Country Director - Poland

JOB SUMMARY:

CARE International is a global confederation of humanitarian and development organizations working to reduce poverty and social injustice. The Country Director is CARE’s legal representative in Poland and leads its strategy and operations toward CARE’s Vision, Mission, and Focus. Reporting to the Regional Director, the Country Director is accountable for the relevance, impact, and cost-effectiveness of CARE’s work in Poland, including humanitarian response to refugees from Ukraine, with particular attention to women and girls. The role oversees program quality, finance, operations, and people management; staff safety and security; and the protection of organizational assets. It also leads fundraising and partnerships with donors, authorities, United Nations agencies, and local organizations. CARE seeks a visionary, entrepreneurial leader who adapts to complex contexts, models integrity and accountability, builds diverse teams, and influences externally.

This is a locally recruited position and may be based in Poland. Candidates must currently have, and maintain, legal authorization to work in the country where they will be based. International relocation or expatriate terms are not available for this role. This position is not eligible for visa sponsorship.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Strategy and Execution

• Lead the development and execution of the Country Office's multi-year strategy, ensuring alignment with CARE's global and regional priorities and humanitarian standards while responding to the national context and the evolving needs of refugee and host communities.
• Drive organizational transformation and entrepreneurial innovation in roles, systems, and approaches, ensuring the CO remains agile, relevant, and competitive in a fast-changing environment.
• Exercise adaptive and opportunity-driven leadership, tailoring strategies to shifting political, social, and economic contexts while leveraging emerging opportunities.

• Build organizational capacity for strategic foresight and scenario planning to enable evidence-based decision-making and resilience to shocks.

   

People Leadership and Development

• Provide visionary leadership to a diverse team, cultivating a culture of innovation, inclusion, collaboration, accountability, and alignment with CARE's values.
• Champion a results-oriented environment by setting clear expectations, monitoring performance, and driving continuous improvement.
• Identify and develop exceptional talent, ensuring robust succession planning, leadership pathways, and entrepreneurial thinking across all levels.
• Assess staffing needs and maintain a staffing plan with budget and recruitment timeline, adjusting as funding and operations change.

• Strengthen resilience and organizational continuity through innovative knowledge transfer and capacity-building processes.

   

Resource Mobilization & Representation

• Design and implement comprehensive resource mobilization strategies to secure diversified funding from institutional, multilateral, philanthropic, and private sector partners.
• Cultivate and expand relationships with traditional and emerging donors, government institutions, civil society, and private sector actors; lead proposal development and ensure timely, quality proposals, situation reports, and communication content for donors, CARE Member Partners, and Humanitarian Affairs.
• Apply business-minded leadership to explore innovative financing models, including impact investments, CSR partnerships, social enterprises, and local resource generation, to strengthen sustainability.

• Represent CARE externally, positioning the CO as a credible and influential partner in coordination forums with local partners, authorities, NGOs, and UN agencies, enhancing its visibility, and shaping donor and policy agendas.

   

Operational Excellence & Risk Management

• Oversee operational systems, including financial and asset management, procurement and supply chain, and secure information and communications, to ensure efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and compliance with CARE global standards.
• Lead risk management and safeguarding efforts to protect staff, partners, and program participants, ensuring strong security, fraud mitigation, and regulatory compliance. Brief all staff on risks, security measures, and local social and cultural norms.
• Ensure financial sustainability through effective budgeting, cost recovery, and prudent resource allocation.
• Ensure compliance with host-country legal, registration, labor, and statutory requirements, and keep management structures fit-for-purpose and proportionate to income.

Program Quality and Impact 

• Ensure programs are evidence-based, community-centered, gender-focused, and innovative, leveraging technology, entrepreneurial models, and digital solutions to deliver scalable, transformative impact, with particular attention to women and girls.
• Ensure compliance with program quality standards, M&E systems, and timely delivery of high-quality projects, based on regular needs assessments and humanitarian standards.
• Foster local ownership by strengthening civil society capacity, co-creating solutions, and advancing CARE's localization agenda, including contractual arrangements with local partners.
• Leverage partnerships with government, private sector, and communities to scale innovation and deepen program impact.