CARE Germany is looking for a talented, visionary solution-oriented professional to lead the Country Office Management Team, a HQ based team that supports and works closely with CARE Germany Country Offices. Currently CARE Germany manages operational structures in Ukraine, Libya, Balkans and Iraq on behalf of CARE International as Lead Member within the CARE Confederation. The position is based in our office in Bonn, Germany, and the contract is limited to 2 years, with an option for extension.

The Team Lead (TL) provides strategic and operational leadership for CARE Germany’s engagement with Country Offices (COs). This includes shaping and supporting strategic approaches to operating models that advance CARE’s localization ambitions, driving resource mobilization for COs, and establishing efficient and effective collaboration mechanisms with COs and other stakeholders. The TL ensures that COs receive the support they need, while maintaining robust oversight and control systems to safeguard quality, compliance, and impact.
Reporting to the CARE Germany International Programme Director, the TL line-manages a multidisciplinary team of eight staff based in Bonn. The role requires close coordination with CARE Germany’s Country Directors, fostering strong partnerships and ensuring alignment between HQ functions and field operations. Regular travel to COs is expected with periods up to 3 months/year.
We are seeking a people-centered, solution-oriented leader who can motivate a diverse team, foster a collaborative working environment, and champion continuous learning and improvement. This position offers the opportunity to influence CARE Germany’s strategic discussions and decision-making as a member of the Programme Leadership Team.

Country Office (CO) strategies and Strategic overview on all operational aspects  
This role ensures strategic coherence across CARE Germany’s portfolio, enabling Country Offices to operate with clear vision, sound business models, and strong confederation positioning. The Team Lead serves as the bridge between CARE Germany strategy and country-level operational realities:

• Ensure that COs have a process in place to design Country Strategies and review them periodically under the umbrella of CARE International and CARE Germany strategies.
• Support COs to develop fundable operating models that strengthen CARE's legitimacy and foster localization, as well as the impact of CARE's work. This includes exploring shared resources between COs.
• Institutionalize a peer learning mechanism between Country Offices to exchange around successful operating models, innovation and adaptive management.
• Support COs and the COM Team in building relationships with CARE Member Partners
• Together with the COM Team members ensure that each CO has a multi-year budget, as well as an annual operations plan that clearly outline the roadmap for the achievement of strategic and operations objectives.
• Ensure a streamlined monitoring mechanism for COs is implemented with the COM.
• Lead on the establishment of new country presences.

 
Leadership and Coordination
This role provides strategic leadership to a multidisciplinary HQ team and ensures high-trust, high-alignment collaboration across CARE Germany departments and the wider confederation. It also acts as an escalation and resolution point for sensitive CO issues:

• Coordinate CARE Germanys Lead Member responsibilities across departments at HQ level and ensure productive coordination mechanisms with HR, Finance and Admin, Security, IT, Marketing as well as Communications and Advocacy.
• As member of the CARE Germany Program Leadership Team, contribute with the perspective of the COMT and COs issues and proactively approach peers to strengthen collaboration and support COs on donor engagement and fields of expertise such as climate, gender, humanitarian, controlling and Programme quality.
• Co-lead CARE Deutschland’s strategic initiative on localization and its link and implementation with COs.
• Represent CARE Germany in relevant CI governance or working groups related to Country Office management, risk steering or localization

 
Resource Mobilization and Programme Implementation
The role ensures that COs are positioned for funding success and programme excellence, in strong alignment with German donor opportunities and CI confederation ambitions:

• Ensure Country Offices have a Resource Mobilization plan that is aligned with resource mobilization opportunities in the German context and with the wider CARE confederation
• Lead on the donor engagement plans of HQ for COs and work closely with the Programme Development and Marketing Team.
• Support incorporation of CARE standards in programme implementation and compliance with donor requirements.
• Ensure COs have access to surge support or technical expertise where program quality gaps are identified.

 
Financial Management and Risk Management 
This position serves as the financial stewardship anchor for CO operational support, ensuring fiscal responsibility and proactive risk anticipation across all country portfolios under Lead Member responsibility:

• Management and regular overview over CARE Germany resources for operational support to country offices 
• Ensure all budgets within the team and the Country Offices are properly managed and measures are taken regarding over- or underspent 
• Ensure a regular overview of financial health of COs.
• Establish and follow up on a risk register for CARE Germany CO Management role.
• Regularly brief leadership on risk trends and propose mitigation/exit/escalation options.

 
Personnel Management 
This role nurtures a high-performing, purpose-driven team culture with clarity of roles, accountability, professional growth and trust-based collaboration — both within HQ and toward COs:

• Provide strategic leadership to a multidisciplinary team by continuously identifying performance gaps or emerging needs, monitoring delivery against agreed objectives, and ensuring that the appropriate support — including coaching, capacity building or technical assistance — is mobilized to strengthen individual and team performance.
• Ensure that roles, responsibilities and working priorities are clearly defined, transparent to COs and regularly reviewed to reflect evolving strategic needs.
• Ensure all performance management processes within the team are completed on time and with quality — including regular feedback, development planning and Personal Plans for direct reports.
• Lead recruitment and onboarding of team members and provide support or guidance to COs in their recruitment processes where relevant.
• Foster an inclusive, supportive and learning-oriented team culture that is aligned with CARE’s feminist leadership values and principles.

• Leadership skills: You have at least 10 years’ experience leading change, managing people, budgets and working in international organizations
• Agile Change Champion. You possess the ability to establish, enhance and lead a team to provide collective support and oversight to CARE's work across the COs and to build ownership and engagement in CARE's priorities and directions. You have the ability to develop a shared vision for programs within CARE and, in partnership with country directors, lead strategic change processes across country offices, including assessing the most appropriate 'footprint’ for CARE in the COs, as well as and ‘adapt, adopt, drop’, where and when needed.
• Programmatic leader.   You have experience leading humanitarian and development programs and oversee operational risk in fragile, conflict contexts.
• Connected and influential – with Business Development & Fundraising skills:  You have a good network, and extensive experience in engaging with and influencing leaders (donors, government authorities, leaders from private sector and international organizations, etc.). You have extensive experience developing and securing funds for programs and services, from institutional donors.
• People, Culture, Diversity, Equity, Belonging and Inclusion: Effectively develop, lead and provide strategic direction to a diverse and inclusive team of leaders across diverse COs and Headquarter. Consistently demonstrate your commitment to gender equality, diversity, equity, belonging and inclusion.
• Financial management skills/Fiscal Responsibility : You’ve managed budgets of $15 million+/year.  You understand the basics of financial oversight and a good understanding of institutional donor compliance.
• Communication: You must be able to clearly communicate (both verbally and written) in English. German basic knowledge. Other languages are an asset.
• You are open to frequent travel

As an international organization, we foster a diverse working environment based on equity and mutual respect. We therefore welcome all applications—regardless of ethnic, social, or national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, sexual orientation, or marital status.
We have zero tolerance for sexual harassment, exploitation, and abuse, and we take decisive action against any form of misconduct.
 

• Familienfreundliche flexible Arbeitszeiten (Gleitzeit und großzügige Möglichkeit zur Mobilen Arbeit)  
• Kostenfreies Deutschlandticket
• Zusätzliche betriebliche Altersvorsorge (nach 2 Jahren)  
• 31 Tage Urlaub
• Gruppenunfallversicherung 24/7  
• ggf. KITA-Zuschuss für Kinder im Vorschulalter  
• Übernahme relevanter Fort- und Weiterbildungsmöglichkeiten  
• Faire stellengerechte Gehälter  
• Flache Hierarchien
• Gemeinsame Veranstaltungen (u.a. Sommerfest, Betriebsausflug, Weihnachtsfeier)

We are looking for a highly motivated colleague who is committed to the goals of CARE Germany. We offer an interesting position with many social benefits in a dynamic international team.

If you are interested, please apply until 4th December 2025 using the “Jetzt bewerben” button, with the usual documents (letter of motivation, curriculum vitae, certificates), attn. Mrs. Pamela Orgeldinger.