Country Director StrongMinds

Job Summary
To strategically lead, develop and direct the implementation of all aspects of StrongMinds in country, supporting a team of staff working across various programme areas to grow, innovate, and collaborate. A critical objective for the Country Director (CD) will be to support the successful replication of StrongMinds’ programs via large NGO and government partners while maintaining technical excellence and team capacity. Supported by the Chief Programmes & Strategy Officer as well as the Global Leadership Team, the Country Director will also steward and report to a local Board of Directors. The CD will be responsible for securing new funding opportunities and large-scale strategic partnerships in concert with the development team, strengthening SM’s brand and reputation in country and striving for cost efficiencies and financial/operational excellence. He or she will also play a pivotal role in shaping the strategies and systems for the next stages of StrongMinds’ growth and scale.

Areas of Responsibility
Strategy & Scale
• Drive the organization’s ambitious replication strategy – to serve diverse populations and geographies via the NGO and government/public sectors; lead StrongMinds to achieve near-term increases in the numbers of clients treated, largely through partners.
• Set StrongMinds’ country short and long-term strategic direction, in alignment with global organizational strategy.
Establish StrongMinds as a centre of excellence in community-based, lay-delivered care for depression and maintain a bottom-line focus on the quality of care and well-being of our clients.
Set annual/multi-annual goals and targets, with a focus on achieving results and maximizing cost-efficiencies.
• Support a culture of innovation, piloting new approaches and prioritizing learning and improvement at all stages.
• Play a leadership role organizationally and contribute value and substance to StrongMinds’ global leadership team initiatives and decisions as shall be required.
• In collaboration with the StrongMinds innovations lab and the research team, develop a pipeline of strategic areas for innovation and research within the country to inform our learning and research agenda.

External Relations & Board Stewardship
• In collaboration with the StrongMinds development team, proactively seek partnerships and fundraising opportunities in the country and region.
• Grow and strengthen StrongMinds’ network across its relevant stakeholders and strategic partners in government and civil society.
• Cultivate StrongMinds’ brand and reputation in the country.
• Support the development and execution of advocacy strategies in collaboration with colleagues.
• Represent StrongMinds with key agencies and working groups.
• Together with the Board Chair, steward and grow the StrongMinds country Board of Directors, maintaining a diverse governance body that is highly skilled, engaged, and supportive.
• Lead engagements with the board to undertake reforms in policies and guidelines to streamline StrongMinds operations in the country in accordance with the legal regime of the country.
• Oversee quality in country donor and partner visits.

Financial Management
• Working closely with the Finance and Administration Team, ensure strong financial management systems are in place.
• Ultimate oversight for financial management including budgeting and financial governance, ensuring strong accountability and value for money.
• Oversight and compliance to all statutory obligations that have a bearing on the legal status of StrongMinds Country program.
• Take responsibility for constantly identifying ways in which to improve efficiencies and cost savings to keep our cost per patient as low as possible.
• Actively monitor & mitigate program and financial risk.
• Monitor and advise teams appropriately as guided by finance variance reports.

Leadership & People Management
• Lead and grow the StrongMinds team, ensuring a supportive, results-driven, and high-performing organizational culture is in place across multiple teams.
• Working closely with the People and Culture Team, ensure strong people management systems and a high-performance culture within the country.
• Supervise, mentor, and shape the senior management team to be aligned with the StrongMinds strategy, vision, and core values and to deliver on organizational milestones and plans.
• Ensure HR policies are followed; grievance and other critical procedures are followed.
• Develop and implement operational plans and systems to support transparency, learning, and cost efficiency.
• Promote professional development, with a focus of developing an internal coalition to ensure that StrongMinds remains top of mind in the mental health space, with current and future talent skills.
• Create and maintain key performance indicators – ensuring external good practice and thinking is reflected internally.
• Support cross-organizational working practices that ensure collaboration, inclusivity, accountability, transparency, and ownership.
• Foster an agile and innovative work environment that aligns with StrongMinds’ values.
• Oversee StrongMinds volunteer engagement within the country as guided by policy and strategies for effective volunteer management.

Candidate Profile
Educational Qualifications
A minimum of a BA degree in relevant Health or Social Sciences; International Development or Business Administration master’s-level degree preferred.

Job-related experience, knowledge, and Behaviors
• An experienced country director with at least 5 – 10 years’ experience, 5 of which have been at national/ country Director or similar level in complex development programming.
• Experience with integrated programming areas; International NGO partnerships, and Public Sector engagement and building strategic relationships with core government departments.
• Demonstrable track record in working with Board(s) and leading senior leadership teams.
• Successful past experience in overseeing large grants and working with government donors (USAlD, EU, DFAT, FCDO, etc.), UN agencies (eg UNICEF, WFP, UNHCR, etc) and Foundations.
• A hands-on and ambitious leader who can mentor, coach, and motivate all staff.
• A results-driven leader who values measuring and analyzing impact with scientific rigour. A high comfort with data is critically important.
• A great communicator who can express the vision of StrongMinds and persuade colleagues at local and international levels; with the ability to present persuasively to the Board, Senior Management Team, staff, donors, NGOs, government officials, community leaders and other stakeholders and partners.
• A networker who knows how to seize opportunities, establish, and maintain lasting relationships with relevant organizations, government branches, and other stakeholders.
• A generalist with an eye for detail who sees and fills gaps throughout the organization and enjoys contributing where extra hands are needed.
• A builder with a record of meeting program goals and deadlines who knows how to develop new initiatives and identify expansion opportunities.
• A self-starter who understands business operations and can create systems to increase efficiency and support the organization’s growth.
• A compassionate and intercultural leader, able to fit into a fast-paced culture and serve as a thought partner.
• Nimble, creative, and solution-oriented, adapting and contributing to the rapidly changing day-to-day demands of the organization.
• A person of integrity, ensuring an impeccable reputation for the organization and transparent and sound financial oversight.
• Dedicated to the mission of StrongMinds and to serving people living in the margins.
• Experienced in mental health or global health.