Country Director, Indonesia

Country Director - IndonesiaJakarta, Indonesia

Helen Keller International (HKI) is an international non-governmental organization whose mission is to save the sight and lives of the most vulnerable and disadvantaged by combating the causes and consequences of blindness and malnutrition. We do this by establishing programs based on evidence and research in vision, health and nutrition. Established in 1915, HKI maintains its Headquarters in New York City, with Regional Offices in Senegal and Phnom Penh to support the 22 countries offices in Africa and Asia.

We are currently seeking a Country Director in Indonesia to represent HKI and lead the country office and its programs, reflecting HKI’s mission and ensuring technical excellence in the delivery of all activities. Since the 1970s HKI has been working to establish sustainable evidence-based approaches to enhance health and nutrition, improve rehabilitation and education and expand access to eye health services for Indonesians, particularly women and children. HKI’s programs are integrated at all levels of the government health and education structure by helping to develop its human resources and infrastructure, conduct needs assessments, analyze local context to inform program design and implementation, train personnel, provide basic equipment and medicines, deliver services if needed, and monitor program progress and evaluate program impact.

Country Program Overview:
HKI-Indonesia is currently implementing eye health and nutrition programs in the following areas:

• Correction of refractive errors among school-aged children, with services provided in the schools;
• Correction of refractive errors among adults, with services provided in communities;
• Pediatric ophthalmology at eye hospitals;
• Diabetic retinopathy to enhance screening, treatment and follow-up of patients with diabetes to prevent blindness and treat eye disease, and
• Integrated homestead food production and nutrition education/behavior change communication to promote optimal nutrition behaviors among poor rural households.  

In the next few years, HKI-Indonesia will seek to expand all the above programs to new areas of the country reaching additional beneficiaries and to improve the delivery models.  HKI may also begin work to support neglected tropical disease programming in the next year as well.  HKI-Indonesia is one of the key technical assistance organizations in Indonesia for control of micronutrient deficiencies, prevention and treatment of eye disease and policy and program support for inclusive education for children with visual impairment, learning and intellectual disabilities.  

Scope of the Position:
Based in Jakarta, Indonesia, the Country Director reports to the Asia Pacific Regional Director-Operations, and directs the work of staff and interns/consultants in Indonesia.  The Country Director collaborates with the Asia-Pacific Regional Office (APRO) staff including the Vice President for Asia Pacific; other Country Directors; and Headquarters (HQ) staff in the Programs, Finance, Human Resources and Fundraising Departments.  External collaboration includes representatives of Governmental, International, University and Non-governmental Organizations within Indonesia, as well as some donors.

Specific Responsibilities

Overall Management and Leadership (30%):

• Provide strategic leadership and develop action plans to further the overall mission and specific programs of HKI that meet the evolving conditions in Indonesia.
• Manage project personnel to achieve the objectives agreed to in grants and contracts for HKI Indonesia projects.
• Disseminate findings from HKI projects that are of importance to decision-makers in a position to fund or implement projects in Indonesia and internationally.
• Keep APRO and others informed about progress of the projects, plans for the development of new programs/projects/activities and donor involvement in the overall program.
• Liaise with governmental organizations, non-governmental organizations and other partners in Indonesia, and HKI HQ.

Programmatic (25%):

• Represent HKI and provide technical input to the government, international donor agencies and technical advisory groups pertinent to project activities.
• Oversee research design, methodology and dissemination of information needed to monitor and evaluate project activities.
• Oversee development of materials to disseminate findings and lessons learned from HKI projects that are important for advocacy with decision-makers.
• Ensure that narrative reports are submitted to APRO, HQ and donors as required by project agreements.

Financial and Administrative (10%):

• Work with APRO and HQ to manage the development of annual field budgets for Indonesia projects.
• Ensure timely submission of financial reports within established HKI guidelines.
• Ensure compliance with procedures required by grant or contract agreements for Indonesia projects, and oversee the preparation of required financial reports.
• Authorize expenditures for grant or contract allocations for Indonesia projects.
• Hire and manage personnel for Indonesia projects in compliance with HKI policies and lead initiatives to develop staff capacity.

Marketing & Fundraising (35%):

• Identify funding opportunities from corporations, foundations, governmental organizations, international and bilateral agencies in Indonesia. Develop and nurture in-country donor relationships. Identify potential partners (INGOs in Indonesia, local partners) to participate in joint proposals.
• Lead and prepare concept papers and proposals and provide other information as needed for submission to donors and others for fundraising and marketing purposes.
• Develop and disseminate appropriate packages of ‘lessons learned’ from HKI’s experiences for Indonesia and international audiences, in close collaboration with APRO and HQ staff.
• Collaborate with APRO, HQ and HKI-Europe on fund-raising efforts.

Skills/Knowledge Required:

• At minimum, a Master’s degree in public health, nutrition, development or related field
• Ten (10) years of program related experience, with at least 5 years in an international setting, preferably working with a non-governmental organization, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Good oral and written English language skills, including the ability to quickly synthesize complex technical and programmatic issues into concise communications.  Indonesian language skills are a plus.
• Demonstrated experience and skills in leadership, staff management, program development and management, strategic planning, monitoring and evaluation and public speaking.
• Technical knowledge in an area related to HKI’s mission and programs.
• Demonstrated ability to generate program funding including donor cultivation and grant writing
• Computer literate in use of word-processing, spreadsheet and statistical software; experience in data analysis and interpretation is highly desirable
• Ability to travel within Indonesia about 25% of the time and periodically internationally.
• Experience working within the Indonesian development context is a plus.

The initial contract is for two years with possibility of renewal.

To Apply:
Qualified candidates should submit a cover letter and resume tohkihr@hki.org noting the job title in the subject line.  Applications will be accepted until the position is filled.