Country Director - South Sudan

We are currently recruiting a Country Director to lead our South Sudan team.  

 

This is a full-time position based in Juba, South Sudan, with frequent travel across South Sudan.  

 

At Relief International, we are committed to building a representative, inclusive and authentic workplace. We strongly encourage applications from candidates from minoritized backgrounds those who bring lived experience of the contexts in which we work. 

 

This role is classified as requiring advanced pre-employment checks. 

 

About Relief International 

Relief International is an international non-profit organization that partners with communities impacted by conflict, climate change and disaster to save lives, build greater resilience and promote long-term health and wellbeing. We work in 14 countries across Africa, Asia, and the Middle East, providing Health and Nutrition, WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene), Education and Livelihoods programming that creates the foundation for community resilience. 

 

About the Opportunity 

The Country Director for South Sudan will be responsible for successfully leading and adapting Relief International’s country mission through/into the new realities of the country programs and external context. 

Relief International has been active in South Sudan since 2006, delivering lifesaving assistance to conflict-affected communities across Upper Nile State, including both government- and opposition held areas. Our operations are rooted in frontline service delivery. A major focus of our work is supporting people displaced by violence, both those fleeing conflict within South Sudan and those escaping the war in Sudan. 

Relief International in South Sudan is recognized for delivering high-quality, lifesaving health, nutrition, WASH, and resilience programming in some of the most conflict-affected and hard-to-reach areas of the country. Our teams operate in complex and rapidly shifting environments, reaching communities where access is constrained and needs are acute. RI is trusted by communities, respected by partners, and recognized by donors for principled humanitarian action, technical excellence, and operational discipline. 

The Country Director provides overall strategic leadership and direction for the South Sudan mission, with responsibility for representation, fundraising and business development, external relations, operational oversight, risk management, program quality, and financial sustainability. This role requires a forward-looking leader who understands the rapidly evolving donor landscape and can position RI to remain relevant, competitive, and impactful amid shrinking humanitarian funding and increasing operational constraints. 

 

Your Responsibilities 

This role includes the following responsibilities. 

• Provide strategic leadership for RI’s South Sudan mission, setting a clear vision for impact and sustainability while driving a diversified, forwardlooking resource mobilization strategy. 

• Strengthen high quality program delivery by aligning teams around shared priorities, ensuring rigorous project cycle management, and upholding RI’s standards for compliance, performance, and accountability. 

• Build and steward influential partnerships with donors, UN agencies, government authorities, and peer organizations to elevate RI’s profile, expand funding opportunities, and shape collective humanitarian outcomes. 

• Ensure robust risk, security, and operational management by embedding duty of care, maintaining strong internal controls, and proactively addressing threats, vulnerabilities, and operational challenges. 

• Foster an inclusive, high performance culture that empowers national and expatriate staff, promotes wellbeing, and ensures transparent, equitable people management across the mission. 

 

About You 

You will bring the following experience and skills. 

• Senior leadership experience as Country Director or Deputy Country Director (or equivalent) managing complex, multi-sector humanitarian operations in fragile or conflict-affected contexts. 

• Demonstrated success in strategic fundraising and portfolio diversification, including securing funding from institutional donors, UN agencies, and ideally non-traditional donors and private sector or foundation partners. 

• Established high-level networks with key donors and partners, with proven ability to translate relationships into funded programs and strategic partnerships. 

• Strong operational management experience, including oversight of multi-million-dollar budgets, financial compliance, internal controls, audit readiness, and risk mitigation. 

• Proven track record of enforcing program management standards, strengthening accountability systems, and ensuring on-time, on-budget, high-quality delivery across multiple field locations.  

• Demonstrated experience leading change management and adapting country strategies in response to shifting donor landscapes and political contexts. 

• Strong risk management and security oversight experience in volatile environments, with ability to balance access, compliance, and duty of care. 

• Experience advancing nationalization and localization strategies, including mentoring and developing national staff into senior leadership roles. 

• Exceptional representation, negotiation, public speaking, and written communication skills, with experience positioning an organization’s technical expertise externally. 

• Master’s degree in a relevant field (International Development, Public Health, Business Administration, International Relations, or related discipline) or equivalent senior-level experience. 

• Fluency in English is essential. 

• Experience working in South Sudan or similar highly complex, conflict-affected contexts in the Horn of Africa would be an advantage.  

• Experience engaging with private sector actors, innovative financing models, or foundation partnerships desirable.  

• Sector experience in Health and Nutrition strongly preferred; experience in WASH, Protection, or Livelihoods an asset. 

• Advocacy, media engagement, and strategic communications experience would be a bonus. 

 

Research shows that women and people of colour are less likely to apply to jobs, unless they meet every single requirement. If you’re excited about this role, but your experience doesn’t align with every criteria described, we encourage you to apply anyway, you could be exactly what we need! 

 

How To Apply 

To apply for this post, click on the “Apply” button in the job advert page. 

• You will be asked to upload a CV and Cover Letter.   

• The cover letter should be one page, and explain why you are interested in this post with Relief International and how your skills and experience make you a good fit.  

 

Closing Date: 23 March 2026.   

As a humanitarian organization, Relief International is committed to the safeguarding of all those we come into contact with through our work. We are committed to the core humanitarian principles regarding prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse. Relief International expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment and uphold the values and behaviors outlined in the Code of Conduct. 

Recruitment to all roles in Relief International include a criminal records self-declaration, references, and other pre-employment checks, which may include police and qualifications checks.