Director for World Service, LWF

Place of Assignment: Geneva, Switzerland

Starting date: ideally January 2027

Contract period: initial contract of 5 years, renewable once

Work time: 100 %

Average travel days per year: more than 20 days

Closing dates for applications: 6 April 2026

Organizational Context

The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) is a communion of churches living and working together for just, peaceful, and reconciled world. The Communion Office (CO) is the headquarters of the LWF.

The Department for World Service (DWS), externally referred to as LWF World Service (WS) is the humanitarian and diaconal arm of the LWF, responsible for carrying out diaconal response to humanitarian emergencies and human needs on behalf of the LWF.

LWF World Service is one of the largest faith-based humanitarian actors in the world, serving more than 2 million people annually through its country programs and emergency operations. It has more than 6000 staff worldwide and has an annual budget of more than 120 million EUR.

Purpose

In pursuance of its responsibility and based on its strategy, LWF World Service:

operates together with and on behalf of the LWF member churches;

provides support to refugees, returnees, internally displaced people, their host communities and communities at risk, emphasizing climate and resilient livelihoods, quality services, protection and social cohesion;

establishes and runs country programs and emergency operations;

engages in cooperation and partnership with governmental and non-governmental organizations, relevant United Nations agencies and other structures involved in humanitarian and development programs as they link to the WS mandate and represents LWF in the ACT Alliance.

The purpose of the position is to effectively lead, direct and oversee the activities of World Service and its country programs and emergency operations. The director leads the WS management team, which also includes the Head of International Programs and the Head of World Service Finance and Support Functions, ensuring alignment with organizational goals and operational excellence across the structures of World Service. The director heads the LWF Crisis Management Team.

The director is a member of the LWF Communion Office Leadership Team (COLT).

Required Qualifications

University degree or equivalent in development studies, economics, social studies.

Long-term and extensive international experience in senior management functions in humanitarian aid and development, preferably in a church-related, ecumenical or diaconal organization.

Broad understanding of concepts of humanitarian aid and development, including accountability mechanisms, programming and finance.

Broad knowledge and understanding of LWF member churches, related agencies, the ecumenical environment, and an appreciation for the Lutheran faith tradition. 

Fluency in English, working knowledge of German, French or Spanish is an asset

A member church endorsement is required for this position

Additional Study and Experience

Highly developed leadership skills, visionary, empowering style of leadership.

Experience and understanding of crisis management.

Confident networker with the ability to read complex political situations.

Strong representational skills including communication and negotiation skills.

Strong experience and skills in people management and development together with proven ability in cross cultural management.

Good financial management experience (including budget and enforcement of financial controls) and ability to lead complex processes.

Good computer literacy.

Knowledge and experience of cooperation with UN, governmental and international development agencies in the field of humanitarian aid, refugee / IDP assistance, rights based programming and sustainable development, including collaboration with other faith-based actors.

LWF Core Skills

Analytical thinking – Level resource

Initiative - Level resource

Leadership - Level resource

Achieving results - Level resource

Accountability - Level resource

Working effectively with others - Level resource

Required Skills

Communication - Level advanced

Networking - Level resource

Facilitation / Negotiation / Diplomacy - Level advanced

Advocacy / Influence - Level advanced

Strategic intelligence - Level resource

People Management - Level resource

Resource management – Level advanced

Position Environment and Dimensions

The humanitarian and development sector is undergoing unprecedented change and turbulent times, where needs are growing globally and available resources are in a sharp decline. The director is required to be able to navigate the sector and provide vision, stable and strategic leadership and be able to seek alliances, collaboration and effective partnerships with a wide range of actors.

Internally, interacts and relates with the WS Management Team, teams in World Service, and Country Representatives. In the broader LWF, interacts with the Communion office Leadership Team, the Department for Theology, Mission and Justice, the Action for Justice advocacy team, Regional Secretaries of the LWF and the Office of the General Secretary. Relates closely with LWF Governance structures, especially the Council and its Committee for World Service, and the Executive Committee.

Externally, interacts and relates with member churches, related organisations, ecumenical organizations, the ACT Alliance and its member organisations, Caritas Internationalis, UN organisations, institutional donors, INGOs, the Steering Committee for Humanitarian Response (SCHR), and other LWF stakeholders.

Main duties

Leadership and strategic vision

Provides overall strategic leadership for World Service;

Ensures that the World Service Global Strategy is implemented through the structures and systems created to guide the organisation, and in line with the LWF Strategy and the mandate of WS as stated in the LWF Constitution and bylaws;

Engages in relevant policy discussions and developments in humanitarian and development aid, bringing LWF positions into the discussions globally.

Managing World Service operations globally

Ensures that systems and structures are in place to achieve quality programmes and timely response within the scope of its mandate;

Leads the World Service Management Team in the day-to-day management of operations in the country programmes and emergency operations;

Ensures coordination and collaboration among the teams in World Service to ensure key processes and strategic areas for development are implemented globally;

Fosters close collaboration with Action for Justice in Rights Based programming and advocacy.

Finance and Risk management

Maintains a global understanding of all the elements of finance management within World Service;

Creates an environment where financial risk management is addressed on a regular basis and decisions regarding necessary adjustments, support, mitigation or investment are taken in a timely manner.

Partnership and relations management

Represents LWF and World Service in interactions with all the partners and stakeholders above, together with others in WS;

Engages with donors and partners to explore new partnerships and innovative approaches to collaboration;

Works with the Department of Theology, Mission and Justice to build member church capacity in emergency response globally;

Is the ex-officio member of the ACT Governing board for LWF;

Participates in the SCHR Principals’ group.

Team Leadership and People management

Leads, manages and develops team cohesion across the structures of World Service globally, paying particular attention to the highly decentralised nature of the organization;

Fosters empowering, enabling and transparent decision making and delegation to ensure the smooth functioning of the team;

Ensures that LWF values are strengthened and staff roles and collaboration structures are strengthened at all levels.

Accountability

Ensures zero tolerance for breaches of the LWF Code of Conduct, including sexual exploitation and abuse, and fraud and corruption;

Ensures that complaints handling mechanisms remain adequately resourced, strong and functioning, and act as the chair of the Complaints Handling Committee at the Geneva level;

Ensures that staff are regularly trained and updated on all elements relating to complaints handling.

Crisis management

Heads the Crisis Management Team, and functions as the Crisis Manager for LWF, as per the LWF Crisis Management Protocol;

Ensures policies and procedures are up to date and followed in cases where crisis management is required.

Communion Office Leadership Team (COLT)

Serves as a full member of the LWF Communion Office Leadership Team, participating in strategic and managerial decision making.

Special duties: Performs all other related duties as requested by the General Secretary.

Major challenges: Leading the highly decentralised World Service in a rapidly changing global environment faced with escalating violent conflict, resource constraints, dangerous working environments and daily operational challenges, while maintaining staff morale, safety and security, stability and clarity of purpose. Decision making in situations where information is not always complete.

Working in a complex network of stakeholders, partners and funders to grow collaboration and partnerships enabling quality response globally to achieve the mission, vision and strategic objectives of World Service.