Project Director - Faith and Community Initiative (FCI)

With 75 years of experience, our focus is on helping the most vulnerable children overcome poverty and experience fullness of life. We help children of all backgrounds, even in the most dangerous places, inspired by our Christian faith.

Come join our 31,000+ staff working in nearly 100 countries and share the joy of transforming vulnerable children’s life stories!

Employee Contract Type:

International Assignment (WVI – Paid via GCLA) Fixed Term (Fixed Term)

Job Description:

World Vision Democratic Republic of Congo (World Vision DRC) is a Christian humanitarian and development organization dedicated to improving the well-being of vulnerable children, families, and communities. As part of the global World Vision Partnership, the organization works in collaboration with government institutions, local communities, faith leaders, civil society organizations, and development partners to address the root causes of poverty and vulnerability.

Operating across multiple provinces of the Democratic Republic of Congo, World Vision DRC implements integrated programs in health, nutrition, child protection, education, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), food security and livelihoods, as well as humanitarian and emergency response. The organization seeks to strengthen community resilience and promote sustainable development through evidence-based interventions that empower local systems and institutions.

In the health sector, World Vision DRC supports efforts to improve access to quality healthcare services, particularly for women, children, and underserved populations. Through close collaboration with national and provincial health authorities, the organization contributes to strengthening health systems, expanding community-based service delivery, promoting disease prevention and control, improving maternal and child health outcomes, and addressing malnutrition.

Guided by its commitment to stewardship, accountability, and service excellence, World Vision DRC promotes strong governance, financial integrity, and compliance with national regulations and international standards. The organization also fosters partnerships with faith-based and community-based organizations to enhance the sustainability and local ownership of development interventions.

Through its long-standing presence in the country, World Vision DRC remains committed to improving the lives of the most vulnerable children and communities by supporting sustainable solutions that contribute to healthier, safer, and more resilient communities.

 

Faith-based and community-based organizations play a critical role in delivering quality healthcare services, particularly in underserved and hard-to-reach areas. Through their deep community roots, extensive service networks, and trusted relationships with local populations, these organizations significantly contribute to improving access to essential health services and advancing population health outcomes.

As countries strive to strengthen the resilience and sustainability of their health systems, integrated approaches are increasingly being adopted to enhance coordination among health facilities, community health workers, and local stakeholders. These approaches aim to expand access to comprehensive primary healthcare services, including maternal, newborn, and child health, nutrition, infectious disease prevention and treatment, and other public health priorities, while promoting people-centered care at the community level.

A network-based service delivery model, supported by strong referral systems, capacity strengthening, supportive supervision, supply chain management, and effective use of health data, offers a practical and sustainable pathway to improving the quality, accessibility, and continuity of healthcare services. Successful implementation of such models requires strong technical leadership to ensure service quality, integration across health programs, alignment with national health priorities, and long-term sustainability.

Within this context, the position of Project Director - Faith and Community Initiative (FCI) is responsible for providing overall strategic and operational leadership to ensure the effective, timely, and quality implementation of the project in line with WV DRC strategies, donor requirements, and organizational standards. The position will oversee project planning, implementation, budget management, coordination, risk management, and performance, ensuring that project objectives and expected results are achieved through objectively verifiable evidence.

 

MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES

Provide overall in-country leadership and management for the Faith and Community Initiative (FCI) in DR Congo, ensuring the effective, high-quality, timely, and compliant delivery of the FCI country program within the FCI global strategy, standards, and results framework set by the FCI Global Management Team.  The Project Director/Manager serves as the principal in-country point of contact with the U.S. Embassy as directed by the National Director and the WVUS GMT team, host-government, Christian Health Association (CHA)/Faith-based organizations (FBOs), key stakeholders. S/he leads the FCI country team, oversees FCI budget, to achieve FCI project goals and objectives. A central mandate of this role is to collaborate with government/Ministry of Health and CHA/FBO for progressive transition and absorption of program activities, staff, and systems into government ownership and financing. The Project Director/Manager brings sufficient technical familiarity with integrated health programming (HIV, TB, malaria, MCH, and nutrition) to lead credibly, while relying on the FCI Technical Director/Manager and the Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning (MEL) Director/Manager for technical depth. Personify World Vision’s mission, vision, and strategies through life, deed, word, and signing of our values.

 

Functions

In-Country Leadership and Program Management

• Provide overall leadership and management of the FCI country program, responsible for the achievement of country goals, objectives, and results in a timely and cost-effective manner.

• Lead country-level planning, adapting guidelines provided by the Global Management Team to the local context, and translating them into country work plans and performance targets.

• Implement the global strategy, standards, and performance expectations at country level, ensuring adherence to technical standards, best practices, and donor guidelines.

• Uphold the 80/20 efficiency commitment and drive the country transition and sustainability roadmap toward government and faith-based ownership.

External Relations: Embassy, Government, Christian Health Association, Faith Based Organizations Networks and other Partners

• Serve as the principal in-country point of contact and FCI representative to the U.S. Embassy and GHSD country team, keeping them informed of major program developments.

• Manage relationships with host-government counterparts, including the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Finance, and other relevant ministries and sub-national government authorities.

• Build, manage and maintain strong partnerships with Christian Health Associations (CHAs), faith-based organizations networks (FBOs), and other strategic partners to support the delivery of integrated health services and advance country ownership goals.

• Represent FCI on the national steering committee (or existing coordinating body) chaired by the host government, ensuring alignment with the country MOU and national health strategies.

• Cultivate and manage relationships with local implementing and sub-partners, faith-based and community health networks, and other partners and organizations, including the Global Fund, its principal recipients and sub-recipients, and other GHSD and bilateral partners.

• Coordinate with other PEPFAR/GHSD programs and partners so that FCI activities complement ongoing initiatives and adhere to country and global standards, avoiding duplication.

Transition to Government Ownership and Sustainability

• In close collaboration with the US Embassy, lead high-level negotiations with the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Finance, and other government authorities to secure the progressive transition and absorption of FCI-supported activities, health workers, facilities, commodities, and data systems into government ownership and domestic financing.

• Develop, negotiate, and steward a country-specific sustainability and transition plan with clear benchmarks, milestones, and timelines, jointly owned with the host government and endorsed by the national steering committee.

• Secure government commitments and co-investment (including budget lines and payroll absorption) for the continued financing of frontline health workers, hubs, spokes, and community platforms beyond the life of the award.

• Advocate with government and faith-based service providers to formalize the integration of faith-based facilities and staff into national health plans, payroll, supply chain, and information systems.

• Track and report on transition progress against agreed benchmarks, escalating risks to government absorption in a timely manner and adjusting the roadmap in coordination with the Global Project Director and the national steering committee.

Staff, Consortium, and Operations Management

• Lead, supervise, and motivate the country team of technical and program-management staff, ensuring strong communication and coordination across the team.

• Manage in-country consortium and sub-partners, establishing and maintaining strong lines of communication and collaboration.

• Oversee country office operations, logistics, procurement, and administration in line with World Vision and donor policies and country laws.

• Directly supervise the Country Technical Director, Finance and Compliance Manager, and MEL Manager, setting performance expectations and supporting staff development.

Grant, Fiscal, Compliance, and Risk Management

• Hold overall accountability for country-level administration, fiscal management, and grant and contract management, ensuring all program goals are met on time and within budget.

• Oversee country programmatic and financial reporting, ensuring compliance with donor regulations, World Vision policies, and country statutory requirements.

• In coordination with the Finance and Compliance Manager, ensure expenses are reasonable, allocable, and compliant for clean audits.

• Identify country-level risks – programmatic, financial, safeguarding, security, and reputational – in a timely manner and lead mitigation, escalating to the Global Project Director as needed.

 

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES

• Master’s degree required in public health, international development, business/public administration, or a related field.
• Minimum 10 years’ experience managing donor-funded health programs, including senior management and staff supervision, with a strong track record engaging institutional donors, host governments (including Ministries of Health and Finance), and multi-organization consortia; prior Chief of Party, Deputy Chief of Party, or senior country program management experience strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated experience representing programs to U.S. Embassies/USG, national governments, the Global Fund, and other partners, and negotiating the transition or absorption of program activities into government systems and financing.
• Proven experience ensuring compliance and clean audits on donor-funded awards. Sufficient technical familiarity with integrated health programming (HIV, TB, malaria, MCH, and nutrition) to provide credible leadership.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English and French; proficiency in the national/local language(s) strongly preferred.

 

Technical Competencies

• Organizational Awareness: Understands business operations and the mission, work and priorities of the organization. Applies understanding of the organization’s informal structure, culture and climate in achieving goals.
• Program Design and Implementation: Effectively design development and relief programs that transform communities in need. Understands how to acquire and integrate resources to support program design.
• Sector Knowledge: Understand current methodologies and standards associated with different sectors and effectively apply knowledge in designing, monitoring and evaluating programs.
• Funding Mechanisms Knowledge: Understands diverse funding mechanisms (e.g., cost proposals, fixed-price grants, etc.), how they operate, and the requirements for each, and applies knowledge in developing budgets.
• Managing Resources: Identifies appropriate people, facilities, tools and materials, time constraints, vendors, etc. for accomplishing goals. Considers potential costs and benefits of resources prior to allocating them.
• Coaching and Developing Others: Coach and mentor others effectively. Understands the performance evaluation process, how to give and receive feedback, how to find and set up developmental opportunities, and how adults learn.
• Knowledge Management: Effectively organizes and manages information resources so that current, critical knowledge is retained and information can easily be disseminated. Develops feedback loops to ensure best practice information is captured.
• English Language Proficiency: The ability to speak, understand and write fluently in English.

 

Work Environment

Country office environment with regular in-country travel to implementation regions, districts, and field sites (typically up to 40% of the time). May require travel to insecure or hazardous locations. Occasional international/regional travel for consortium and donor engagements.

 

CORE CAPABILITIES

• Be safe and resilient
• Build relationships
• Learn and develop
• Partner and collaboration
• Delivery results
• Being accountable
• undefined

Attitudes and Behaviour

World Vision is a child-focused humanitarian organization. As such, World Vision reserves the right to disqualify any candidate with a history of child abuse or any behavior inconsistent with child protection principles, even after the test results have been announced.

How to Apply

Submit your application package (a cover letter indicating the vacancy reference number, an updated CV including two professional references from previous employers and one pastoral reference, a copy of the job seeker’s card issued by the National Employment Office (ONEM) if unemployed, and copies of any other supporting documents) addressed to the Human Resources Director of World Vision, no later than August 31, 2026.

Please indicate “Project Director” in the subject line and send your application through World Vision’s recruitment link [email protected].

Qualified female candidates and persons living with disabilities who meet the required profile are strongly encouraged to apply.

Important Notice

• We have become aware that several agencies or individuals falsely claim to represent World Vision in recruiting or facilitating the recruitment of staff.
• World Vision wishes to inform the public unequivocally that:
• World Vision does not outsource its recruitment process to any organization or agency that advertises vacancies on websites, sends emails or newsletters, or claims to recruit on its behalf. World Vision only works with reputable and licensed executive search firms in exceptional cases.
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• World Vision shall not be held responsible for any fraudulent correspondence or for any financial loss or theft resulting from fraudulent recruitment activities carried out by individuals or organizations falsely claiming to represent World Vision.
• Please remain vigilant. If you have any questions or wish to report what you believe to be a fraudulent World Vision recruitment agency or activity, please send an email to [email protected].

If anyone requests money or any other form of payment in connection with a World Vision recruitment process, please report it immediately through the following channels:

Telephone: 478888 or 0972607911

Email: [email protected]

Applicant Types Accepted:

Local and International Applicants (IA's) Accepted