Response Director (Gaza & Middle East)

World Central Kitchen (WCK) is seeking a tenacious and adaptable Response Director to lead our relief operations across Gaza, Lebanon, and Israel. This role demands quick, strategic decision-making, an ability to triage competing priorities, and a talent for building relationships while leading and motivating diverse, multidisciplinary teams. The ideal candidate thrives in chaotic and ambiguous environments, excels at capacity building, and embodies WCK’s North Star values while ensuring timely and effective delivery of food aid to communities in need.

Based in Jordan, this position offers a unique opportunity to shape WCK's responses in the Middle East. The Response Director will oversee all aspects of ground activities and ensure seamless coordination between local and international teams. This position reports directly to the Chief Relief Officer.

The Response Director is a six (6) month term position with the opportunity for renewal, offering a unique chance to lead and shape WCK's responses.

Key Responsibilities:

Activation Management

• Serve as the primary on-ground leader, managing relief operations in Gaza and Lebanon.
• Direct Jordan- and Gaza-based teams, including the Response Leadership Team (comprising Unit Managers in Gaza and their counterparts in Jordan).
  Key departments include:
• Safety & Security
• Community Outreach
• Operations/Distribution
• Culinary
• Finance/HR
• Procurement and Logistics
• Oversee additional sub-departments as necessary to adapt to the scope of operations.
• Strategically implement relief activities in alignment with WCK’s North Star values.
• Build and train local teams to ensure operational readiness, employing WCK’s accordion staffing model.
• Lead scope setting, program adjustments, and activation timelines in collaboration with the Chief Relief Officer.
• Foster cross-departmental collaboration and information sharing with HQ teams and other Response Directors.
• Ensure seamless transitions and handovers for international contract staff rotating in and out of activation roles.
• Complete After-Action Reports post-activation to capture lessons learned and process improvements.

Safety & Security

• Receive daily briefings from the Safety & Security Manager to stay apprised of evolving conditions.
• Work closely with the Chief Security Officer to implement and adapt protocols ensuring team safety.
• Act as the primary decision-maker for on-ground operations during security crises.

Finances and Human Resources

• Collaborate with the finance team to create accurate cost projections for activations, addressing meal production, staffing, and logistics.
• Work with WCK-HQ to establish and monitor robust financial policies, systems, and safeguards.
• Approve key purchase orders, invoices, and financial reporting documents, as required.

Procurement & Logistics

• Guide the procurement team to source materials efficiently, balancing speed, cost, and quality.
• Supervise logistics teams in managing the transportation of goods into Gaza, liaising with government agencies and third-party logistics providers.
• Coordinate with Safety & Security to manage intra-Gaza logistical movements.

Community Outreach, Operations/Distribution, and Stakeholder Engagement

• Support the Community Outreach and Operations/Distribution teams in building meaningful relationships with local communities and stakeholders.
• Ensure outreach and engagement activities align with WCK’s reputation as an effective, compassionate relief organization.
• Represent WCK to international audiences, including beneficiaries, partners, and media, as required.

Culinary

• Supervise the Culinary Unit to ensure meals meet WCK’s standards of quality, cultural appropriateness, and portioning.

• Ability to work in the Amman, Jordan, office 6 days per week and/or working remotely 1 day per week. 
• Equivalent to and/or a university Bachelor's Degree preferred, or 15+ years of experience in management roles, preferably in fast paced, ever changing environments; including military, emergency response, culinary, humanitarian or event management settings. 
• Excellent training and coaching skills, and experience leading large, multidisciplinary teams in challenging and rapidly changing environments. 
• Proven experience in logistics and/or procurement, including managing teams and overseeing inventory, purchasing systems, and international supply chain operations, with a focus on local sourcing, transportation, storage, and distribution.
• Excellent communication skills, both oral and written, with the ability to engage and coordinate with diverse stakeholders. 
• Ability to work independently with minimal infrastructure, amenities and resources.
• Demonstrated negotiation and diplomacy skills in complex and potentially volatile situations.
• Exhibit a calm and composed demeanor during crisis situations, with the capacity to make sound decisions under pressure.
• Strong mental resilience and emotional intelligence to cope with the stressors associated with working in conflict environments.
• Display cultural awareness and sensitivity, recognizing and respecting diverse backgrounds that allow us to positively work with local communities.
• Fluency in English is required; Arabic is also required with a strong preference for someone fluent in Levantine Arabic.

The role of Response Director is critical in ensuring that WCK’s relief operations are effective, responsive, and accountable, following through on our commitment to communities in need, and upholding the high standards of the organization, guided always by WCK’s North Star.

Duration: Six (6) month contract terms with option to renew

Location(s): Must live within 1 hour of an international airport. Based in Amman, Jordan (Gaza & Middle East).

Contract Type: We are excited to offer an opportunity for Response Director-Middle East/Gaza in partnership with Velocity Global. The successful candidate will be contracted by Velocity Global which will handle all HR-related processes, including payroll, benefits, and compliance, while the employee will work directly with World Central Kitchen to fulfill the job responsibilities.

As a contractor of Velocity Global you will receive the benefits and support of a dedicated HR team, ensuring a seamless experience while you contribute to the mission of World Central Kitchen.

Why Join Us?

Innovative Environment: Be part of a forward-thinking team that values creativity and innovation.

Global Impact: Your work will have a direct impact on building a diverse and talented global team.

Professional Growth: Opportunities for continuous learning and career development.

Dynamic Team: Work with a supportive and enthusiastic team that values collaboration and fun.

If you’re ready to bring your unique talents to a role that’s as challenging as it is rewarding, we’d love to hear from you. Apply today and let’s build the future of World Central Kitchen together!

WCK is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.

Join us in being a part of WCK's global talent journey!