Operations Director – Sierra Leone (1)

Concern Worldwide is a nongovernmental, international, humanitarian organisation dedicated to the reduction of suffering and working towards the ultimate elimination of extreme poverty in the world’s poorest countries. Concern Worldwide’s integrated programming approach aims to tackle all dimensions of poverty, focusing on the overlapping areas of health, education and livelihoods while maintaining our response to emergencies. Concern fully integrates equality in all its work, with emphasis on a gender transformative approach. Concern Worldwide has been operational in Sierra Leone since 1996. . Concern currently operates in the Districts of Western Area Urban (Freetown), Western Area Rural, Tonkolili and Port Loko – as well as remotely in Kambia.

On this note, Concern would like to invite well experienced and professional applicants for the under mentioned role:

Job Title

Operations Director – Sierra Leone (1)

Reports to

Country Director

Direct reports

HR, Admin, Logistics, IT

Liaises with

Reporting to the Country Director (CD), you will take specific responsibility for coordinating and managing operations (HR, Logistics, IT and Administration) and operational responsibility for security management. You will also have some external engagements.

Job Location

Freetown with travels to the provinces for Field support

Contract Details

Fixed Term

Department

Operations

Job Purpose

As a key member of the Country Management Team (CMT), you will contribute to the development and management of the overall country programme, ensuring effective and efficient operations support to programme implementation in a primarily development context, with some need for emergency response. Reporting to the Country Director (CD), you will take specific responsibility for coordinating and managing operations (HR, Logistics, IT and Administration) and operational responsibility for security management for Concern’s programme in Sierra Leone in accordance with organizational and donor policies. You will lead in the continuing strategic development of our operations in line with internationally accepted standards of best practice. You will represent Concern to relevant external stakeholders as necessary.

Main duties & Responsibilities

General Responsibilities

• Providing strategic leadership as part of the Country Management team
• Participate in the strategic management of the country programme through active involvement in planning and decision-making.
• Participate in the development and implementation of Concern Sierra Leone’s Country Strategic Plan (CSP) and other strategic frameworks (e.g. Preparing for Effective Emergency Response (PEER), Security Management Plan (SMP), Equality Action Plan, etc.) in collaboration with all relevant staff and third parties as necessary.
• Produce strategic analysis and plans for all systems support areas to strengthen the control environment and compliance while delivering fast, effective and efficient support to programme implementation.
• Support the Country Director and take a lead role in ensuring that Concern Sierra Leone adhere to international minimum standards of accountability and quality, through the application and active promotion of relevant standards and internal documents relating to policies and procedures, in particular Concern’s Code of Conduct & Associated Policies.
• Ensure the country progamme is in compliance with national legislation and donor requirements as well as Concern’s global policies and procedures. Ensure all work is carried out in line with organisational policies including safeguarding and protection, the Core Humanitarian Standard and equality, diversity and inclusion.
• Support the Programme Director and Country Director in the analysis of potential new programme areas, including ensuring comprehensive analyses of logistical issues and appropriate mitigating measures to address them.
• Demonstrate leadership on workplace equality, diversity and inclusion and role model a positive safeguarding ethos

Logistics Responsibilities

• In close collaboration with the Logistics Coordinator who leads the department and is supervised by the Operations Director, ensure that logistics systems including procurement, transportation, warehouse storage, control of and reporting on the use of supplies are carried out in accordance with Concern and Donor procedures and policies. Ensure the country is in full compliance with all donor regulations.
• Ensure procurement plans are developed implemented and proactive measures are taken to tackle changes in the program and market context.
• Ensure vendor / supplier lists are in place with appropriate due diligence conducted on all suppliers in a secured database
• Lead (or ensure timely delivery) on all national and international tenders, and complicated procurements, to ensure the highest standards of value-for-money and transparency are met.
• Ensure a fleet maintenance and renewal plan is in place for the country, and that timely procurement as well as vehicle and motorcycle disposal is carried out.
• Provide leadership on the roll-out of new digital tools in logistics, including DIRTTrAC, GPS tracker, vehicle logsheets, and the new ERP Finance and Logistics system.
• Oversee the implementation of an assets management system across sites including record keeping, inventories, life cycle management
• Implement effective and efficient asset management and fleet management controls and procedures and monitor these on an ongoing basis.
• Provide directly, or via support systems managers, guidance, training and monitoring of all logistical procedures and policies to programme and other staff in all locations.
• Manage importation of equipment into Sierra Leone; ensure necessary custom documents including exemptions are obtained as necessary.
• Ensure that guidance, training and monitoring of all logistical procedures and policies are given to all field locations

HR Responsibilities

• Overall responsibility for HR management of national staff in the country, in close collaboration with the HR Coordinator who leads the department and is supervised by the Operations Director.
• Ensure all existing and new HR Policies are devised, implemented and reviewed in line with those issued by Head Office and compliant with Sierra Leonean Labour Law.
• Advise the CMT on strategic HR issues and risks, taking the lead on key HR initiatives. Regular review and updating of the Staff Handbook, which outlines in detail staff terms & conditions.
• Lead in the completion of Concern Sierra Leone’s Staff Retention & Development Plan and its implementation across the country programme.
• Contribute significantly to salary review processes in collaboration with the Country Financial Controller, HR manager and Country Director.
• Support the CD and HR department on structuring the team and recruitment, ensuring each new programme has organograms and recruitment plans.
• Ensure that all staff comply with HR procedures, including recruitment and performance management, and that managers receive the training and support they need to manage their teams appropriately.
• Ensure a training and development strategy and annual plan are developed
• Contribute significantly and provide support to the rollout of the new Timesheet application.
• Maintain and develop effective staff health & welfare systems in place in line with Concern’s staff welfare commitments.

Administration Responsibilities

• Oversee the maintenance and running of Concern’s premises (offices, stores and residences) ensuring that adequate supplies, staffing and support systems are in place in close collaboration with the Admin Manager who leads the department and is supervised by the Operations Director.
• Responsible for identifying, assessing and recommending any new pr