PURPOSE OF POSITION:

Response Operations Director leads the Operations team and oversees the implementation of the response activities. He/she transforms the response strategy into implemented reality, managing day-to-day sector activities and providing technical guidance to the Programmes team for design and programme quality.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Ensure program planning is informed by technical standards and operational viability:

• Contribute to planning of sector requirements for people, funding and supplies.
• Ensure all program designs are based on needs assessment findings (primary & secondary data) and analysis, targets the most vulnerable/chronically vulnerable and is operationally viable.
• Ensure all programs refer to technical standards, consider government standards and are aligned with Strategic Guidance and Do-Assure Don’t Do (DADDs) for the First Phase of Emergency Responses and Sector Packages.
• Ensure inclusion of advocacy issues and cross cutting themes are considered in design.
• Ensure programs & projects are measured according to technical standards and Child Well-being targets.
• Ensure Operations Plans are developed and implemented with community engagement, taking into account local capacities and utilising Do No Harm/Local Capacities for Peace (DNH/LCP).

Establish, lead, resource and staff Operations unit to meet response needs:

• Lead team/individual development and provide direction and support as needed to enable effective performance.
• Contribute to National Office (NO) capacity building in the area of emergency response in coordination with NO leadership and People & Culture (P&C).
• Determine Operations organisational structure and staffing plan with P&C.
• Monitor recruitment and deployment of Operations staff and plan for capacity development.
• Ensure Operations staff handovers are conducted.
• Develop Operations budget in coordination with Finance, ensuring strong alignment and coordination with Programming team during budgeting and budget management process.
• Plan for Operations transition/ integration.

Conduct response operational planning to ensure effective coordination and timely delivery of response activities:

• Plan and facilitate detailed operational plan and delegate responsibilities to carry out plan.
• Ensure Accountability mechanisms are in place for Community and stakeholder feedback.
• Planning process considers community requirements (i.e. timelines) and progress is monitored by DME.
• Facilitate planning between sectors to meet overall program goals.
• Facilitate requirements planning with Support Services.
• Ensure collaborative planning with external stakeholders such as UN Agencies, other NGOs and Govt ministries where possible through coordination mechanisms.

Oversee implementation and monitoring of operations to ensure achievement of response goals and objectives and inform operational improvement:

• Monitor results against sector plans and address identified issues.
• Monitor expenditure reports and take corrective action with Finance and Programs.
• Review M&E and Accountability data with Sectors and Programs to identify and address any issues for operational improvement.
• Review context analysis with Programs and Liaison for Operational Intent adaptation.
• Review findings of learning events and evaluations with Programs to make operational improvements.
• All evaluations of sector interventions are planned with DME to assess effectiveness and timeliness.

Oversee development and implementation of operations reporting systems to support timely and accurate reporting:

• Establish and implement internal reporting system in coordination with DME.
• Ensure Operations provide input for grant/donor and program milestone and reports to Programs.
• Write report on quality risks and their resolution and submit to Response Director on regular basis.
• Ensure that Operations meets reporting requirements for Clusters, Ministries and/or in-country stakeholders.

Ensure implementation of response operations according to safety standards with support from the Security function:

• Organise security assessments for all field operations that inform a security plan.
• Implement the recommendations of the security plan for all field operations.
• Ensure security incident reporting protocols are complied with by operations staff.
• Ensure Operations staff adhere to security standards for staff movement and communications.
• Work with Security to ensure safe and effective Civil/Military relationships with armed actors.

Ensure operations meet WV minimum quality standards and support improvement, reflection, learning and innovation in sectors:

• Ensure previous sectors learning from Global Learning Facilitator are reviewed.
• Encourage the incorporation of sector best practice and innovation.
• Ensure sector have a quality plan to meet quality criteria and minimum sector standards.
• Ensure achievement of all function quality criteria is monitored and reported regularly.
• Ensure risks limiting achievement of objective to quality criteria are reported & rapidly addressed.
• Ensure mechanisms are established to identify, document, and share function lessons learned.

Coordinate with Support Services function for ongoing provision of funds, staff, equipment, vehicles and supplies to ensure timely implementation of operations:

• Ensure Ops submit clear and timely budgets and funds requests to Finance.
• Ensure Ops submit clear and timely staff plans to P&C and immediately advises on changes.
• Ensure Ops follow Finance procedures to rapidly process payments to suppliers.
• Ensure Ops submit vehicle requirements to logistics and follow vehicles management guidelines.
• Ensure Ops submit communications requirements to ICT and follow ICT procedures.
• Address delays in Support Services to Response Manager for rapid resolution and waivers.

Identify, report and refer operational blockages caused by external actors to Liaison to be addressed through external advocacy:

• Establish operation team protocols where sector and geographic leads identify and report where external actors are delaying/preventing implementation.
• Refer issues delaying implementation to Liaison to resolve through inter-agency coordination and/or government relations.
• Ensure protection issues are reported and addressed in coordination with Advocacy.

KNOWLEDGE,SKILLS & ABILITIES:

Required:

• A minimum of 5-7 years in leadership role in the humanitarian assistance and development sector, with a significant portion of this in INGOs.
• 5 years’ experience in humanitarian assistance work.
• Demonstrated understanding of key humanitarian principles, standards and best practices.
• University degree in Humanitarian Studies or relevant field. Master’s degree preferred.
• Experience in program management and implementation of multi-sectoral emergency response projects.
• Intensive experience in leading a multi-cultural team of professionals.
• Experience working in a cross-cultural environment.
• Experience working in war zones / fragile contexts.
• Experience in engaging with governmental institutions and multilateral agencies.
• Experience in managing humanitarian operations that facilitate innovation and calculated risk taking.
• Strong team leadership skills.
• Emotional intelligence (self awareness, managing emotions and those of others, remaining calm/composed, dealing with ambiguity and change).
• Effective in written and verbal communication in English.
• Academic and on-the-job training in at least one of the support services or response-sector relevant areas.

Preferred:

• Understanding of the international humanitarian system, particularly the systems, structures and key actors.
• Understanding of the key accountabilities that must be maintained in a response (beneficiaries, donors, peers).
• Ability to lead operational planning processes.
• Strong communication skills (oral and written) with ability to express ideas and concepts clearly and persuasively with senior internal and external stakeholders.
• Ability to express ideas and concepts clearly and persuasively with senior internal and external stakeholders as well as staff.
• Ability to work in coordination with other humanitarian organizations.
• Ability to analyse and make decisions in challenging situations in the absence of specific guidance and/or full information.
• Ability to communicate and model to staff positive behaviours which help them remain resilient and effective in dynamic and high pressure environments.

Apply here: https://goo.gl/Ko6juX