EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, GULF PARTNERSHIPS AND ENGAGEMENT

Work Location: US - Atlanta, GA (role based in Doha or the GCC)

About the role

The Executive Director, Gulf Partnerships and Engagement is CARE USA's senior market-entry lead for the GCC. The primary mandate is establishing CARE's presence and credibility with Gulf institutional and philanthropic principals—opening doors with the right foundations, sovereign funds, governments, and corporates across Qatar, UAE, KSA, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Oman; cultivating those relationships to partnership readiness; and enabling CARE's HQ and program teams to deliver. This role requires deep GCC networks, senior standing in Gulf philanthropic circles, and the authority to engage credibly with major partners on co-creation, strategy, and CARE's value proposition.

Responsibilities

• Establish and develop CARE's pipeline of high-value relationships with Gulf-based foundations, government donors, sovereign funds, family offices, and institutional philanthropic principals—with primary focus across Qatar, UAE, and KSA.
• Represent CARE credibly at the most senior levels of the Gulf philanthropic ecosystem, including with IsDB and GCC sovereign and foundation principals.
• Open and advance new partnership opportunities, engaging partners on co-creation terms, strategic alignment, and CARE's value proposition.
• Work closely with the CRO and HQ to define what CARE can commit to in partner conversations; operate with the authority to advance those conversations decisively.
• Ensure CARE is known, trusted, and positioned as a partner of choice in the GCC within 12–18 months, with a growing pipeline of GCC-sourced revenue commitments.
• Work closely with CARE's HQ fundraising, program, and partnerships teams to advance opportunities opened with Gulf partners.
• Structure warm handoffs of cultivated prospects to HQ proposal, program, and stewardship teams.
• Advise HQ on Gulf partner requirements, cultural expectations, and co-creation preferences so that what CARE delivers in proposals and programs meets partner expectations.
• Support high-level engagement between CARE's CEO, CRO, and Gulf principals when needed.
• Stay deeply current on the GCC philanthropic landscape—donor priorities, emerging funds, regulatory developments, and Islamic finance trends—and share strategic intelligence with CARE's senior leadership.
• Advise the CRO on Gulf strategy, sequencing of relationships, and how to position CARE against competing funding priorities.
• Identify and flag new opportunities, market shifts, and partnership possibilities.
• Represent CARE at key Gulf forums, conferences, and events where presence matters.
• Manage and mentor the Coordinator, Gulf and Global Fundraising, who provides the execution infrastructure behind this role—handling pipeline tracking, proposal coordination, Salesforce records, and donor reporting.
• Work with CARE's CRO and senior leadership on strategic planning and Gulf market reporting.
• Ensure the Coordinator and HQ teams are effectively briefed and mobilized to follow up on relationships.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in international relations, international development, business administration, or a related field, or equivalent combination of education and work experience.
• Minimum 10 years of senior experience in GCC/Gulf philanthropic, institutional, or strategic partnership engagement, with an established network of high-level relationships across Qatar, UAE, and KSA foundations, government donors, sovereign funds, and private sector principals.
• Demonstrated track record of opening and cultivating senior-level GCC partnerships—building multi-year relationships that convert to co-investment or funding.
• Deep cultural fluency and personal credibility within Gulf philanthropic circles.
• Bilingual English-Arabic a significant advantage; strong spoken and written Arabic strongly preferred.
• Experience with international development organizations a plus.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree in international development, public policy, business administration, or a related field.
• Existing relationships with IsDB, QFFD, KSRelief, ERC, or major Gulf family foundations.
• Understanding of Islamic philanthropy, zakat, and waqf as applied to development partnerships.
• Experience advising or consulting for INGOs on Gulf market entry.
• Prior experience operating in a consulting or advisory capacity with a clear path to a permanent role.
• Familiarity with CARE or similar large international NGOs.

Starting salaries are based on various factors, including candidate experience, education, knowledge, skills, and the cost of labor where the job is based.