Response Director (Gaza & Middle East)

World Central Kitchen (WCK) is seeking a tenacious and adaptable Response Director to lead our relief operations across Gaza and Lebanon. This role demands quick, strategic decision-making, an ability to triage competing priorities, and a talent for building relationships while leading and motivating diverse, multidisciplinary teams. The ideal candidate thrives in chaotic and ambiguous environments, excels at capacity building, and embodies WCK’s North Star values while ensuring timely and effective delivery of food aid to communities in need.

Based in Jordan, this position offers a unique opportunity to shape WCK's responses in the Middle East. The Response Director will oversee all aspects of ground activities and ensure seamless coordination between local and international teams. This position reports directly to the Chief Relief Officer.

The Response Director is a six (6) month term position with the opportunity for renewal, offering a unique chance to lead and shape WCK's responses.

Activation Management

• Serve as the primary on-ground leader, managing relief operations in Gaza and Lebanon.
• Direct Jordan- and Gaza-based teams, including the Response Leadership Team (comprising Unit Managers in Gaza and their counterparts in Jordan).
  Key departments include:
  • Safety & Security
  • Community Outreach
  • Operations/Distribution
  • Culinary
  • Finance/HR
  • Procurement and Logistics
• Oversee additional sub-departments as necessary to adapt to the scope of operations.
• Strategically implement relief activities in alignment with WCK’s North Star values.
• Build and train local teams to ensure operational readiness, employing WCK’s accordion staffing model.
• Lead scope setting, program adjustments, and activation timelines in collaboration with the Chief Relief Officer.
• Foster cross-departmental collaboration and information sharing with HQ teams and other Response Directors.
• Ensure seamless transitions and handovers for international contract staff rotating in and out of activation roles.
• Complete After-Action Reports post-activation to capture lessons learned and process improvements.

Safety & Security

• Receive daily briefings from the Safety & Security Manager to stay apprised of evolving conditions.
• Work closely with the Chief Security Officer to implement and adapt protocols ensuring team safety.
• Act as the primary decision-maker for on-ground operations during security crises.

Finances and Human Resources

• Collaborate with the finance team to create accurate cost projections for activations, addressing meal production, staffing, and logistics.
• Work with WCK-HQ to establish and monitor robust financial policies, systems, and safeguards.
• Approve key purchase orders, invoices, and financial reporting documents, as required.

Procurement & Logistics

• Guide the procurement team to source materials efficiently, balancing speed, cost, and quality.
• Supervise logistics teams in managing the transportation of goods into Gaza, liaising with government agencies and third-party logistics providers.
• Coordinate with Safety & Security to manage intra-Gaza logistical movements.

Community Outreach, Operations/Distribution, and Stakeholder Engagement

• Support the Community Outreach and Operations/Distribution teams in building meaningful relationships with local communities and stakeholders.
• Ensure outreach and engagement activities align with WCK’s reputation as an effective, compassionate relief organization.
• Represent WCK to international audiences, including beneficiaries, partners, and media, as required.

Culinary

• Supervise the Culinary Unit to ensure meals meet WCK’s standards of quality, cultural appropriateness, and portioning.