Country Representative

Child Fund New Zealand

Applications closed Sunday, 22 March 2026

● Exciting opportunity to join and lead the Child Fund New Zealand in Vanuatu!

● Contract full-time position open to Vanuatu Citizens only

● Based in Port Vila with travel to the islands

The Organisation

ChildFund New Zealand’s vision is a world where all children and young people thrive, realise their rights, and reach their full potential. Our work is grounded in the belief that sustainable change happens through strong, meaningful relationships within the communities we serve.

We partner with local community-based organisations to ensure children and youth thrive. This is delivered through holistic programmes that integrate water and sanitation, education, child protection, resilience-building, livelihoods, and advocacy. We also recognise that for children and young people to truly thrive, they must be safe from harm with functioning systems of protection.

ChildFund New Zealand’s work in Vanuatu is enabled through a strategic partnership with the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (NZ MFAT) under its negotiated Partnership model. The project builds on ChildFund’s longstanding investments in other Pacific countries in youth wellbeing, gender-based violence prevention, and child protection, while increasingly integrating climate resilience and institutional strengthening.

As CFNZ’s engagement in Vanuatu expands, additional funding streams and partnerships may be secured through bilateral donors, multilateral agencies, and private sector collaborations. The aim of ChildFund’s Vanuatu programme is to operate as a multi-project country portfolio anchored in strong governance, donor accountability, and a commitment to locally led development.

The Position

The Country Representative provides overall leadership and operational management of ChildFund New Zealand’s country portfolio in Vanuatu. The role combines strategic leadership with hands-on programme oversight and partner support. The Country Representative works closely with implementing partners to ensure high-quality, compliant delivery of all projects, including the Impact Pacific Programme and any additional initiatives.

The role is accountable for financial stewardship, safeguarding compliance, risk management, donor engagement, and identification of new funding opportunities. The Country Representative represents ChildFund NZ at country level and ensures that the Vanuatu portfolio is professionally managed, strategically positioned, and aligned with long-term sustainability objectives.

Essential Selection Criteria

► Tertiary qualification in a related field of community development, social science, or relevant discipline.

► Experience in a senior programme or project management capacity in the development sector.

► Strong financial acumen including management of large-scale budgets.

► Experience managing projects directly in resource-constrained environments.

► Demonstrated partner building capabilities, external networking, and experience in developing strategic partnerships.

► Experience working with various stakeholders, including local CSOs and NGOs, and effectively coordinating between them.

► Strong verbal and written communication skills (in English and Bislama).

► Excellent report writing skills with a demonstrable ability to collate and produce high-quality financial and narrative reports.

► Ability to build and maintain effective working relationships with key stakeholders.

► Highly self-directed and disciplined. Strong follow-through and deadline management.

► Proficient with the use of MS Word and relevant Windows applications.

Job Description

Please read the Job Description before applying. Download with this link:

https://tinyurl.com/w5wjvrm3

Apply Online

Do NOT email your application.

Applications closed Sunday, 22 March 2026

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