Job Description

CARE is reimagining its model for the next decade—integrating market-based growth into its development and humanitarian mission and positioning itself for long-term relevance in a rapidly shifting global landscape. The Chief Strategy & Transformation Officer (CSTO), reporting to the CEO, will lead that repositioning: shaping strategic direction, driving market-based growth, and building the performance systems to deliver on the FY26–FY30 Global Strategy.

The CSTO leads a portfolio spanning strategic positioning, private and market-based growth, enterprise transformation, organizational performance, and integrated planning. This executive will bring intellectual depth and transformational vision to CARE USA’s long-term direction, driving commercial growth and new partnership models while building the systems needed to accelerate mission impact. The role is accountable for both strategy and execution.

The ideal candidate is an intellectually rigorous, visionary leader who brings private sector credibility and transformational thinking to a mission-driven context. This is a rare opportunity to shape the strategic future of one of the world’s most recognized humanitarian organizations—bridging mission and market at a moment of deliberate reinvention. The CSTO will partner with the CEO, ELT, Regional and Country Directors, and key functional leaders internally while engaging external partners, markets, and growth opportunities.

The position will lead a globally distributed team totaling 30 staff. The CSTO sits on the CEO’s Executive Leadership Team and will guide CARE toward a more digitally enabled, cost-effective, and market-oriented future, serving as a strong external voice: pitching ideas, cultivating partnerships, and opening new growth opportunities.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Transformational Vision & Strategic Positioning

• Define CARE USA’s strategic position in a rapidly evolving global landscape, leading the implementation and refinement of the FY26–FY30 Global Strategy in partnership with the CEO and ELT
• Serve as chief strategic advisor to the CEO and ELT, bringing intellectual depth and analytical rigor to how CARE reads the external environment—emerging trends, sectoral shifts, geopolitical risks, and market opportunities
• Identify new pathways for growth, partnership, and competitive positioning through strategic analyses, scenario planning, and market assessments
• Translate strategic positioning into clear organizational priorities, workstreams, and metrics that drive coherence and accountability across CARE USA.
• Steward the annual and multiyear strategic planning cycle, aligning CARE’s global strategy, regional plans, and U.S. operations with current market realities and external opportunity.
• Keep CARE’s strategy ahead of sectoral, geopolitical, and market shifts by continuously scanning donor landscapes, partner ecosystems, and emerging trends.

Private Sector & Market-Based Growth

• Drive private sector and market-based revenue growth, integrating commercial thinking and new partnership models into the core of CARE’s strategy.
• Cultivate and grow high-value external partnerships with private sector actors, investors, foundations, and other market-based partners to expand CARE’s revenue base and impact reach.
• Represent CARE externally with credibility and conviction—pitching ideas, opening doors, and positioning the organization competitively in market and philanthropic forums.
• Embed innovative financing into enterprise strategy, ensuring long-term plans anticipate and leverage new resourcing pathways (e.g., blended finance, pooled mechanisms, catalytic capital).
• Align financing strategy with global and country-level planning, connecting external resource opportunities to programmatic priorities and growth targets.
• Identify and pursue strategic partnerships, alliances, and ventures that expand CARE’s capabilities, revenue base, and market reach—with a focus on social enterprise and sustainable growth models.

Enterprise Transformation & Internal Agility

• Lead organizational transformation initiatives that position CARE to act on external opportunities—strengthening effectiveness, structural agility, culture, operating model, and cross-team collaboration.
• Champion enterprise-wide change management, ensuring staff engagement, communication, and adoption of new ways of working.
• Drive digital transformation in partnership with technology and operational leaders, ensuring CARE’s systems support performance, data-driven decision-making, and future growth.
• Oversee cross-functional initiatives that streamline processes, enhance efficiency, and improve coordination between U.S.-based teams and global counterparts.
• Structure internal operations to support new financing mechanisms (e.g., multi-partner funds, outcome-based approaches) efficiently and at scale
• Champion a cultural shift toward entrepreneurial resourcing, helping teams see financing innovation as a strategic lever—not merely a fundraising tool.

Organizational Performance, Planning & Accountability

• Oversee enterprise-wide performance measurement systems, ensuring CARE tracks progress against strategic goals and impact commitments.
• Lead integrated annual planning processes, aligning budgets, resources, personnel plans, and programmatic priorities.
• Monitor organizational KPIs and dashboards, providing regular updates and insights to the CEO and Board.
• Partner with Finance, Operations, and Program teams to ensure resource allocation reflects strategic priorities and long-term financial resilience.
• Align budgeting processes with strategic choices, including upfront investments needed to unlock innovative financing and diversified revenue streams.