Health Systems StrengtheningInternational DevelopmentPublic Health
Useful technologies
ExcelMicrosoft Office SuiteOutlookPowerPointWord
Required qualifications
Field of studyBusiness Administration, Health Systems Management, International Development, Public Administration, Public Health (or related)
Study levelMaster's
Original posting
ABOUT VILLAGEREACH
VillageReach transforms health care delivery to reach everyone. We are driven by a vision of a world where each person has the health care needed to thrive. VillageReach’s goal is to reduce inequities in access to quality primary health care for 350 million people by 2030. We work with governments, the private sector, partners and communities to build responsive primary health care systems that deliver health products, information and services to the most under-reached. As a locally driven and globally connected organization, VillageReach has registered offices in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique and the United States; with physical presences also in Cote d’Ivoire, Nigeria and Tanzania.
Summary
The DRC Country Director is responsible for the overall strategic, programmatic, operational, and administrative leadership of VillageReach’s work in the Democratic Republic of Congo. This role serves as the primary representative for VillageReach in DRC, engaging government stakeholders, donors, partners, and other key actors to advance the organization’s mission and country priorities. The Country Director leads and manages the DRC country team and reports to the Vice President, Global Programs.
Description
Essential Duties and Responsibilities are listed below, and these may change or new ones be assigned at any time.
1. Country Strategy, Program Leadership, and Learning
Lead the development, implementation, and periodic review of the DRC country strategy and annual operating plans, ensuring alignment with VillageReach’s global strategy, organizational priorities, and country needs.
Oversee the implementation of VillageReach’s programs in DRC including the development, execution and monitoring of work plans, budgets, and evaluations;
Monitor program implementation and refine program strategies and plans accordingly, ensuring that DRC program design and execution are aligned with the organization’s global strategy;
2. Country Operations, Finance, Compliance, and Risk
Oversee the development and execution of country budgets, ensuring sound financial stewardship, achievement of financial targets, identification of funding needs, and alignment of expenditures with strategic priorities.
Ensure effective, compliant, and efficient management of all country resources, including personnel, assets, infrastructure, and finances;
Ensure the effective implementation and enforcement of security, safety, and risk management procedures to safeguard staff, visitors, and organizational assets.
3. Partnerships, Representation, Business Development, and Influence
Lead the pursuit and development of new business opportunities for growth in DRC including drafting of concept notes, proposals and budgets, in consultation with relevant global staff;
Develop, strengthen, and manage strategic relationships with government counterparts, donors, implementing partners, and other key stakeholders to advance VillageReach’s mission and influence.
Coordinate VillageReach’s activities in DRC and provide regular reporting to government partners, other NGOs, and donors as appropriate;
Represent VillageReach in technical working groups, committees, government forums, and conferences;
Stay informed on local and international initiatives that support VillageReach objectives in the DRC;
4. People Leadership, Culture, and Cross-Organizational Collaboration
Lead and manage the country office team, providing strategic oversight for finance, administration and human resources and operations to ensure compliance with all local laws, donor requirements, and organizational procedures and policies;
Maintain strong collaboration and communication across VillageReach offices, serving as the primary liaison between the DRC office and global teams.
Foster an inclusive, collaborative, and high-performing workplace culture that promotes equity, staff wellbeing, professional growth, learning, accountability, and organizational values.
Assess workforce needs and ensure the recruitment, development, and retention of a high-performing team capable of delivering on country objectives.
Perform other duties as assigned by VillageReach leadership.
Competencies:
VillageReach has ten (10) Organizational Competencies that describe how we work together and get things done that are grouped into three strategic areas of Achieving Great Results, Setting Direction and, Bringing Others With you. For a full description, please download our Organizational Competency document.
Achieving Great Results__:
1. Risk Taking and Innovation
· Key Behaviors: Comfort with ambiguity, curiosity, adaptability, unconstrained and undeterred creativity, resourcefulness.
2. Business Judgement
· Key Behaviors: Getting to root causes, understanding environment, navigating complexity and ambiguity, entrepreneurial energy.
3. Building Strong Teams
· Key Behaviors: Trust in Subject Matter Experts (SME’s); radical candor to resolve conflict, hold each other accountable as colleagues, focused on results, commitment to mission.
· Key Behaviors: Self-aware, plan how one shows up, emotionally intelligent, use one’s own agency and takes accountability.
6. Stewardship and Personal Alignment
· Key Behaviors: Take ownership, display ethical conduct, effective at resource management, alignment of personal objectives with organizational goals and mission, focus on continuous improvement and sustainability.
Bringing Others with You:
7. Influencing Leadership
· Key Behaviors: Cultivate trust, influences to make change, navigate the matrix structure.
8. Radical Partnership
· Key Behaviors: Share information and credit, address conflict, increase impact through collaboration, political and contextual awareness.
9. Cultivates a Growth Mindset
· Key Behaviors: Seek out diverse input, demonstrate flexibility in thinking and curiosity, embrace challenges, demonstrate persistence, seek learning opportunities.
10. Cultural Intelligence and Inclusion
· Key Behaviors: Continuous learning and ally-ship across cultural lines, challenge prejudice and bias, modeled in one’s own behavior.
Requirements
REQUIREMENTS
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Supervisory Responsibilities:
This position provides supervisory leadership, including workforce planning, recruitment, onboarding, staff development, performance management, work direction, and employee relations, in alignment with organizational policies and applicable laws.
Education & Experience:
Master's degree in Public Health, Public Administration, Business Administration, International Development, Health Systems Management, or a related field.
Minimum 10 years of senior leadership experience in public health, health systems strengthening, international development with a track record of delivering results in complex environments.
Demonstrated success leading country programs and operations, including oversight of multidisciplinary teams, organizational performance, and large-scale budgets.
Strong knowledge of the DRC operating environment, including public health systems, government structures, donor priorities, regulatory frameworks, and resource-constrained settings.
Strong expertise in financial, operational, and risk management, including donor-funded programs, compliance, grants, procurement, and internal controls.
Demonstrated success in business development, resource mobilization, donor engagement, and strategic partnerships that drive organizational growth.
Strong understanding of safeguarding, security, duty of care, and ethical leadership, with a commitment to integrity, accountability, and compliance.
Good communication, and influencing skills, with the ability to navigate complexity, build consensus, and lead change.
Other Qualifications:
Familiarity with the operational context in DRC and ability to navigate complex relationships with government and donors.
Ability to travel internationally, on business.
Established cultural competency in partnering with racial, cultural and linguistically diverse groups.
Demonstrated understanding of challenges with working in rural, underserved and low-income context; experience living in and/or working in a low-income country a plus.
Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, Excel) and comfortable in a fast-paced technical environment.
Proficient in written and spoken French and English.
Ability to prioritize and perform multiple tasks, problem-solve, and work under pressure.
Environment and Physical Demands:
VillageReach employees typically work in a shared, open environment with task and conference rooms accessible to employees for privacy and meetings. The noise level in the work environment is usually quiet. Due to the time zone differences across our USA, Kenya and Country Offices and location of other global staff, we have established core collaboration hours between 6am Pacific Time and 18:00 South Africa Time (GMT+1) Monday through Thursday. All staff, regardless of location are expected to be available between these hours. We do not hold cross-office meetings on Friday.
COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY & INCLUSION:
VillageReach is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer committed to workforce diversity. We believe that diverse, equitably weighted perspectives foster an organizational capacity to create novel solutions that improve health in the most under-reached and hard-to-reach areas. To align our values, innovations and impact, VillageReach is committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse global workforce.
APPLICATION INFORMATION:
This is an immediate hire and therefore resumes will be reviewed on a rolling basis until [Input Date]. To apply, please submit your resume and a cover letter [plus any other desired materials] to our online portal: http://www.villagereach.org/join-us/. In your cover letter, please address (1)Why you are interested in this position, (2)What is one reason you think you’d be a good fit for this position and, (3)what is at least one strength you would bring to this position?
Hiring Process:
The hiring process will include the following steps:
1. Review submitted applications
2. Conduct 20-30 minutes screening interviews for shortlisted candidates
3. Conduct skills and value-based interviews for 3-5 candidates.
4. Request that top candidates submit a practical assessment (designed to take no more than two hours to complete). Sometimes the assignment will occur before the interview.
5. Conduct final interview if necessary
6. Request references
7. Make offer
8. Conduct background check
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted, but candidates who proceed to step 2 will be notified if they are not chosen for step 3.
Safeguarding:
VillageReach is committed to promoting the welfare of children, young people, adults, and beneficiaries with whom it engages. We expect everyone working with us to share this commitment through our code of conduct.All offers of employment will be subject to satisfactory references and appropriate screening checks, which may include criminal records. VillageReach participates in the Misconduct Disclosure Scheme and, in line with this Scheme, we will request information from job applicants’ previous employers about any findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse, and/or sexual harassment during employment, or incidents under investigation when the applicant left employment. By applying, the job applicant confirms his/her understanding of these recruitment procedures.
Benefits
Compensation & Benefits:
VillageReach has an established compensation structure that is based on the relevant market and internally transparent. We hire people into the established range based on one’s experience and education and considering internal equity. We do not inquire about salary history. Please refer to our compensation overview on our website for more information and for more information on employee benefits.