Sightsavers implements projects in over 30 countries in Africa and South Asia working to eliminate avoidable blindness and promote the rights of people with disabilities.

Title: Country Director - Kenya

Location: Nairobi, Kenya

Contract: Two-year fixed term contract

Working pattern: Full-time with some limited flexibility around hours worked

Salary: Local Terms and Conditions apply

Travel: Up to 10 weeks of in-country travel annually

Sightsavers is seeking an experienced, inclusive leader to guide our work in Kenya and help deliver sustainable progress in disability inclusion, eye health and social inclusion. As our principal representative in the country, you will shape strategy, strengthen programmes and partnerships, and ensure resources are used responsibly to achieve meaningful impact. You will work with government institutions, civil society organisations, donors, private-sector partners, communities and organisations of persons with disabilities. Alongside external influence, you will lead a multidisciplinary country team and promote an accountable, collaborative and learning-focused culture. This is an opportunity to combine strategic leadership with practical oversight of programme quality, financial stewardship, resource mobilisation, compliance and risk.

About the role

Reporting to the Regional Director, you will lead Sightsavers’ Kenya Country Office and be accountable for country strategy, programme performance, partnerships, funding growth, financial and operational management, compliance, risk and people leadership. You will also contribute to regional and global priorities and share insight from the Kenyan operating environment.

• Provide leadership and direction for Sightsavers' work in Kenya, ensuring delivery against organisational and country priorities.

• Lead the development and implementation of country strategies and operational plans.

• Act as Sightsavers' principal representative in Kenya, building and maintaining strategic relationships with government, donors, civil society organisations, private sector partners and organisations of persons with disabilities.

• Represent Sightsavers at national, regional and international forums, supporting advocacy efforts that advance disability inclusion, eye health and social inclusion.

• Identify and secure opportunities for programme growth, funding and strategic partnerships.

• Lead engagement with institutional donors and funding partners to support programme sustainability and growth.

• Oversee financial management, governance, compliance and risk management across the country programme.

• Ensure safeguarding, anti-fraud, data protection and ethical standards are embedded across all areas of work.

• Lead, develop and inspire a high-performing team, fostering accountability, collaboration and continuous learning.

• Work closely with regional and global colleagues to contribute to organisational priorities, learning and knowledge sharing

This is a highly varied and involved role and the above is not an exhaustive list of duties or required professional skills. Please see the Job Description for full details.

The Country Director of Kenya will be a strategic and credible leader with experience of the successful candidate will be a credible and experienced leader with a track record of leading complex programmes, country offices or substantial portfolios within an international NGO, development agency, donor-funded programme or similar organisation.

They will have experience of setting direction, making significant decisions and being accountable for organisational results. They will bring strong experience of managing budgets, developing partnerships, influencing stakeholders and leading multidisciplinary teams to deliver high-quality outcomes.

The Country Director will be comfortable representing an organisation externally, identifying opportunities for growth and supporting others to develop and succeed.

Jobholder Requirements

Essential:

• Master’s degree in international development, Public Health, Social Sciences, Development Studies, Business Administration, Public Policy or a related field, or equivalent relevant experience.

• Significant senior leadership experience within an international NGO, development agency, donor-funded programme or comparable organisation.

• Experience leading a country programme or substantial portfolio with accountability for strategy, budgets and delivery across multiple functions.

• Experience of setting direction, making significant decisions and being accountable for organisational results.

• Demonstrated experience managing complex, multi-sector programmes and substantial budgets.

• Proven success in leading and developing multidisciplinary teams.

• Strong knowledge of programme management, financial management, governance and resource allocation.

• Experience of partnership development, stakeholder engagement and advocacy.

• Experience securing and managing institutional donor funding and grants.

• Strong understanding of monitoring, evaluation, impact assessment and learning.

• Excellent strategic planning, analytical and problem-solving skills.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English.

• Understanding of safeguarding, risk management and compliance frameworks.
• Experience leading programmes, country offices or organisations through periods of significant political, economic, funding or organisational change.
  
• Demonstrated ability to influence senior government officials, donors, development partners and other key stakeholders.
  
• Proven track record of identifying and securing opportunities for programme growth, strategic partnerships and long-term sustainability.

Desirable:

• Experience working in disability inclusion, eye health, public health, education, social protection or economic empowerment programmes.

• Knowledge of Kenyan government systems, development priorities and policy processes.

• Experience working across multiple sectors and with diverse stakeholders.

Closing date: Sunday 15 November 2026

We anticipate that 2/3 interviews will commence from 20 November onwards and the selection process could include a task

To apply for this exciting new opportunity, please complete an application via our recruitment portal. We are particularly interested in learning of your motivations for applying.

As part of Sightsavers’ commitment to safeguarding, the successful candidate will be required to complete appropriate pre-employment checks. These may include police or criminal records checks and/or other relevant background checks. Any offer of employment will be conditional upon Sightsavers being satisfied with the outcome of these checks. If the required checks cannot be completed, or their outcome does not meet the requirements of the role, Sightsavers reserves the right not to proceed with the appointment.

As an equal opportunity employer, we actively encourage applications from all sections of the community. Sightsavers is a Disability Confident Leader and qualified people living with a disability are particularly encouraged to apply.

Why join Sightsavers

This is an opportunity to lead a well-established country programme and play a key role in advancing disability inclusion, eye health and social inclusion in Kenya. The Country Director will work with colleagues across Kenya, the region and the wider organisation to strengthen partnerships, influence change and support programmes that improve lives and create lasting impact

Sightsavers Kenya has been partnering with government, communities and organisations of persons with disabilities to improve eye health and advance disability inclusion. Recent work has included supporting disability mainstreaming across Kenya's public service, strengthening disability inclusion within the world of work and expanding access to eye health services through partnerships with county governments and local health systems