Description
We are looking for an experienced development professional to lead our passionate team and manage the portfolio of projects aimed at strengthening health care systems in Mozambique.
Contract Type:
Fixed term appointment (minimum 3 years)
Place of Assignment:
Pemba, Mozambique
Start of Contract:
1 July 2026 or per agreement
The Role:
SolidarMed is looking for a dynamic, energetic, and well-connected country director who can motivate a core team to effectively support the Ministry of Health to address key systems strengthening and improved health outcomes. The successful candidate will have a proven track record and have a solid understanding of public health and humanitarian/emergency response trends and needs for increased locally led development in the next few years.
The Country Director is responsible for the strategic leadership and oversight of SolidarMed operations in Mozambique; including programme direction and quality, country strategy development, innovation, and impact; as well as human resource management and talent development, financial stewardship, resource acquisition, and administrative operations.
Programme Mozambique:
SolidarMed has worked in Mozambique for around 30 years as a trusted and long term partner of the Ministry of Health, maintaining strong links with national and local authorities. Its country programme operates across multiple districts in two northern provinces, covering five districts and the provincial capital in Cabo Delgado, as well as two districts in Nampula.
The 2025–2029 strategy focuses on improving health outcomes for vulnerable populations while strengthening district health systems to manage current and future challenges. Programme priorities centre on maternal and child health, communicable diseases, and humanitarian action and emergency response. In 2025, six major projects contributed to these goals alongside two ad hoc emergency interventions. Throughout its work, SolidarMed maintains close coordination with ministries and other key stakeholders to ensure aligned, effective and timely responses.
Key responsibilities as Country Director:
• Lead the development and execution of a high-quality country strategic plan relevant to the local context and reflecting the global priorities
• Oversee the recruitment, orientation, performance, and development of staff demonstrating healthy engagement, a culture of innovation, and effective talent management
• Provide leadership in the development and change management of transformative initiatives in the country to enable continuous evolution of the projects and their delivery models
• Oversee programme quality in the country ensuring quality execution of the programme strategy, and timely and quality completion of all monitoring, evaluation, and reporting processes
• Optimise financial, human, and physical resource allocation, management, and quality standards to ensure successful implementation of the country’s strategic plan and mission
• Coordinate and link with national and international partners, technical workgroups, donors, stakeholders, and proactively seek potential new collaborations
• Contribute to programme- and project development; actively promote generation of new project ideas, and generation of evidence through implementation research
• Initiate, lead, and oversee the funding acquisitions and local resource mobilisation, ensuring long-term health of the portfolio and achievement of annual targets
• Budget control and safeguarding of the internal controlling system
Requirements:
• Medical degree, Business Administration, or development specialist; ideally combined with a degree and work experience in Public Health
• Experienced professional with at least 8 years working experience in a senior management position in international development, humanitarian emergency response, and/or health programmes
• Extensive practical experience and contextual understanding of the eastern and southern Africa landscape
• Outstanding written and oral communication skills in English, fluency in Portuguese.
• Demonstrated experience working in complex security environments, ideally in Northern Mozambique or comparable contexts affected by conflict, displacement, and natural hazards.
• Strong knowledge of emergency preparedness and response (EPRP), including risk analysis, contingency planning, crisis coordination with authorities, and leading teams during rapid onset emergencies.
• Demonstrated experience in the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of development and health programmes (including demonstrated experience with implementation research).
• Ability to pragmatically solve problems, plan a course of action using analytical, conceptual, strategic, and forward-thinking skills to achieve an effective resolution
• High level interpersonal and cross cultural skills, with the ability to build collaborative relationships with donors, government officials, and diverse stakeholders; self motivated, energetic, hard working, entrepreneurial, and service oriented.
Benefits:
• An attractive benefit package, professional development opportunities and stimulating linkages with competence networks
• Existing links with international research institutions, possibilities to participate in research, and contribute to scientific publications
How to apply:
Does this challenge appeal to you? Then we look forward to receiving your complete application including
• a CV (max. 2 pages; longer CVs will NOT be considered), including 3 references
• a covering letter outlining your motivation and how you meet the requirements
Due to the high volume of applications, SolidarMed will only contact shortlisted candidates
Apply Here:
https://apply.workable.com/solidarmed-1/j/114F498849/