustice and respond to the crises they create. Together we bring about positive and lasting change for a just world. Trócaire works in up to 20 countries across Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East. We work towards five goals: Promote Access to Justice; Achieve Climate & Environmental Justice; Ensure Women & Girls' Protection, Voice & Influence; Save Lives and Protect Human Dignity and Mobilise the Public on the island of Ireland to achieve Global JusticeOur work is rooted in Catholic Social Teaching and in our values of Solidarity, Courage, Participation, Perseverance and Accountability.In Zimbabwe, Trócaire has been working with partners since the late 1970s and opened a country office in Harare in 2010. In Zimbabwe, Trócaire supports long-term development work on Sustainable Livelihoods and Resilience Building, Civil Society Strengthening, Sexual and Gender-based violence, as well as Humanitarian Response during emergencies. Trócaire works with 25 local partners across the country and actively supports localised development and humanitarian aid. Core to Trócaire's partnership approach in Zimbabwe is the support of local civil society organisations to strengthen their institutional, financial, technical, and managerial capacities.The Country Director (CD) position provides an opportunity for an experienced, dynamic and innovative individual to lead a country team of 30 dedicated and motivated staff in responding to complex development and humanitarian challenges in partnership with local actors. The CD will provide overall management and strategy support to the country programme ensuring that systems and processes are in place, that new ideas are fostered and that Trócaire continues to deliver an exciting and impactful programme with partners in Zimbabwe.Reporting to the Head of Portfolio Human Rights (based in Ireland), this is a fixed term contract of 3 years and is based in Harare, Zimbabwe. The incumbent will manage a team of professionals including but not limited to the Programme Manager (PM), the Finance and Administration Manager (FAM), the Business Development and Grants Manager (BDGM), and the Human Rights Project Manager (HRPM), who along with the CD make up the Country Management Team (CMT).Key ResponsibilitiesStrategic Leadership Provide strategic vision and direction for the country programme Create and maintain a shared vision among staff of Trócaire's country and organisational objectives and their role in achieving these Develop and implement the Trócaire's Zimbabwe Country Strategic Plan and review it annually against key country and organisational level objectives, indicators and targets with annual reports on programme, non-programme and financial management to the organisation, donors and other stakeholders Model the behaviours and values expected of Trócaire staff and expressed in our Strategic Framework Input into organisational strategy through strategic planning and monitoring processes Lead on the localisation of aid discussions in consultation with partners and other stakeholders Lead on in-country networking and representation with government, donors, NGOs, INGOs, networks and the Catholic Church/Caritas Provide leadership and foster collaboration with other actors (NGOs, INGOs, networks, host government etc.) in order increase networking & opportunities for collaboration Lead on advocacy at a country level and on defining advocacy messages for use internationallyProgramme Development & Management (in collaboration with the Programme Manager) Provide leadership and direction in the strategic development and implementation of programmes at country level, in line with Trócaire's country and strategic objectives, strategies and policies Ensure that organisational approaches to partnership, gender equality, vulnerability and targeting, accountability and protection are effectively incorporated across development / humanitarian programmes Ensure that effective results-based monitoring and evaluation systems are implemented in line with Trócaire policies, systems and guidelines Lead on ensuring that Trócaire Zimbabwe regularly reviews, adapts and rolls out an Emergency Preparedness Plan and that partners retain humanitarian response capacity Ensure that programme learning is captured and feeds into programme development and sharing across programmes, countries and globally Ensure that internal and external reporting is carried out in a timely manner, to a high standard and in line with agreed objectives and targets (including annual Programme Reviews and Results Monitoring Frameworks) Ensure the Zimbabwe team fully engages with and complies with Trócaire's cloud-based Salesforce/Box software as the organisational platform for partner, project and grant management Promote a culture of innovation, experimentation and learning to achieve strategic objectivesBusiness Development & Institutional Funding (in cooperation with the Regional Business and Development Manager) Lead and oversee the business development process and the adaptation of the Zimbabwe's Donor Engagement & Institutional Funding Strategy to ensure the Zimbabwe programme is sustained, grows, and is innovative and sufficiently funded Lead on ensuring Trócaire visibility, representation and networking and engagement with donors Ensure optimal cost recovery, based on sound systems for budgeting, monitoring and compliance reporting Network actively and play a lead role in management level dialogue with donors and other INGOs on accessing and managing institutional funding Ensure all donor grants are effectively managed and reported on to a high quality and in a timely mannerHuman Resource Management (in collaboration with the People and Culture Business Partner) Ensure that Trócaire attracts and retains high calibre staff by providing: a sense of clear purpose to all staff, development opportunities and competitive packages, in line with Trócaire policy and in coordination with Trócaire's People and Culture Business Partner Ensure effective adherence to and implementation of Human Resource (HR) policies and procedures at country level, in line with Trócaire's HR Policies, Procedures and Guidelines in coordination with HR and with all local labour laws Ensure consistent implementation of strong performance management systems throughout the country team, in line with organisational policy Line-manage the Country Management Team (PM, FAM, BDGM, HRPM) and other staff as necessary Ensure that there are regular staff forums and meetings for discussion and coordination of strategic, operational and administrative initiatives Through inspiring and accountable leadership, create a working environment, which is positive and inclusive, and continuously look for ways to maintain or improve thisSafeguarding Programme Participants, Feedback & Complaints Management (in collaboration with the Head of Safeguarding) Ensure that Trócaire's commitment to Safeguarding programme participants is delivered through policies and practices that support the prevention of abuse and exploitation and create opportunities to raise and respond to concerns as outlined in Trócaire policies Oversee the application of Trócaire's Country Office and Programme Feedback and Complaints Mechanisms and directly manage sensitive complaints (e.g. those relating to potential abuse or exploitation) Support Focal persons in communicating Trócaire's commitment on Safeguarding and Feedback and Complaints Mechanisms to partner organisations as included in Trócaire's grant agreements, supporting capacity strengthening of partner organisation on minimum standardsFinancial and Admin. Management (in collaboration with the Finance & Admin. Manager) Take responsibility for overall financial management in the country and ensure that there is optimal use of financial resources, managed in a transparent and accountable manner in line with Trócaire's systems and procedures Support the FAM to ensure that budgets are prepared, reviewed and monitored regularly and that resources are strategically allocated as appropriate based on need or programme quality Ensure effective financial management systems, processes and controls are in place and are fully compliant with Trócaire's operating standards and the relevant legal requirements in-country Take responsibility for ensuring all staff are familiar with and comply with institutional policies, processes and systems, e.g. Management of Information Systems, use of IT systems, etcAudit and Corporate Governance Compliance (in collaboration with the Global/Regional Internal Auditor) Ensure that all host government requirements in relation to registration, taxation, labour law, auditing, fraud, etc., are complied with Maintain a country risk register, identifying and mitigating risks to operations, reputation and financial stability Ensure that internal and external audits are fulfilled in a timely and efficient manner, in line with Trócaire's policy and back donor and host government requirements Ensure follow-up on recommendations arising out of audits of Trócaire's operations and take appropriate actions where necessary Ensure full compliance with Trócaire's fraud policy and related back donor or host government requirements; Maintain direct links with the HQ and regional-based Internal Auditor, in coordination with the FAMSecurity Management (in collaboration with the Global Security Advisor) Develop, manage and review the Zimbabwe office security plans, procedures and contingency plans and ensure that the Zimbabwe country team adheres to all Trócaire security policies Take responsibility for the management of security at a country level for the Zimbabwe programme staffRepresentation, Communications and Advocacy Represent Trócaire with the host government, national NGO and INGO networks, the Catholic Church and its agencies, donors and other key strategic stakeholders Increase awareness of Trócaire's work with Trócaire's supporters and key stakeholders in Ireland, through the provision of communications material, facilitating internal and external visitors and carrying out media interviews upon request by the Communications Unit in Ireland Lead the country team in contributing to the development and implementation of core communications, fundraising, development education, and advocacy initiatives at global level Contribute to Trocaire forums and working groups, representing Trocaire Zimbabwe and contributing to organisational and portfolio agendas Any other duties as assigned by the Head of PortfolioRequirementsEssential RequirementsQualifications Third level qualification in Development or related field of study Post-graduate qualification in a relevant area, or significant experience beyond that outlined belowExperience A minimum of 5-8 years' experience in the management of development & humanitarian programmes of substantial scale A minimum of 3 years' experience in running a country office (admin, finance, HR management, security management, etc.) In-depth understanding of programming in a partnership model, based on at least three years' experience working in a partnership based (I) NGO Sound and up to date knowledge of development concepts, methodologies and techniques, including results-based management, rights-based approaches and participatory methodologies Demonstrable experience of promoting gender equity through programming and within an international organisation Demonstrable experience of working to attract institutional donor funding, managing large and complex donor grants and donor relationship management Solid experience of managing teams in a multi-cultural and post-conflict environment and playing a leadership role in ensuring cohesiveness, inclusion and development of staff at all levelsSkills Excellent leadership skills Ability to motivate staff to align behind a shared vision and objectives Demonstrated ability to think strategically and to develop and implement a clear country level strategy in the context of organisational strategy Demonstrated ability to operate under pressure and in a volatile environment Demonstrated ability to manage security in challenging environments Ability to coach and help others develop in their professional lives Excellent interpersonal and relationship management skills and demonstrated ability in using these with internal stakeholders (Trócaire staff in different locations) and external stakeholders (partners, Church, donors, host government etc.) Demonstrated ability to manage budgets and financial systems on a significant scale, in development and humanitarian contexts Demonstrated ability to meet corporate governance and accountability requirements of host governments, the organisation and donors Highly organised, with excellent planning, prioritisation and problem-solving skills Excellent verbal and written communications skills Proficiency in Microsoft packages (Word, Excel) and aptitude for learning new digital tools and platforms Fluency (written and spoken) in EnglishQualities Understanding of and an empathy with the role of the Catholic Church in development A strong commitment to the work of justice and an empathy with the ethos and work of TrócaireOther Ability and willingness to travel within Zimbabwe and regionally/internationally including travel to Trócaire's offices in IrelandBenefitsFor the candidate with the required experience and passion for the role, Trócaire offers a competitive salary and benefits package.Deadline for applications: Sunday 7th December 2025Safeguarding - Preventing Abuse and Exploitation Trócaire is committed to safeguarding people from exploitation and/or abuse by our employees or others working on our behalf or as a result of our programmes or activities. Trócaire has specific policies on this commitment (including a Global Code of Conduct, Global Safeguarding Policy) which outlines the expected behaviour and the responsibility of all employees, consultants and other organisational representatives. As an employee of Trócaire you are required to abide by these policies. More information on Trócaire's safeguarding policies available hereDiversity and inclusion - we welcome diverse applicants to join our inclusive workforce.Trócaire is an equal opportunities employer. We are an organisation that embraces diversity and inclusion. We welcome applicants from diverse backgrounds to bring their experiences and perspectives to Trócaire. Read our Diversity and Inclusion statement available here