Tbilisi, Georgia
I'm currently unavailable due to my full time support to Medair's Ebola Response work in DR Congo. Ordinarily, I'm available for remote work (up to 50%) or in-person assignments (up to two weeks). Please see further details on my website: http://peteharrison.blog/ I've accepted a scholarship to study part-time for a Master of Business Administration at Porto Business School from September 2026: https://www.pbs.up.pt/en/programas/mbas/global-online-mba/ From August 2017 to October 2025, I worked in a variety of roles with Medair in DR Congo, South Sudan, Afghanistan, and Lebanon: - January to September 2025: Programme Development Coordinator, Lebanon - January 2023 to February 2024: Project Coordinator for Uruzgan, Afghanistan - July to December 2022: Project Coordinator for Uruzgan and Kandahar, Afghanistan (covering two locations due to gap filling). - September 2021 to May 2022: Deputy Country Director for South Sudan. - July 2020 to June 2021: Project Coordinator for Kirumba, DR Congo. - March 2019 to June 2020: Communications & Programme Funding Manager, DR Congo. - August 2017 to February 2019: Communications & Programme Funding Officer, DR Congo. In 2024, I took a career break to hike the Pacific Crest Trail. Prior to working with Medair, I worked in Egypt for Forcier (a research consultancy firm) on business developement and in Liberia with Last Mile Health (a community health nonprofit) on grants, communications, and donor relations. I hold a BA in History and a post-graduate Diploma in Humanitarian Assistance. Outside work, I enjoy ultra trail running, cycle touring, reading, making music, following cricket, and drinking East African coffee.
Available to provide the following services: - Interim leadership - Strategic & organisational development - Grant management - Accountability & compliance - Security management & access Current assignments: - May 2026 - present. Ebola Response support: proposals, reports, external communications, internal communications & information management, representation. Client: Medair (DR Congo). - January 2026 - present. Traditional bone setters project strategy, implementation, development, and monitoring. Client: AO Alliance Foundation. Countries: Ghana, Ethiopia, Togo, Tanzania. Past assignments: - February - March 2026. Draft concept notes for funding from the French, German, and Swiss governments and support improvements to audit compliance. Client: Medair (DR Congo). - December 2025 - January 2026. Coordinate the design of a multi-sector emergency response project in Syria and develop a funding proposal to submit to DG ECHO. Client: Medair (Syria).
- Contributed to strategic direction as part of the Senior Leadership Team. - Improved financial strategy and budget tracking and management for USD 9M+ grant funding. - Enabled the MEAL department to clarify and deliver its core functions. - Revised and updated internal policies and processes. - Supported staff development and improvements to team communications and productivity. - Provided coverage as Acting Country Director.
I thru hiked the Pacific Crest Trail (2,655 miles / 4,273 kilometres), walking from the US/Mexico border to the US/Canada border in 109 days.
[07/22-12/22: Kandahar & Uruzgan Provinces, 01/23-02/24: Uruzgan Province] - Oversaw implementation of emergency responses providing multi-sectoral support to people affected by conflict, drought, and economic hardship, including work planning, monitoring and evaluation, and budget management. - Led teams in Kandahar and Uruzgan Provinces, including growing the Uruzgan team from 35 to 120 staff, supporting continued improvements to collaboration, quality, and productivity. - Managed grants from DG ECHO, Swiss Solidarity, and the US Bureau of Humanitarian Assistance, ensuring compliance with Medair and donor policies, and contributing to proposals and reports. - Facilitated the safe continuation of Medair’s work through engaging key security stakeholders, refining security protocols and planning, and day-to-day security management.
- Collaborated with senior leadership to refine strategic priorities, make key programming decisions, accelerate international staff recruitment, and improve internal communications. - Worked with colleagues to analyse and address operational challenges, with a particular focus on Logistics. - Represented Medair in meetings with funding partners (DG ECHO, BHA, FCDO, and the SDC; annual funding portfolio c. USD 16M). - Supervised seven direct reports, including Project Coordinators, Logistics, IT, Base, and MEAL Managers, and WASH Advisor, with collective responsibility for over 150 staff members. - Supported Project Coordinators to ensure the safety of their field teams working in highly insecure locations, including facilitating evacuation when security deteriorated.