Head of Mission - Afghanistan

About INSO

Founded in 2011, the International NGO Safety Organization (INSO) is an international NGO that supports humanitarian aid workers by establishing safety coordination platforms in insecure contexts.

INSO provides registered NGOs with a range of free services, including real-time incident tracking, analytical reports, safety-related data and mapping, crisis management support, staff orientations, and training. INSO provides daily support to more than 1,500 NGOs operating in 24 of the world’s most insecure countries. INSO is registered in the Netherlands, with its headquarters located in The Hague, a city renowned for its international focus on peace and justice.

Overall Purpose of Role:

As Head of Mission, you will be the organization’s senior representative in-country, providing strategic leadership and ensuring a strong and effective presence. Drawing on your country expertise and understanding of the operating context, you will stay closely engaged with key political, humanitarian, and strategic developments.

You will lead the mission across strategy, programme delivery, coordination, representation, and people management, ensuring teams and services operate effectively and to a high standard. You will also play a key role in maintaining compliance with both internal policies and external requirements, while fostering a culture of accountability, quality, and professionalism.

Beyond day-to-day leadership, you will contribute to the broader strategic development of the organization, building strong relationships with key stakeholders and helping shape the mission’s direction and impact.

Main Duties and Responsibilities:

The Afghanistan Head of Mission manages a team based in the INSO Palestine office in Amman and coordinates closely with that team. The Afghanistan programme is a remote programme run from Amman and housed within the INSO Palestine office.

Strategic Leadership & Representation

• Represent the organization at the country level and ensure adherence to its mandate, policies, and principles.
• Build and maintain strong networks with government agencies, NGOs, the UN, Red Cross, donors, embassies, humanitarian coordination platforms, and security bodies while maintaining independence.
• Proactively seek opportunities to represent the organization at relevant events and forums to strengthen its standing as a responsible and effective member of the humanitarian community.
• Stay updated on political, security, and humanitarian developments and provide regular strategic analysis.

Service Delivery & Compliance

• Develop and implement Service Delivery Standards and ensure alignment with global policies.
• Ensure compliance with internal and external regulations, including but not limited to security policies, legal and ethical behavior standards, safeguarding policies, and financial management procedures.
• Ensure timely delivery of core services such as alerts, reports, security briefings, risk assessments, crisis support, and situational reports.
• Guide and encourage teams in the qualitative improvement of services.
• Monitor and review beneficiary and donor satisfaction and seek continuous improvement.

Program Management & Development

• Oversee program implementation, ensuring activities align with strategic objectives and operational priorities.
• Lead program planning, execution, and monitoring, ensuring adherence to timelines and quality standards.
• Ensure financial management processes, budgeting, and donor compliance are followed rigorously.
• Identify funding opportunities and proactively seek new donors and partnerships.

Human Resources & Organizational Management

• Manage all staffing requirements, recruitment, deployment, and structuring of the country office.
• Ensure proper implementation of national staff regulations and compliance with organizational HR policies.
• Oversee staff development, mentoring, and capacity-building initiatives.
• Foster a culture of accountability, teamwork, and high performance through Performance Objective Records.

Security & Risk Management

• Ensure safety and security protocols are effectively implemented and adhered to by all staff.
• Oversee risk management strategies, crisis response, and emergency preparedness.
• Continuously assess the operational environment and make informed decisions to mitigate risks.

Knowledge, Skills, and Experience

Essential

• Minimum of 5 years of relevant work experience, preferably in humanitarian aid, risk management, or NGOs.
• Fluency in English (written and verbal).
• Strong analytical and strategic thinking skills.
• Sound financial and budget management skills.
• Strong leadership, coordination, and negotiation skills.
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent certification in a relevant field.
• Demonstrable understanding of humanitarian safety practices and principles.
• Ability to work in high-pressure environments with tight deadlines.

Nice to Have

• Minimum of 2 years working in insecure/conflict-affected environments with progressive seniority.
• Proficiency in additional languages relevant to the region, particularly Persian and Pashto.
• Prior experience in an inter-agency coordination role.
• Previous work experience in both security and civilian sectors.
• Experience in staff capacity development and training.

Personal Attributes

• Problem-solving – Identifies issues and develops effective solutions.
• Communication – Clear, structured, and adaptable interaction with others.
• Leadership – Organizes, guides, and manages teams effectively.
• Accountability – Takes responsibility and follows through on commitments.
• Resilience – Performs effectively under pressure and in challenging situations.
• Integrity – Maintains confidentiality, ethics, and avoids conflicts of interest.

Terms & Conditions

12-month contract, €5,750 monthly salary, 4 calendar days annual leave per month, 3 days R&R every 3 months, global medical coverage (excluding USA), $200,000 AD&D coverage.

INSO’s Safeguarding Policy

INSO is fully committed to safe recruitment, selection and vetting of all potential new staff, trustees and volunteers. We ensure rigorous compliance with our Code of Conduct and Safeguarding Policy throughout the recruitment process. INSO is a member of the Misconduct Disclosure Scheme, and the selected candidate will be required to undergo the relevant misconduct disclosure checks as part of the final hiring steps.