Deputy Executive Director (gn)

Purpose of the Role

The Deputy Executive Director (all genders) is a key member of the Executive Team and the primary strategic partner to the Executive Director. This role ensures the organisation operates at peak performance by driving strategic alignment, optimising delivery, and enabling seamless cross-functional collaboration to achieve ambitious outcomes.

This is a high-impact leadership position that blends strategic oversight with operational excellence. The

Deputy Executive Director (gn)

will ensure that planning, systems, and colleagues are aligned for performance, delivering measurable outcomes across global programmes and organisational functions. We are looking for someone to start as soon as possible. The position will be based in Berlin.

Key Objectives

1. Operationalise strategy by aligning programme goals, operating models, and resource deployment with the organisation's long-term strategic direction.
2. Maximise team and organisational performance by strengthening leadership capabilities, driving efficiency, and instilling a culture of high accountability and results.
3. Deliver high-quality output through robust systems for planning, adaptive execution, and results-based performance management.
4. Mitigate risk and ensure compliance to protect organisational integrity, support operational continuity, and enable scalable, sustainable growth.

Strategic Leadership & Delivery

1. As a member of the Executive Team contribute to the organisation’s strategy development and implementation.
2. Translate strategic priorities into clear, actionable operational plans.
3. Shape organisational structure, systems, and culture to maximise impact, agility, and strategic alignment.

Team Oversight & Internal Integration

1. Jointly with the Executive Director oversee department heads across core functions, ensuring ownership, accountability, and delivery.
2. Foster cross-team collaboration, coherence, and continuous learning to build a high-performing, adaptive, and aligned organisation. Lead organisational planning and resource allocation, aligning capacity with priorities.

Programme Delivery & Organisational Effectiveness

1. Ensure the effective and timely delivery of high-quality global programmes.
2. Strengthen systems for planning, reporting, and performance tracking.
3. Embed adaptive learning, feedback loops, and results-based management across all levels.

Fundraising & Communications

1. Provide strategic oversight on resource mobilisation efforts, ensuring alignment with long-term organisational goals and sustainability.
2. Work closely with fundraising and communications leads to ensure structures are in place to maintain coherent, purpose-driven messaging across channels.
3. Support efforts to strengthen the organisation’s profile, credibility, and relationships with key partners and donors.

Risk Management & Resilience

1. Lead strategic and operational risk management to safeguard organisational integrity.
2. Ensure full compliance with donor, legal, and ethical standards across functions.
3. Guide preparedness and response in complex and rapidly evolving environments.

1. 10+ years of senior leadership experience.
2. Strong track record in people-centric, cross-functional leadership and delivery.
3. Proven track record of driving cross-functional execution, delivering measurable results, and scaling impact.
4. Demonstrated ability to integrate programmes, operations, and systems to enable effective collaboration and execution across teams.
5. Excellent communicator and people leader with adaptive management skills.
6. Fluent in English and proficient in German, other languages are an asset.

1. Highly engaged colleagues & international network
2. Very relevant and challenging purpose
3. Flexible working hours
4. 30 days of vacation