JOB DETAILS:

This role reports directly to the Vice President, International Programs & Operations (IPO) and sits on both the IPO Senior Management Team and the CARE US Global Leadership Team (GLT).

Key Responsibilities

Strategy & Impact

• Define a bold and future-ready vision for the ESA region aligned with CARE’s global mission.
• Lead the design and delivery of regional and country strategies that are responsive, adaptive, and grounded in local realities.
• Reimagine CARE’s footprints and operational models to maximize impact, relevance, and local leadership.

 Humanitarian Leadership

• Ensure CARE is ready to respond at scale to protracted and rapid-onset humanitarian emergencies.
• Champion CARE’s principled humanitarian action and ensure strategic advocacy to shape regional and global responses.
• Strengthen coordination, access, and response effectiveness across volatile contexts.

Operational Excellence

• Oversee programmatic, financial, and risk performance across the region.
• Support Country Directors and senior leadership teams to ensure high-quality program design, delivery, compliance, and impact.
• Build and sustain organizational resilience in the face of operational complexity and political change.

Partnerships & Advocacy

• • Represent CARE in high-level external forums, with donors, governments, regional bodies, and private sector actors.
  • Drive a bold regional advocacy and influencing agenda on issues affecting women and vulnerable communities.
  • Lead a forward-thinking regional resource mobilization strategy, including private sector engagement and regional funding opportunities.

People & Culture

• Directly manage, mentor, and empower Country Directors and regional leadership.
• Build inclusive, high-performing, and values-driven teams that reflect CARE’s commitment to equity and justice.
• Lead strategic talent development and succession planning across the region.

Who You Are

•   A strategic and compassionate leader with deep experience in international development and humanitarian response.
• Adept at navigating complex political, economic, and humanitarian landscapes in Africa.
•   Skilled in high-level representation, advocacy, and resource mobilization.
•  A champion of locally led solutions, gender equality, and transformational partnerships.
• Known for your decisiveness, emotional intelligence, and cross-cultural agility.
• Comfortable with significant regional travel and engagement with diverse stakeholders at all levels.

Why Join CARE?

This year, CARE and partners worked in 121 countries, reaching 53 million people through more than 1,450 projects. As Regional Director, you won’t just lead leaders— you’ll help shape a more just and resilient world.

Ready to lead with purpose and impact?

Apply now and be part of a global movement advancing social justice, humanitarian excellence, and transformative leadership across East and Southern Africa.

Required Qualifications:

- Bachelor's degree in a relevant field (e.g., International Development, Business Administration, Social Sciences)
- Over 7 years with proven results in senior management and leadership experience working in development and complex humanitarian operations, including in East and Southern Africa
- Proven ability to navigate a highly complex and matrixed global organization
- Proven experience overseeing operational risk and staff safety in fragile, conflict contexts
- Proven experience in high level engagement, including with private sector, and advocacy
- Proven ability to navigate a highly complex and matrixed global organization
- Extensive experience developing and securing funds for programs and services, from regional and global institutional donors such as USG, EU, private sector and foundations, philanthropists.
- Strong gender experience/ expertise. Experience in working with women movements.
- Good network of and experience in engaging with and influencing leaders in Southern Africa (donors, government authorities, leaders from private sector and international organizations, etc.).
- Effectively develop, lead and provide strategic direction to a diverse and inclusive team of leaders across a vast/diverse region. Consistently demonstrate your commitment to gender equality, diversity, equity and inclusion.
- Soft skills. Adaptive management skills to deal with different styles of leadership..
- Understanding of the basics of financial oversight and institutional donors compliance.
- English required.

Preferred Qualifications:

- Master's degree in a relevant field (e.g., International Development, Business Administration, Social Sciences)
- Knowledge about and extensive work experience in East and Southern Africa is highly desired, including established regional relationships and a networking-base in the region (with donors, peers, government authorities, leaders from private sector, local organizations, etc)