Country Director Iran

The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) is an independent humanitarian organisation helping people forced to flee. We work in crises across more than 31 countries, providing emergencies and long-term assistance to millions of people every year. We stand up for people forced to flee, advocating their rights. NORCAP, our global provider of expertise, helps improve international and local ability to prevent, prepare for, respond to and recover from crises. NRC also runs the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre in Geneva, a global leader in reporting on and advocating for people displaced within their own country.

Employment with NRC may lead to employment in or deployment to Regions, Countries, Areas or Offices that may be host to considerable health, safety and security risks. NRC takes this very seriously and we have procedures in place to reduce known risks, but will never be able to take away all risks.

NRC is an equal opportunities employer and aims to have staffing diversity in terms of age, gender, ethnicity, nationality and physical ability.

What we are looking for-

NRC is looking for a Country Director to join the Iran mission. The role holder will be responsible for providing both strategic direction and operational leadership.

If you are an experienced and seasoned leader with a track record of developing and integrating distinctive strategies; with strong coordination, networking, and stakeholder management skills; the ability to inspire and influence others; and successful experience building and leading collaborative, engaging, and effective teams, then this is the role for you!

What you will do

• Country strategy development and execution.
• Representation and coordination.
• Country-level advocacy.
• Resource allocation and mobilisation.
• Ensure structures and systems facilitate efficient support to operations.
• Cost efficiency and quality.
• Staff learning, training, and development.
• Safety and security of staff.

What you will bring

• Senior Management / Country Director experience.
• Humanitarian/recovery/emergency response context experience.
• Complex and volatile context exposure.
• English fluency, both written and verbal.

What makes this position attractive?

• NRC contributes to the development of policy, aiming to protect the rights of the displaced and calls for increased humanitarian funding and engagement on processes that will generate structural changes in protection and assistance in the region.
• NRC supports refugees, displaced and disaster affected populations. The Islamic Republic of Iran hosts at least 3.8 million Afghans, one of the largest and most protracted refugee caseloads worldwide.
• NRC Iran has grown to become the largest international NGO, currently operating in ten provinces across the country.
• NRC Iran delivers humanitarian assistance in the sectors of Education; Livelihoods; Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene; Shelter; and Information, Counselling, and Legal Assistance.
• NRC co-leads several technical inter-agency working groups and provides capacity building to humanitarian partners in the country.
• This is an opportunity to contribute to meaningful work that responds to the diverse needs, priorities, and concerns raised by beneficiary communities.
• Female candidates are strongly encouraged to join our work culture that empowers every employee to share ideas and take responsibility.
• Learn more about NRC’s operation in Iran here.

What we offer

• Tehran, Iran duty station.
• 24-month contract duration.
• 10% travel, approximately.
• Grade 12 in NRC’s Salary Scale, with accompanying terms and conditions. NRC offers a competitive compensation and benefits package.
• NRC is an equal opportunities employer and aims to have staffing diversity in terms of age, gender, ethnicity, nationality, and physical ability.
• We think outside the box, encourage ideas, and give responsibility to all employees at all levels. You will have many opportunities to be heard and take the initiative.
• Find out more about the benefits of working for NRC.

Important information about the application process

• Internal candidates:- log in with your official NRC email address or click on Opportunity Marketplace.
• When creating your profile, include your full name as per your passport.
• Apply by completing all the system-required fields of your experience, employment history, and education in your application.
• Ensure to attach your latest CV.
• Submit your application and CV in English.
• Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Interested candidates are encouraged to apply early.
• Don’t meet every single requirement? Studies have shown that women and people of colour are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single qualification. NRC is dedicated to building a diverse and inclusive workplace, so if you’re excited about this role and you meet most, but not all the requirements, we encourage you to apply anyway.
• Applications that do not meet the minimum standards in terms of experience or qualifications will generally not be considered.
• Unsolicited applications not related to this specific job advertisement will not be considered.
• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. We receive many applicants for each vacant position. Unfortunately, we do not have the resources to give detailed feedback to applicants who have not been shortlisted.
• For any queries, please email us at aela.recruitment@nrc.no with “Country Director Iran” as the subject line.

Why NRC?

The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) is an independent humanitarian organisation helping people forced to flee. Our 15,000 staff work in crises across 40 countries, providing life-saving and long-term assistance to millions of people every year.

Watch this short video to see NRC in action.

NRC responds to the diverse needs faced by populations in Myanmar through the delivery of integrated programming and advocacy to ensure that conflict and displacement-affected communities can meet their needs and exercise their rights. NRC works with a range of different local and international partners to deliver a multi-faceted response that includes emergency response to rapid onset needs, providing essential services to internally displaced people in protracted displacement, and contributing to pathways to durable solutions.

We are looking for people who are passionate about helping refugees and people forced to flee. Are you one of those people? If you are, NRC offers you the opportunity to:

• Do demanding and professional work, often in challenging contexts.
• Join a work culture that empowers every employee to share ideas and take responsibility.
• Be part of a welcoming and supportive community committed to human dignity.

Learn more about NRC here.