Country Director - Yemen, Sana'a

Who are we?

The Danish Refugee Council (DRC) is one of the world's leading humanitarian organizations, working to protect, advocate for, and promote durable solutions for people affected by displacement, conflict, and crisis. Across the Middle East, Asia, and Europe, DRC delivers integrated humanitarian and development programming that addresses immediate needs while supporting longer-term resilience and recovery.

Yemen is one of DRC's largest, most complex, and strategically important operations globally. With a presence in the country since 2008 and a significant scale-up following the onset of the current conflict in 2015, DRC has established itself as a leading humanitarian actor responding to one of the world's most protracted humanitarian crises. Operating from a Country Office in Sana'a and through an extensive field presence across Aden, Dhamar, Hajjah, Hodeidah, Mokha, Sa'dah, Shabwa, and Taizz, DRC delivers life-saving and resilience-building assistance to vulnerable communities affected by conflict, displacement, and mixed migration.

DRC's diverse portfolio spans emergency response, protection, camp coordination and camp management (CCCM), economic recovery, shelter and non-food items (NFI), water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), humanitarian mine action, and mixed migration programming. With an annual programme portfolio of approximately USD 100 million, Yemen represents one of DRC's largest country programmes, offering a unique opportunity to lead a highly visible and impactful operation at scale.

 

Overall purpose of the role

The Country Director provides strategic leadership to one of DRC's largest and most complex country operations, driving DRC's comprehensive and solutions-oriented approach to displacement in one of the world's most challenging humanitarian contexts. The role requires visionary leadership, innovation, strong external representation, and effective advocacy to position DRC as a leading humanitarian actor and trusted partner in Yemen.

As DRC's senior representative in the country, the Country Director is ultimately accountable for all aspects of the organization's operations, including programme quality, safety and security, people management, financial stewardship, risk management, compliance, and external relations. The Country Director leads both the consolidation and continued development of the Yemen programme, strengthening impact measurement, accountability to affected populations, and organizational effectiveness while ensuring that operational models remain responsive to a dynamic and complex environment.

The Country Director sets strategic direction, inspires and develops high-performing teams, safeguards staff welfare and security, and fosters a culture of collaboration, accountability, and learning. Through effective delegation and oversight, the role ensures that DRC's substantial resources are managed responsibly and that humanitarian assistance is delivered with the highest standards of quality, integrity, and impact.

                                                                           

Duties and Responsibilities

Leadership and Management

Within their line management mandate, and in alignment with DRC's Leadership Standards and organizational policies, the Country Director is responsible for:

• Providing overall leadership, strategic direction, and management of DRC's country operation.
• Leading, supporting, and developing the Senior Management Team to ensure effective collaboration, sound decision-making, and achievement of strategic and operational objectives.
• Establishing clear objectives, expectations, and accountability across the country operation and promoting a culture aligned with DRC's values and Leadership Standards.
• Exercising delegated budget and management authority in accordance with DRC policies and procedures.
• Ensuring that recruitment, performance management, staff development, succession planning, and disciplinary processes are implemented effectively and in accordance with DRC policies.
• Fostering staff wellbeing, engagement, and professional development while ensuring DRC's duty of care obligations are met.
• Addressing performance, conduct, and Code of Conduct matters in line with DRC policies and procedures.

Representation

• Represent DRC at national, regional, and international levels with government authorities, donors, UN agencies, diplomatic missions, NGOs, consortium partners, and other key stakeholders.
• Strengthen DRC's strategic positioning, reputation, and influence in Yemen.
• Ensure that DRC maintains effective and constructive relationships with displacement-affected communities, authorities, donors, partners, and the wider humanitarian and development community.
• Promote DRC's integrated and solutions-oriented approach to displacement and actively contribute to humanitarian coordination and policy dialogue.

Strategic Leadership and Operational Oversight

• Provide overall management oversight of the country programme and ensure strategic coherence across programme and support functions.
• Directly line manage designated senior staff and ensure that the Senior Management Team functions as an effective leadership body.
• Ensure appropriate organizational structures, systems, and resources are in place to support programme delivery and operational effectiveness.
• Maintain regular engagement with field operations through frequent field visits, providing leadership support, oversight, and representation.
• Ensure compliance with all internal governance, risk management, and reporting requirements.

Fundraising and Advocacy

• Lead donor engagement, strategic partnerships, and resource mobilization efforts to sustain and grow the country portfolio.
• Ensure strong donor relations and high-quality donor engagement throughout the programme cycle.
• Lead the implementation of DRC's advocacy priorities and ensure advocacy initiatives are informed by operational evidence, programme learning, and protection concerns.
• Promote principled humanitarian action and amplify the voices and priorities of displacement-affected populations in relevant forums.

Safety

• Hold overall accountability for safety, security, and duty of care across the country operation.
• Ensure effective security management systems and procedures are maintained and adapted to the evolving context.
• Oversee security analysis, risk management, preparedness, and crisis response mechanisms to support informed decision-making and safe programme delivery.

Support Services and Financial Management

• Hold overall accountability for the financial health, sustainability, and compliance of the country operation.
• Work closely with the Head of Support Services to ensure effective financial planning, budget management, internal controls, and risk management systems.
• Ensure that all resources are managed effectively, responsibly, and in compliance with DRC policies, donor requirements, and relevant legal obligations.
• Ensure that support functions provide timely, efficient, and compliant services that enable high-quality programme implementation.
• Promote capacity development and continuous improvement across all support functions.

Programme Development and Quality

• Lead the development, implementation, and review of the country strategy in alignment with DRC's global and regional strategic frameworks.
• Ensure programmes are evidence-based, responsive to context and needs, and contribute to DRC's strategic objectives and solutions-oriented approach to displacement.
• Promote innovation, learning, and adaptive management to maximize programme quality and impact.
• Support the development of integrated, multi-sectoral programming that strengthens protection outcomes and contributes to durable solutions.

Accountability and Compliance

• Ensure adherence to DRC policies, standards, and procedures, including the Code of Conduct, safeguarding commitments, DRC Operations Handbook, and donor compliance requirements.
• Promote accountability to affected populations and ensure communities meaningfully inform programme design and implementation.
• Ensure consistent application of DRC's Programme Cycle Management framework to strengthen programme quality, accountability, monitoring, evaluation, and learning.
• Foster a culture of accountability, compliance, learning, and continuous improvement across the country operation.

 

Experience and technical competencies:

To be successful in this role we expect you to have minimum five years’ management experience in emergency/development contexts as country director/senior manager of a humanitarian or development organization or similar, moreover, we also expect the following:

• Experience as a people manager;
• Experience representing a large and leading organization to donors, external partners and authorities;
• Experience with networking, advocacy and coordination;
• Experience in managing staff in insecure/stressful locations;
• Experience with conflict related displacement issues;
• Experience of managing budgets and multiple donor contracts;
• Experience in donor contact, fundraising and networking;
• Experience of Humanitarian Mine Action (preferred);
• Experience working in the Middle East region and Yemen (preferred);
• Proven leadership skills and competence in people management;
• Proven communicator with all types of stakeholders; and
• Proven commitment to accountable practices and knowledge of quality assurance systems.

 

Languages

• English is required
• Arabic is desirable

 

In this position, you are expected to demonstrate DRC’s five core competencies: 

• Striving for excellence: You focus on reaching results while ensuring an efficient process. 
• Collaborating: You involve relevant parties and encourage feedback. 
• Taking the lead: You take ownership and initiative while aiming for innovation. 
• Communicating: You listen and speak effectively and honestly. 
• Demonstrating integrity: Upholding and promoting the highest standards of ethical and professional conduct in relation to DRC’s values and Code of Conduct, including safeguarding against sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment.

Education: Master’s degree in relevant field

We offer

Contract length: 12 months contract

Position Band: This position will be placed at Management band (D)

Suggested Start date: January 01, 2027

Duty station: Yemen, Sana’a

Designation of Duty Station: Unaccompanied / Non-family duty station

 

Salary and conditions will be in accordance with Danish Refugee Council’s Terms of Employment for Expatriates or Nationals.

 

Application process

Interested to apply? All applicants must upload a cover letter and an updated CV (no longer than four pages) in English. Applications sent by email will not be considered.

Closing date for applications: October, 08, 2027

For further information about the Danish Refugee Council, please consult our website drc.ngo.

 

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