Country Director

GhanaCountry DirectorOrganizationMercy ShipsPosted 24 Oct 2025 Closing date 17 Nov 2025Who We AreMercy Ships is a global faith-based charity that uses hospital ships to bring life-changing surgeries and transformational medical training to people in some of the most challenging contexts along the African coast. For over 40 years, Mercy Ships has been delivering lasting hope and healing through safe surgical care, while working alongside partners and stakeholders to strengthen local healthcare systems in more than 55 countries. Since the inception of this dream by founders Don and Deyon Stephens in 1978, Mercy Ships has served more than 2.7 million direct beneficiaries without regard for race, gender, or religion.Country Director (CD) – Full-Time, Onsite in GhanaThe Country Director (CD) serves as the senior in-country leader for Mercy Ships, holding a critical role that combines diplomatic representation, programmatic oversight, and organizational leadership. The CD ensures effective delivery of Mercy Ships’ strategic objectives and programmatic activities within the host nation, fostering strong external relationships while providing leadership and support to country-based teams.Key Areas of ResponsibilityGovernment & Diplomatic Engagement Establish and maintain high-level government and diplomatic relations, representing Mercy Ships at the national level. The CD works in close coordination with the Director of Diplomacy and the Managing Director of Africa Services to strengthen partnerships and facilitate operational effectiveness.Programmatic Oversight Provide overall leadership and accountability for Mercy Ships’ programmatic work (Education, Training & Advocacy - ETA) and the Monitoring, Evaluation, Learning and Development (MELD) Team in the country, ensuring alignment with organizational priorities, delivery of impact, and integration across program teams.Team Leadership & Support Provide direct support and coordination to country-based teams, including the Country Engagement Team (CET), Global Patient Selection Team (GPST), the Field Security Officer (FSO), and short-term visitors.Financial Oversight Supervise CET finances and accounting in collaboration with the ASC Finance Director, the In-Country Accountant, and the CET Operations Director (OD). Ensure compliance with financial policies, accurate reporting, and proper stewardship of resources.People & Culture Management Lead CET people operations within the country, including direct line management of staff, implementation of People & Culture (P&C) processes, recruitment, performance management, professional development, staff care, and the cultivation of a positive organizational culture.Essential Duties And Responsibilities(included but not limited to)To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily.DiplomacyWork with the Director of Diplomacy and Managing Director of Africa Services to establish diplomatic relationships within the host country.Work with the Director of Diplomacy and Managing Director of Africa Services and General Counsel to ensure Mercy Ships has an active Protocol d' Accord and Accord de Siege with the host country.Develop and maintain relationships with key government ministry representatives through regular meetings to align aims and monitor objectives.Collaborate with the Ministry of Health to ensure the work of Mercy Ships has aligned with existing national health-focused strategic plans.Leadership & Programs ManagementExecute the Country Engagement Cycle, covering the pre-ship, field service, and post-ship phases.Manage process of registering Mercy Ships as a non-governmental organization (NGO) in the host country.Liaise with the Ministry of Health to locate buildings that could serve as the Hospital Outpatient Extension (HOPE) Center and once site approved, take the lead on developing the contract between Mercy Ships and the relevant partner.Lead the CET and other teams to develop relationships with the host nation's government and other public, private, and non-profit sector partners.Organize and participate in presenting the programmatic framework to host nation partners.Maintain an overview of the country's context, with a view to the strategic development of new projects. Collaborate with the Senior Director Programs Design and Evaluation, the Senior Director of Direct Medical Services (DMS), and Senior Director of Education, Training and Advocacy (ETA) on this.Work closely with International Programs to ensure programmatic activities and associated monitoring and evaluation activities taking place off the vessel are properly executed and stay informed about on-ship programmatic work, offering country-specific context where necessary to improve relationships and outcomes.Monitor and report any changes in the host nation which could jeopardize the success of the programmatic and operational activities (e.g., political instability, disease outbreaks).Communications & EventsLiaise with and maintain effective communication with the ship's Managing Director along with colleagues at the International Support Center (ISC) and ASC to establish and monitor objectives throughout the Country Engagement Cycle.Develop and maintain relationships with media outlets, other NGOs, and embassies with the objective of raising positive public awareness of Mercy Ships and identifying potential partnerships.In collaboration with Global Branding, establish a communications strategy for the country and assist to execute.Input into internal or external communication resources for assigned country as requested - for example, www.mercyships.africa website, press conference material, local media, field service reports, etc.During ship deployment, facilitate regular meetings with the Managing Director of the vessel to provide updates on the status of program implementation on the ground and host country relationships.Financial ManagementPrepare, manage, and report on the approved annual budget for CET, with support from the ASC Finance Director, OD, and In-Country Accountant.Set up bank account for CET according to developed and approved finance policies and procedures or delegate to OD if they're already in country.Work with the Senior Director Programs Design and Evaluation and Senior Director ETA on any country-specific funding opportunities, giving input on proposals as well as regarding reporting requirements.People ManagementIn collaboration with CET Development Managers and the P&C Department, support the hiring process for CET personnel, manage direct reports, and work with CET Development Managers to determine deployment of personnel in roving positions.In collaboration with the OD and P&C Department, ensure that in-country support personnel are identified, hired, and properly managed.Continuously seek to develop the professional skills of direct reports and the overall team, consulting with the Staff Development Department and CET Development Managers on formal training.Facilitate regular team meetings and teambuilding activities to facilitate team cohesion and effectiveness.Plan, schedule, and coordinate all team efforts to balance the workload throughout the Country Engagement Cycle.Security ManagementWork with the Global Security Department, and specifically the designated Field Security Officer (FSO), to coordinate information gathering and networking with other actors on security issues.Work with the FSO on maintaining an up-to-date country-specific security plan and ensure effective implementation.Ensure appropriate security awareness is maintained among all personnel working in the country, in collaboration with the FSO.In close communication with the FSO and ASC Director, take the lead on decision making and contingency planning during security incidents or threats.Team Spiritual LifeReflect the core values of Mercy Ships with team members, local staff, beneficiaries, and external contacts.Work, live, and pray together in our Christian faith-based setting. Fully contribute to the rich spiritual life of your team, including team devotions, prayer, words of life and encouragement.Programmatic Leadership and OversightOversee both on-ship and off-ship Mercy Ships programs within Ghana (excluding Direct Medical Services (OMS) oversight but providing support and integration of programs to OMS where necessary and appropriate).Collaborate with the Regional and Central Programs Teams to ensure program design, implementation, and adaptation are evidence-based and responsive to country needs.Ensure that monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) processes are implemented for all programs, in line with organizational frameworks and donor requirements.Liaise and build strong working relationships with program partners, including government agencies, healthcare institutions, NGOs, and community stakeholders.Support program design and proposal development for new initiatives within Ghana, ensuring they align with Mercy Ships' Theory of Change and strategic priorities.Provide regular programmatic reporting and updates for internal and external stakeholders, including donors and foundations, in collaboration with the Communications and Programs Quality & Impact (PQI) teams.Ensure that programmatic risks are identified and managed, and that program delivery is in compliance with Mercy Ships policies, agreements, and donor obligations.Facilitate collaboration between ship operations and programmatic activities to maximize the overall impact of Mercy Ships' presence in Ghana.Represent Mercy Ships programmatically in-country at key forums, events, and partner engagements.Qualifications (Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, And Requirements)The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.Have experience overseeing complex, multi-stakeholder interventions.Demonstrate confidence speaking in public in diplomatic setting.Utilize numeracy skills to prepare and monitor budgets and accounts.Prioritize tasks effectively to keep activities moving despite many demands.Maintain a positive attitude and demonstrate flexibility in changing circumstances.Possess excellent people skills and negotiation abilities with a high level of cultural sensitivity.Exhibit Mercy Ships' organizational culture and represent Mercy Ships' mission and values among internal and external stakeholders.Ascribe to Mercy Ships' Statement of Faith and Code of Conduct.Demonstrate a strong Christian commitment as evidenced by life and character.Commit to living in host nation with travel elsewhere as required.Education And ExperienceThe requirements listed below are representative of the education and/or experience required.A bachelor's degree in related discipline is preferred but not mandatory; along with 3+ years of business or non-profit management experience, financial acumen, a high-level of professionalism, and proven diplomacy skills.At least 2 years of experience managing a country office in a national, regional, or international organization or similar leadership experience.Previous experience with Mercy Ships is strongly preferred but not required.Proficient in Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, SharePoint.Fluency in English required. If working in a Francophone country, Cl French level or higher is strongly preferred.Valid international driver's license required; must have experience with both automatic and manual transmission vehicles and be willing to obtain an international driver's license/permit.Previous security management training is desirable.Suggested Experience And Competencies5–7 years of senior leadership experience in program management within the NGO, development, or health sector.Proven track record of managing multi-stakeholder programs in complex environments, preferably in West Africa.Experience liaising with government ministries and local partners at a senior level.Demonstrated ability to balance operational oversight with strategic programmatic leadership.Strong understanding of program design, MEL frameworks, and donor compliance (foundations, bilateral/multilateral, and institutional donors).Excellent communication, negotiation, and partnership-building skills.Cross-cultural leadership and team management experience.This is a paid position, $90,000 for US based markets. Posted ranges apply to US-based candidates. Pay ranges vary based on many factors including local labor market, internal equity, job scope, and budget. Offer amounts may be determined by work location, internal starting pay guidelines, and candidate skills and experience relative to defined job requirements.To explore our many Mercy Ships volunteer opportunities, please visit us at: https://www.mercyships.org/get-involved/volunteer/The application is open to all global citizens, please discard "right to work in the US question"How to applyhttps://careers.mercyships.org/Applicant/CurrentOpportunities.aspx?PosId=1208Job detailsCountryGhanaCity Accra SourceMercy ShipsTypeJobCareer categoryProgram/Project ManagementYears of experience5-9 yearsThemesHealthRecovery and ReconstructionShare Share this on Facebook Share this on X Post this on LinkedIn