Country Director Palestine, DCA/NCA Joint Country Programme

Based in: Initially Amman (Jordan), then Jerusalem when the situation allows.

We are seeking our new Country Director to lead the DCA/NCA Palestine Office. If you dream of leading a professional team of humanitarian and development experts working with Palestinian and Israeli civil society organisations in a challenging Middle East environment, this job is for you!

DanChurchAid (DCA) and Norwegian Church Aid (NCA) are working together to make positive change in Palestine, through the implementation of a Joint Country Programme.

The Joint Country Programme comprises a diverse portfolio of activities under the three pillars of Saving Lives, Building Resilient Communities and Fighting Extreme Inequality with strong elements of capacity building and international advocacy. Following the Israel-Gaza war that started on 7th October 2023, our humanitarian engagement has grown significantly and so has the size of the Country Office. Intervention areas under our Gaza response include Cash (Community-led responses, GCT, E-MPCA), Food Security, WASH, Humanitarian Mine Action, Protection / GBV as well as International Advocacy

The position entails the overall responsibility of leading and managing the joint programme, which has a budget of around USD 7 million, 15 partners, and 18 staff working in different locations.

We seek a Country Director with analytical skills, a strategic mindset, extensive humanitarian and development experience, and strong leadership skills. Working in partnership is core to DCA/NCA, strengthening cooperation with national partners, donors, faith-based actors, international organisations, and ACT agencies. You will contribute to motivating a strong team of Palestinians and expatriates based in East Jerusalem, West Bank, Gaza, Amman, and Brussels, ensuring staff well-being in these very challenging times.

Main Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership for the joint country programme and further develop it in accordance with DCA and NCA’s strategies and priorities.
• Oversight of all aspects of the country programme, including all financial and administrative matters and the staff.
• Represent DCA and NCA and proactively build and strengthen relationships in Palestine towards embassies, donors, partners, authorities and other stakeholders.
• Meet DCA-NCA organisational performance benchmarks and related deadlines.
• Engage in proactive communication and media work with constituencies in Denmark and Norway.
• Liaise with institutions, forums, donors, UN Clusters, constituencies in Denmark/Norway and DCA/NCA resource persons.
• Identify and attract new donors, maintain existing donor relationships and ensure financial compliance with donor requirements.
• Overall responsible for risk and security management.

Key Qualifications

• Master’s degree in the social sciences or related fields, work experience within development or humanitarian responses.
• A minimum of 5years of leadership and management experience in complex and dynamic environments and an ability to lead a large and diverse team.
• Demonstrated strategic leadership experience in development and humanitarian programming in complex working environments
• Analytical and strategic thinking, with a commitment to a long-term development process.
• Experience with and strong understanding of international advocacy approaches.
• Understanding of International Humanitarian Law, IHRL and their applications.
• Knowledge and experience with Israel-Palestinian political, cultural, and economic spheres preferred.
• Experience working with faith-based organisations and religious actors
• Strong negotiation skills, diplomatic tact and ability to nurture relations
• Good communication skills, fluency in English – verbal and written
• Understanding the Danish and Norwegian contexts and policies related to Israel/ Palestine.
• Speaking and writing Danish and/ or Norwegian is required. Knowledge of Arabic is an advantage.

We offer

This is a three-year contract, starting as soon as possible. The duty station is Amman until the situation allows moving to East Jerusalem (as it used to be). It is an accompanied station, with a spouse and no children (flexibility is needed in these times of uncertainty).Terms are according to the International staff employment handbook, and salary ranges from DKK 52,000 to 59,000 depending on level of experience, international insurance and housing etc.

For further information please visit our website, http://www.danchurchaid.org or contact

Cecilie Bjørnskov-Johansen, Programme Director [email protected] +45 29699132.

How to apply
Please upload CV and motivation letter no later than 9 June 2024. Only applications consisting of a motivation letter and a CV will be considered and only short-listed candidates will be contacted.

The process

The initial interviews are scheduled for June 18, 2024. Following that, from June 19 to June 21, there will be behavioral analysis and feedback sessions. The second interview is set for June 24, 2024. Kindly make a note of these dates and inform us in your application if you are unavailable on any of them.

Note all interested candidates irrespective of age, gender, race, religion, sexual orientation, abilities or ethnic affiliation are encouraged to apply for the vacancy. DCA conducts an anti-terror check as part of the recruitment process. It is a prerequisite that you can pass this check and maintain this status throughout your employment with us. Everyone applying for a job with DCA must be ready to comply with our Code of Conduct, Staff Policy on Prevention of Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Harassment and our Child Safeguarding Policy.

To know more about DCA and NCA, please visit our websites (www.danchurchaid.org and https://www.kirkensnodhjelp.no/en/)