Organizational Background

War Child Canada is a registered Canadian charity based in Toronto that works to accelerate peace and disrupt the cycle of violence by investing in and empowering local communities to build brighter futures through comprehensive, evidence-informed programs that foster resilience, self-reliance, and self-determination.

War Child Canada is globally recognized for our grassroots, community-driven model of humanitarian action that’s rooted in collaboration and entirely locally led. We have developed a solid track record of long-term, sustainable impact supporting children and families living in areas dominated by conflict.

War Child Canada works with some of the most vulnerable populations around the world and is a leader in developing and implementing programs specifically targeting and protecting children, women, and displaced people living in the most complex humanitarian environments in Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan, Sudan, Uganda, and Yemen.

Country Office Background

Yemen is War Child Canada’s newest country of operation, established in 2020. Since then, War Child Canada has been working with national NGO partners in some of the most remote and hard-to-reach areas of Yemen. Our goal is to improve the lives of highly vulnerable and at-risk women and children through programs focused on education, child protection, and livelihoods. War Child Canada has rehabilitated schools, installed solar power systems to provide reliable electricity and improve learning environments, training and equipped teachers, and distributed learning, hygiene, and recreational kits to children. Since 2024, War Child Canada has focused its efforts in Al Dali, Lahij and Aden.

Position Summary

The Officer in Charge (OIC) provides overall leadership, strategic oversight, and operational management of War Child Canada’s programs and operations in Yemen. The OIC ensures that programming is high-quality, evidence-based, and responsive to the needs of children and families affected by conflict.

A central focus of the role is the program design, development, and scale-up within the thematic areas of education, protection, and food security and livelihoods (FSL). The OIC ensures compliance with donor and legal requirements, strengthens partnerships and funding opportunities, and represents War Child Canada with government authorities, donors, and key stakeholders.

Responsibilities

Leadership and Representation

1. Provide leadership and direction to all programs and operations in Yemen.

2. Represent War Child Canada with government authorities, UN agencies, donors, and implementing partners.

3. Ensure that War Child Canada maintains strong, visible, and credible presence within the humanitarian and development community.

4. Drive the expansion of funding opportunities aligned with War Child’s strategic priorities and thematic focus.

5. Lead country level inputs to the development of War Child’s organisational strategy and lead the development of a long term country plan

Program Design, Development, and Oversight

1. Lead the design and development of new programs and proposals, ensuring that they are contextually relevant, technically strong, and aligned with donor and organizational priorities.

2. Oversee program scale-up processes aligned with performance measures, ensuring smooth transitions from design to implementation, including recruitment, work planning, procurement, and partner onboarding/management.

3. Supervise implementation of all projects to ensure quality, timeliness, and compliance with donor requirements.

4. Coordinate with the HQ teams to align program goals with War Child Canada’s global strategy.

5. Oversee systems for program monitoring, evaluation, and learning are in place and that findings inform program improvement

6. Lead or coordinate context and needs assessments to inform program design and strategic decision-making, particularly in the thematic areas of education, protection, and FSL.

Finance and Operations

1. Oversee financial management and ensure compliance with War Child Canada and donor policies.

2. Review and approve budgets, expenditures, and financial reports.

3. Ensure efficient procurement, logistics, and administrative systems.

4. Maintain proper asset management and cost control mechanisms.

Human Resources and Capacity Building

1. Supervise and support Yemen staff.

2. Promote team cohesion, staff well-being, and performance management.

3. Ensure HR practices comply with War Child Canada policies and Yemen labour laws.

4. Identify capacity gaps and implement staff development plans.

Safety, Security and Risk Management

1. Serve as the Security Focal Point for Yemen; liaise with HQ in order to manage and respond to risk.

2. Ensure the implementation and regular updating of the Security Management Plan.

3. Monitor the security environment and adjust operational plans as necessary.

Coordination, Compliance and Reporting

1. Submit regular program, financial, and security reports to HQ.

2. Ensure legal compliance with Yemeni authorities and registration requirements.

3. Maintain strong coordination with HQ and other Country Offices for knowledge sharing and alignment.

4. Represent Yemen in relevant coordination and planning forums.

Qualifications

Experience & Knowledge

1. Applicants must be a national of the country with the ability to live and work in Aden.

2. Minimum 10 years of experience in humanitarian or development work, including 5 years in a senior management role.

3. Demonstrated experience in program design, proposal development, and program scale-up, preferably for international organisations.

4. A self-starter, with proven leadership in complex, high-risk operational contexts in Yemen.

5. Thematic knowledge and working experience in education, protection, and/or FSL programming.

6. Experience in program management, donor compliance, and partnership development.

7. Strong understanding of financial management and HR processes.

8. Excellent communication, negotiation, and representation skills.

9. Fluency in English required and Arabic is a must.

Compensation & Benefits

We offer a highly competitive salary and benefits package that is commensurate with your experience and qualifications.

How to apply

Application Process

All interested applicants are invited to submit their application through this link.

Only those applicants selected for an interview will be notified. We regret that we cannot entertain phone calls. War Child Canada is an equal-opportunity employer.

War Child Canada is committed to providing a work environment in which all individuals are treated with respect and dignity.

Final candidates will be vetted in accordance with War Child Canada’s Child Protection Policy and Prevention of Sexual Abuse and Exploitation Policy, including appropriate reference and security checks.

War Child Canada is committed to providing an accessible workplace. Accommodation is available upon request for individuals with disabilities.