Country Director – Türkiye

Save the Children International has an exciting opportunity for a highly experienced and skilledCountry Director – Türkiye to join our global team.

Since 2013, Save the Children has been a pivotal force in Türkiye, supporting vulnerable populations, particularly refugees and asylum seekers. Our comprehensive programs encompass child protection, mental health and psychosocial support, early childhood care and development, non-formal education, and livelihoods. Following the 2023 earthquakes in Southeast Türkiye, we have significantly expanded our efforts to address the urgent humanitarian needs of both refugee and host communities in the hardest-hit provinces. In collaboration with the Government of Türkiye and our partners, we are delivering critical assistance to thousands of earthquake-affected children and their families, while also contributing to long-term recovery efforts.

As the Türkiye Country Director, you will lead our operations in Türkiye, ensuring the delivery of high-quality programs and advocacy aligned with our strategic vision. In the event of a major humanitarian emergency, you will be expected to adapt and extend your working hours as necessary. As a member of the Regional Leadership Team (RLT), you will share accountability for Save the Children’s emergency, humanitarian, and development programming in the region, managing an annual budget of approximately USD 200 million and overseeing nearly 2,500 staff. Together with Save the Children Members and other regional organizations, the leadership team will drive growth in the quality and scale of our regional programs to achieve our ambitious goals and breakthroughs for children.

Job Title: Country Director – Türkiye

Reports To: Regional Director, Middle East and Eastern Europe

Contract Length: 2 years fixed term contract (extendable)

Grade: Executive 

Location: Istanbul, Türkiye

Time Zone: UTC+3

Right to Work:  Position holder will be based in Istanbul, therefore the legal right to work in Türkiye is necessary at the time of application. 

International Travel Requirements: International and in-country travel: 25%

Budget Responsibility: USD 6 million per annum 

People Management Responsibility: Manager of multiple teams; 6 reports; total number of staff in country team: 89

Principal Accountabilities:

As a member of the Regional Senior Leadership Team, contribute to strategic development and delivery of international programming, in both humanitarian and development contexts, in line with the Save the Children mandate, strategy and theory of change.

Strategic leadership:

• Provide vision and direction for the Türkiye country programme.
• Build and lead a high-performing Senior Management Team (SMT) to deliver against strategy and model expected behaviours and values.
• Accountable for the leadership and management of staff and programmes in Türkiye.
• Lead the implementation of the Country Strategy and ensure ongoing review of progress against key objectives, indicators, and targets.
• Engage Save the Children staff, partners, and other stakeholders to foster shared ownership and collaboration.
• Maintain strong collaborative relations with Turkish national/local government entities, civil society organisations, and donor representatives.
• Actively network and lead management-level dialogue with members, donors, and other INGOs.
• Grow the funding base for the country programme and liaise with bilateral and multilateral donors in Türkiye.
• Ensure the organisation's focus remains on the rights and needs of children.
• Contribute to regional and global knowledge and learning.

Human Resource Management 

• Attract and retain high-calibre staff with appropriate gender and ethnic diversity.
• Proactively develop and coach staff to optimise their potential in pursuit of Save the Children’s objectives.
• Implement HR policies and procedures at the country level, in line with organisational guidelines and local labour laws.
• Ensure consistent implementation of strong performance management systems throughout the country team.
• Create an environment of continuous learning, encouraging staff to grow, develop, and be accountable for their commitments.
• Serve as a role model and lead the way on new values and ways of working.
• Foster a collegial, supportive, and respectful culture within the Türkiye team.

Programme Development and Management 

• Ensure programme interventions align with technical best practices, SC common approaches, and emerging national policies.
• Develop and maintain efficient operating systems, ensuring compliance with all Save the Children International standards and procedures.
• Drive efforts to grow the country programme to become the leading INGO addressing children’s issues in Türkiye.
• Develop strong programme designs and operational plans that address significant issues facing children, aligned with Save the Children’s strategy and theory of change.
• Implement effective monitoring and evaluation systems in line with policies and guidelines.
• Prepare for and implement rapid, effective responses to major emergencies affecting children, building relationships with key humanitarian and development partners.
• Deliver programmes and advocacy in line with the country strategy, operational plans, budgets, and Member requirements, resulting in significant impact for children.

Security and Risks management

• Improve identification, management, and communication of key organisational and operational risks and mitigations, in line with the Save the Children risk management framework.
• Maintain effective safety and security management systems, ensuring compliance with global/regional standards.
• Ensure compliance with global policies and standards, including Safety and Security, and Child Safeguarding.
• Maintain, document, and communicate up-to-date analyses of the changing security context.
• Ensure all staff adhere to security, fraud, compliance and safeguarding guidelines.

Financial and Admin Management 

• Ensure effective financial budgeting and management systems, processes, and controls are in place and compliant with operating standards and local legal requirements.
• Ensure Save the Children and donor-compliant procurement and asset management systems, processes, and controls are in place.
• Assess partner organisations in relation to financial management and governance standards, supporting them to address capacity weaknesses.
• Ensure compliance with all host government requirements regarding registration, taxation, labour law, auditing, and fraud.
• Follow up on recommendations from audits of operations and take appropriate actions where necessary
• Experienced leader with senior positions in complex, high-profile, multinational organisations.

Other: Any other duties as assigned by the Regional Director 

Experience and Skills

Essential 

• Strong understanding of key trends in international and humanitarian development.
• Proven track record in building strong partnerships with government entities and networking with donors and key senior stakeholders.
• Successful history of securing new large-scale funding and/or funding for innovative programs from donors.
• Experience in building and overseeing media, marketing, and public relations strategies.
• Demonstrated ability to recruit, lead, and develop high-calibre specialist senior staff with diverse backgrounds and expertise.
• Experience in leading organisational change resulting in significant outcomes for the organisation and its stakeholders.
• Ability to manage and motivate self and others to respond effectively to significant and complex crises, requiring swift action and rapid changes in priorities.
• Innovative approach to solving highly complex issues and galvanising buy-in to solutions at all levels.
• Strong understanding of programme, financial, and operational management processes.
• Experience and knowledge of the context and actors in the MENA region.
• Commitment to Save the Children’s vision, principles, mission, and values.

Desirable 

• Experience of crisis management/security management in complex environment 
• Experience working in Türkiye and/or proficiency in Turkish language 

Education 

• Master’s degree or equivalent professional experience in relevant fields

Working at Save the Children International

Save the Children is the world's leading organisation for children, employing ~25,000 staff. We save children's lives. We fight for their rights. We help them fulfil their potential. Through our work in 116 countries, we put the most deprived and marginalised children first.

We know that great people make a great organisation, and that our employees play a crucial role in helping us achieve our ambitions for children. We value our people and offer a meaningful and rewarding career, along with a collaborative and inclusive environment where ambition, creativity, and integrity are highly valued.

The work here is challenging but is also immensely rewarding. At Save the Children, you will be in good company, working with talented, like-minded individuals who are determined to ensure that all children survive, learn, and are protected. Your contribution will help ensure children's voices are heard at the highest levels, and that we achieve our global strategy, Ambition for Children 2030, and reach every last child.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and Equal Opportunities

DEI is core to our vision, values and global strategy. Save the Children is committed to creating a truly diverse, equitable and inclusive organisation, and one which will support us in our vision to ensure every child attains the right to survival, protection, development, and participation.

We are committed to equal employment opportunities, regardless of gender, sexual orientation, race, colour, ethnic origin, nationality, disability, marital or civil partnership status, gender reassignment, pregnancy and maternity, caring or parental responsibilities, age, or beliefs and religion. We are committed to diversifying our staff to better represent the communities we serve and actively welcome underrepresented groups to apply.

Reasonable adjustments will be made should any candidate invited to interview require this.

Application Information

Please attach a copy of your CV and cover letter with your application. A full copy of the role profile can be found here via the job listing. It is recommended that you save a copy of the role profile as it will no longer be available after the advert closes.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and the job advert may be closed earlier than advertised subject to the volume of suitable applicants. Please submit your application at your earliest convenience to avoid disappointment.

Our recruitment process:

1. Application review by our recruiting team based on your CV and cover letter
2. Two-stage competency-based interviews with the hiring team
3. Some recruitment may include an additional assessment or case study stage, or a third stage interview
4. If successful, you will receive a conditional offer of employment, followed by your contract subject to passing background checks

We need to keep children and adults safe so our selection process includes rigorous background checks and reflects our commitment to the protection of children and adults from abuse. All employees are expected to carry out their duties in accordance with our Code of Conduct and all policies and procedures relating to Anti-harassment, Health and Safety, Safeguarding, and DEI and Equal Opportunities.

Save the Children does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process.