Country Director, Somaliland

Seeking a new challenge? Pharo Foundation has a Country Director, Somaliland position open in Hargeisa. With 10+ years of experience required, this position is suited for mid-to-senior level professionals in Management/leadership. This position closes on Jun, 15. Apply now to be considered.

Country

Director,

Somaliland

Hargeisa,

Somaliland

Overview

The

Pharo

Foundation

is

a

mission-driven

organisation

working

to

build

a

vibrant,

productive,

and

self-reliant

Africa.

Founded and

fully funded by

Pharo

Management,

an

emerging

markets

hedge

fund, the

Foundation applies

private

sector

rigour

and

operational

discipline

to

maximise

impact.

We

invest

in

economic

development

programmes

and

ventures

to

deliver

sustainable

impact,

meaning

outcomes

that

continue

long

after

the

initial

investment,

rather

than

gains

that

require

constant

external

funding

to

maintain.

Thus,

our

model

links

two

engines

together:

ventures

create

jobs

and

economic

activity,

while

their

profits

help

fund

the

development

programmes

that

strengthen

the

conditions

for

future

growth.

Over

the

next

decade,

the

Foundation’s

ambition

is

to

deliver

lasting

impact

across

three

interdependent

missions:

1.

Empowering

the

next

generation

through

affordable,

high-quality education

2.

Solving

water

scarcity

through

sustainable

infrastructure

3.

Driving

economic

productivity

by

unlocking

jobs,

investment,

and

innovation

through

both

non-profit

and

for-profit

ventures

The

Foundation

operates

in

Ethiopia,

Somaliland,

Kenya,

and

Rwanda,

employing

more

than

800

people

across

three

divisions:

Pharo

Schools,

Pharo

Development,

and

Pharo

Ventures.

Opportunity

We

are

seeking

an

exceptional

Country

Director

to lead

and

scale

Pharo

Foundation’s

work

in Somaliland.

This

is

a

rare

opportunity

to

shape

the

future

of

one

of

the

Foundation’s

most

strategically

important

geographies

at

a pivotal

moment

of

growth

and

ambition.

The

Country

Director

will

provide

overall

leadership

for

the

Foundation’s

operations,

programmes,

and

ventures

in

Somaliland,

driving

execution

across

both

non-profit

and

for-profit

activities.

The

Country Director

is

the

steward

and

protector

of

people,

brand,

assets,

and

licence

to

operate.

The

role

requires

a

leader

who

combines

strategic

vision

with

operational

excellence,

and

who

is

equally

comfortable

engaging with

government

stakeholders,

overseeing

complex

programmes,

and

building

high-performing

teams.

The

successful

candidate

will

be

responsible

for

translating

the

Foundation’s

long-term

ambitions

into tangible

outcomes

on

the

ground,

ensuring

that

programmes

and

ventures

are

delivered

with

excellence,

accountability,

and

measurable

impact.

This

role

is

ideally

suited

to

a

commercially

minded

and

mission-driven

leader

who

thrives

in

dynamic environments,

understands

the

complexities

of

operating

in

Somaliland,

and

is

motivated

by

the

opportunity

to

build

institutions

and

initiatives

that

endure.

Key

relationships:

Role:

Country

Director

Location:

Hargeisa,

Somaliland

Reporting

to:

Chief

Operation

Officer (COO)

Functional

relationship:

CEO,

Executive

Committee, Senior

Leadership

Team

Key

Responsibilities

Strategic

Leadership

• Lead

the

development

and

execution

of

Pharo

Foundation’s

country

strategy

in

Somaliland,

aligned

with

the

organisation’s

broader

mission

and

long-term

objectives

• Identify

emerging

opportunities,

risks,

and

trends

relevant

to

the

Foundation’s

missions

and

provide strategic

counsel

to

senior

leadership

and

the

Board

• Shape

the

strategic

direction

of

operations

in

Somaliland

in

partnership

with

global

and

regional leadership

teams

• Foster

a

culture

of

ambition,

accountability,

innovation,

and

operational

excellence

across

the

country

team

Programme

and

Venture

Leadership

• Oversee

the

successful

delivery

and

expansion

of

all

country

programmes,

schools

and

ventures

across

Somaliland

•

Ensure

strong

governance,

compliance,

safeguarding,

and risk

management

across

all

activities

• Support

and

oversee

the

performance

of

for-profit

ventures

within

the Somaliland portfolio,

working closely

with

venture

leadership

teams

to

drive

sustainable

growth

and

operational

effectiveness

• Identify

and

evaluate investment

opportunities,

partnerships,

and

new

initiatives

aligned

with Pharo

Ventures’

strategic

priorities

• Establish

robust

monitoring,

evaluation,

and

learning

systems

to

ensure

continuous

improvement

and

measurable

impact

•

Maintain strong

operational

oversight

through

regular

site

visits and

performance reviews

Management

responsibilities

• Collaborate

closely

with

the

Global

Senior

Leadership

team

to

effectively

manage

the

team

within

a

matrix

organisation.

• Joint

management

of

the

Country

Office’s

Management

team

in

collaboration

with

relevant

functional

managers

(e.g.

Director

of

Pharo

Schools,

CFO,

etc).

<

About Hargeisa

Hargeisa is the capital and largest city of Somaliland, serving as the region's main economic and administrative hub. The city is home to a growing number of international organizations, NGOs, and private sector companies, making it a key employment center in the Horn of Africa. Professionals relocating to Hargeisa will find a dynamic and rapidly developing urban environment.

Ereyada Soomaaliga (Somali Keywords): Shaqo Cusub • Shaqo Buuxda • Shaqo Hargeysa

Candidate

Profile

We

are

looking

for

a

leader

with

the

credibility,

judgement,

and

ambition

to

operate

at

scale

in

a

complex

and

evolving

environment.

The

ideal

candidate

will

bring:

•

A Master’s

degree,

MBA,

or

equivalent

advanced

qualification

• At

least

10

years

of

leadership

experience,

including

significant

senior

management

experience within

international

development,

private

sector,

investment,

or

philanthropic

organisations

•

Strong

commercial

and

operational

acumen,

including

experience

managing

budgets,

teams,

and

organisational

growth

• Demonstrated

success

leading

and

scaling

complex

organisations,

programmes,

or

ventures

in

Africa

•

Deep

understanding

of

Somaliland’s

operating

environment,

institutions,

and

stakeholder

landscape

• Exceptional

leadership

and

people

management

capabilities,

with

the

ability

to

inspire

high-

performing

teams

•

Strong communication,

negotiation,

and

stakeholder

engagement

skills

• The

ability

to

operate

with

autonomy,

resilience,

sound

judgement,

and

accountability

in

fast-moving

environments

•

A

genuine

commitment

to

Pharo

Foundation’s

mission

and

values

Personal

Attributes

The

successful

candidate

will

be:

•

Entrepreneurial, strategic,

and

execution-oriented

•

Highly

principled,

professional,

and

values-driven

•

Curious, adaptable,

and

intellectually

rigorous.

•

Comfortable

operating

in

ambiguity

and

navigating

complexity

•

Collaborative

by nature,

but

decisive

when required.

•

Motivated

by impact

and

long-term

institution

building

•

Passionate

about

developing

people

and

building

strong

teams.

•

Strong reputation

for

integrity,

neutrality,

and

trustworthiness.

Application

Process

Applications

will

be

reviewed

on a

rolling

basis.

We

encourage

interested

candidates

to

apply

early,

as

we reserve

the

right

to

close

the

process

should

an

exceptional

candidate

be

identified

before

the

deadline.

Please

submit:

•

A

detailed

CV.

•

A

Cover letter

outlining

your

interest

and

suitability

for

the

role.

•

The

application

deadline

is

June 15

th

2026.

Due to

the volume

of

applications

received,

only

shortlisted

candidates

will

be

contacted.

To

apply,

please

visit

the

Careers

page

on

the

Pharo

Foundation

website

and

submit

your

application

https: //www.pharofoundation.org/index.php/current-opportunities

Apply at: https://www.pharofoundation.org/index.php/current-opportunities