Deputy Country Director

Reports To:       Country DirectorMatrix:                  Global Program LeadershipSupervise:           Manager, Tertiary Care and Infrastructure; Director, Outreach andPrimary Care and Senior Manager, Strategic InitiativesLocation:              Ethiopia, Addis AbabaPosition Type:  Full-timeORGANIZATIONAL PROFILE:For more than 43 million people, blindness is a daily reality; another 295 million suffer from moderate to severe vision impairment. 90% of these people live in low- and middle-income countries where access to eye care is limited and the challenges for those who can’t see are severe. But there is hope: 80% of this burden is treatable or preventable. For example, 17 million blind people could be cured with a 10-minute cataract surgery. Millions more suffer from corneal blindness, which is often preventable or treatable. At Cure Blindness Project, we believe avoidable blindness can – and must – be overcome. For more than 30 years, we have worked alongside a capable network of collaborators to help people around the world retain and regain their sight by developing high-quality, cost-effective eye care systems in underserved areas of the world. With the help of partners in more than 30 countries, Cure Blindness Project has provided more than 2 million sight-restoring surgeries and screened more than 20 million people to provide care and basic treatments. We’ve trained more than 25,200 eye health professionals and have established 6 eye hospitals. There is more work left to do, but we can overcome the mountain of global blindness together.   Cure Blindness Project has an established Country Office in Addis Ababa, working with the Ministry of Health and regional health bureaus. We are seeking individuals who are passionate about changing lives and want to be a part of a team that works together to reach new heights. We want leaders who can aim high, make things happen, and are invested in building a positive team dynamic to bring the work to life. VISION: A world where no one is needlessly blind MISSION: We enable countries to cure avoidable blindness by developing high quality, cost-effective eye care in underserved areas of the world.  SCOPE OF WORK:The Deputy Country Director for Cure Blindness Project in Ethiopia will be responsible for supporting the Country Director in managing operations and implementing the Cure Blindness Project's mission. This role ensures programmatic and non-programmatic internal compliance, donor requirements, government policies, procedures, and regulations, as well as overseeing the effective day-to-day management of Cure Blindness Project programmes, including Tertiary Care, Outreach, Primary Care, Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL), Advocacy, Quality and Research.  Working in close partnership with the global program leadership team, the Deputy Country Director will focus on providing leadership for these programmes ensuring global strategic alignment as well as appropriate localisation. In addition, the Deputy Country Director will work closely with finance, development, marketing and administration functions at both the Headquarters and Country Office levels to ensure compliance in areas such as finance, contracts and grants, security, legal, and human resources. The Deputy Country Director will work with the Country Director to develop the country-level multi-year and annual strategic plan in alignment with the Cure Blindness Project global strategic plan. Additionally, the Deputy Country Director will serve as the backup point of contact for local partners, subcontractors, vendors, collaborators, government entities, and others. Furthermore, the Deputy Country Director will support the organization in business development initiatives to maintain, grow, and diversify the funding portfolio, fostering innovation and driving the adoption of best practices.ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:                                                    Strategic Leadership & Management

• Support the Country Director in developing and implementing country strategies and annual plans
• Oversee day-to-day operations when the Country Director is unavailable
• Contribute to decision-making on program direction, resource allocation, and partnerships
• Partner with global program and functional leadership teams to drive alignment and collaboration
• Manage senior staff and foster a positive organizational culture

 Program Implementation & Quality

• Collaborate with global program leadership to design and deliver programs
• Ensure high-quality delivery of programs in line with organizational standards
• Monitor program implementation, budgets, and impact
• Lead needs assessments and develop appropriate interventions
• Coordinate emergency response activities when applicable

 Financial, Award & Resource Management

• Oversee country office program budget and work with and finance and development function for proper expense and award tracking, sub-grant monitoring, etc.
• Ensure compliance with donor requirements and reporting
• Manage assets and resources effectively
• Support fundraising efforts and proposal development

 Stakeholder Relations

• Build and maintain relationships with government officials, donors, and partners
• Represent the organization in coordination meetings and forums
• Collaborate with other NGOs and other relevant stakeholders
• Support advocacy efforts aligned with program objectives
• Work with the Country Director to provide thought leadership at national and sub-national eye health platforms, media organizations, governmental bodies, national groups, private sector organizations, educational institutions, international organizations, etc.

Staff Development & Security

• Supervise and mentor senior program staff
• Ensure appropriate security protocols are followed
• Promote staff professional development and well-being
• Maintain a positive work environment

Compliance & Risk Management

• Ensure compliance with local laws and regulations
• Implement organizational policies and procedures
• Identify and mitigate operational, security, and reputational risks
• Maintain ethical standards and uphold organizational values