Job Description
Country Director – Humanitarian NGO Jobs in Mozambique | Action Against Hunger Careers
Company: Action Against Hunger
Location: Mozambique (Maputo & Pemba – 50/50 deployment)
Job Type: Full-Time | Fixed-Term Contract (24 Months)
Industry: Humanitarian Aid, NGO Management, International Development, Emergency Response
Start Date: 15 Dec 2026
Salary: €3,572 – €4,128 gross per month (depending on experience) plus allowances and benefits
Action Against Hunger Mozambique is seeking an experienced Country Director to provide strategic leadership, operational oversight, and humanitarian coordination across Mozambique. This senior-level NGO leadership opportunity is ideal for professionals experienced in international development jobs, humanitarian operations, donor-funded programs, emergency response management, NGO leadership careers, food security programs, and country office management.
Professionals looking for senior NGO jobs in Mozambique, humanitarian leadership jobs in Africa, international NGO vacancies, country director jobs, donor-funded project management careers, emergency response jobs, and development sector employment opportunities may find this role highly rewarding.
Candidates searching for updated Mozambique NGO jobs and humanitarian careers can also explore opportunities through NGO vacancy in Maputo for current openings across development, nonprofit management, and international organizations.
About the Organization
Action Against Hunger (Action Contre la Faim – ACF) is an internationally recognized humanitarian organization established in 1979 to combat hunger, malnutrition, and humanitarian crises globally. The organization operates in over 57 countries and focuses on:
- Nutrition and Health
- Food Security and Livelihoods
- Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH)
- Mental Health and Psychosocial Support
- Climate and Advocacy Programs
- Emergency and Humanitarian Response
- Research and Community Development
The Mozambique mission works extensively in vulnerable and emergency-affected areas, especially in Cabo Delgado, while maintaining strategic coordination from Maputo.
Job Overview
The Country Director will be responsible for leading the overall country strategy, strengthening humanitarian programming, managing donor and government relationships, and ensuring the effective delivery of humanitarian and development interventions.
The successful candidate will oversee approximately 116 staff members, including 6–7 direct reports, while ensuring operational excellence, security compliance, and organizational accountability.
This role combines strategic leadership, humanitarian diplomacy, program oversight, financial stewardship, security management, and people leadership.
Key Duties and Responsibilities
Strategic Leadership & Mission Direction
- Lead the preparation, implementation, and continuous updating of Mozambique’s country strategy aligned with ACF’s global mission and regional priorities.
- Ensure humanitarian and development programming aligns with organizational goals and local context.
- Provide strategic leadership for long-term impact on hunger prevention, food security, and resilience building.
Program Oversight & Operational Management
- Oversee the design, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of all humanitarian and development programs.
- Ensure operational efficiency across nutrition, emergency response, WASH, livelihoods, and psychosocial support interventions.
- Monitor program quality and donor compliance requirements.
Donor Relations & Stakeholder Engagement
- Build and strengthen relationships with:
- Government institutions
- Donor agencies
- International NGOs
- Civil society organizations
- Private sector stakeholders
- Humanitarian coordination bodies
- Represent the organization in high-level meetings and negotiations.
Professionals interested in regional humanitarian jobs, international NGO vacancies, donor-funded employment opportunities, and nonprofit leadership careers in Africa may also review openings on NGO jobs in Kigali for comparable East African development sector opportunities.
Security & Risk Management
- Ensure safety and security of all personnel, operations, facilities, and assets.
- Manage crisis response protocols and evacuation planning when necessary.
- Oversee incident management and country-specific security threats.
Human Resources & Team Leadership
- Lead and mentor multicultural technical teams.
- Strengthen workforce capacity and performance management systems.
- Promote organizational values, accountability, inclusion, and staff development.
- Foster a collaborative work culture aligned with humanitarian principles.
Financial Management & Compliance
- Oversee mission budgets, grant utilization, procurement systems, and financial accountability.
- Ensure donor compliance and proper financial reporting.
- Support efficient mobilization and allocation of operational resources.
Headquarters Coordination & Reporting
- Act as the primary liaison between Mozambique operations and global headquarters.
- Ensure compliance with reporting requirements and strategic alignment.
- Leverage HQ expertise to strengthen implementation quality.
Education and Qualification Requirements
Applicants should possess:
- Master’s Degree (minimum five years of higher education) in:
- Humanitarian Action
- Development Project Management
- Political Science
- International Relations
- Social Development
- Public Policy or related fields
Additional leadership or humanitarian certifications are considered advantageous.
Experience Requirements
Candidates should demonstrate:
- Minimum 6 years of experience in a senior humanitarian leadership role.
- Proven expertise managing operations within complex emergency or security environments.
- Experience supervising multicultural and technical teams.
- Strong background in humanitarian response, NGO management, emergency coordination, donor engagement, and development programming.
- Prior Action Against Hunger experience is advantageous.
Candidates exploring international humanitarian jobs, NGO management careers, nonprofit leadership vacancies, and development cooperation employment opportunities may also discover related opportunities through NGO jobs in Eswatini for regional NGO and donor-funded vacancies.
Required Skills and Competencies
Successful candidates should demonstrate:
- Strong leadership and strategic decision-making ability
- Diplomacy and stakeholder engagement skills
- Crisis and security management expertise
- Program management and operational oversight experience
- Financial and grant management knowledge
- Excellent communication and negotiation abilities
- Capacity-building and staff mentorship skills
- Adaptability in multicultural and remote environments
Language Requirements
Applicants must have:
- Fluency in written and spoken English
- Proficiency in at least one Latin language:
- Portuguese
- Spanish
- Italian
Portuguese language skills are highly advantageous for local stakeholder engagement in Mozambique.
Training and Professional Development
Action Against Hunger offers strong career development opportunities, including:
- Continuous leadership coaching and mentoring
- Humanitarian response capacity-building
- Access to Talentsoft e-learning platform (free and unlimited)
- International NGO leadership development pathways
- Strategic management and operational training opportunities
Salary and Benefits Package
The organization offers a competitive international humanitarian compensation package including:
- Monthly Gross Salary: €3,572 – €4,128 (depending on experience)
- 13th Month Salary Benefit
- 16% Pension Insurance Reimbursement for non-French nationals
- Annual Salary Increase: 6% after every 12 months of service
- Monthly Per Diem & Living Allowance: €630 net
- Monthly Country Allowance: €150
- Child Support Allowance: €1,500 per child annually (maximum €6,000/year)
- Accommodation: Family detached house in Maputo plus guest accommodation in Pemba
- Medical Coverage: 100% health and repatriation insurance for employee and dependents
- Paid Leave: 25 annual leave days
- R&R Benefits: 20 Rest & Recuperation days annually with airfare reimbursement
- Family Status Eligibility
Work Environment
This position operates on a Maputo (50%) and Pemba (50%) rotational basis, requiring frequent travel and coordination between operational and strategic locations.
The role suits experienced humanitarian professionals capable of thriving in fast-paced, multicultural, and security-sensitive environments.
How to Apply
Interested candidates should prepare:
- Updated Curriculum Vitae (CV)
- Cover Letter outlining humanitarian leadership experience
- Relevant educational and professional certifications
Applications should be submitted through the employer’s official recruitment process before the stated deadline.
Action Against Hunger is committed to diversity, inclusion, equal opportunity employment, and actively supports persons with disabilities.