Deputy Director Operations At International Rescue Committee

With headquarters in Goma and field offices in the provinces of North Kivu, South Kivu, Haut Katanga and Tanganyika, the IRC is one of the largest humanitarian actors in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The IRC aims to save lives, to strengthen Congolese institutions and to reinforce social cohesion through carefully designed and professionally-implemented programs. The IRC has been working in the DRC since 1996 and currently operates in five core programming areas – primary health care, community-driven reconstruction and local governance, women’s empowerment and the prevention and mitigation of gender-based violence, education, and emergency preparedness and response. These programs reflect IRC’s guiding principles of capacity-building; participation; partnership; protection and promotion of human rights; and holistic programming.

Scope of work

The Deputy Director of Operations (DDO) plays a key role in the overall leadership and management of the IRC DRC country program and is a member of the senior management team. The DDO’s day-to-day responsibilities will include direct supervision and support to the operations teams including Supply Chain, Administration & Human Resources, Information Technology, security. The DDO will work with the CD, DDP and other program team members to ensure effective and quality project implementation through effective operational support that is in compliance to IRC and donor rules and regulations.

The position will be based in Goma, Province of North Kivu, but will require 35% travel to all of IRC’s field offices based on the priorities and competing needs of the various field offices.. Through Management in Partnership, the DDO works closely with all the regional operational leads to ensure effective communication and implementation of IRC global initiatives as well as the country programs priorities.

Responsibilities

1. Operational Leadership and Management

• Directly supervise all the operational support departments (SC, HR, IT) across all IRC DRC field offices including Kinshasa, Goma, Bukavu, and Kalemie (and any other location as program expand)

• Ensure and facilitate efficient and effective coordination between the various operations departments and programs to ensure collaborative planning for a results-oriented approach

• Provide leadership on the operational objectives of the Country Program Strategic Action Plan. Work with Senior Management Team and operational lead to ensure operational support is in place to achieve all yearly results and targets

• Ensure the utilization of IRC standard tools to promote continuous training and mentoring to operations staff including identification of capacity building opportunities.

• Participate in weekly, quarterly, and other coordination meetings as scheduled

• Ensure support functions are participating in Grant development stages, Grant Opening, Review, and Closing meetings to incorporate operations planning into overall project planning and evaluation

• Ensure the effective implement IRC global operational policies, initiatives, tools, SOPs at a national level; this will include identifying operational policy voids and develop new policies in consultation with the reginal operational leads.

2. Supply Chain and IT

• Ensure and verify that Global Supply Chain policies are implemented, documented, disseminated and required monitoring processes are effective Ensure Supply Chain staff are working effectively with other units/departments to improve planning and the effective utilisation of the standard GSC tools, (Budget vs Actual, Integra, SCMR, Scorecard etc…)

• Support the Supply Chain department in establishing long term commodities and service agreements with appropriately vetted vendors and maintain strategic partnership with those contracted vendors.

• Undertake periodic system reviews of procurement, vehicle & fuel, asset, warehouse/inventory, suppliers and vendor contracts to identify areas for improvement and compliance with IRC GSC policies and standard practices.

• Review, update, and enforce the SOPs as they relate to the role of the supply chain department.

• Ensure proper and sufficient equipment is in place and well maintained for smooth functioning of IRC IT department and maximum preservation of assets

• Supervise IT functions through the IT Manager to ensure effective IT support is available to all staff

• Verify that information technology policies and procedures are documented, disseminated and consistently applied across the country program at all sites

3. Human Resources and Administration

• Supervise and provide direction to HR Coordinator and wider HR staff in all field offices

• Ensure that all administrative requirements and documentation are updated and respected (INGO registration, SS taxes, expatriate and office housing contracts, etc.)

• Ensure that all HR procedures (recruitment process, contracts, new staff orientation, evaluations of performance) are done according to IRC guidelines (and donor requirements where necessary) and in complete transparency

• Ensure that all HR initiatives are correctly and timely implemented.

• Ensure that all reporting for the HR department is completed accurately and in a timely fashion

• Provide intensive training and mentoring to national staff to increase capacity

• Ensure that all IRC HR procedures are correctly followed by all staff and propose/develop improvements when required.

• Ensure Goma-based HR department makes regular trips to the field sites to monitor HR functions and support field based staff

• Enforce the SOPs as they relate to the role of the HR department.

4. Security and Humanitarian access

• Supervise and provide direction to Security Coordinator

• Inform the country leadership on contextual trends and about overall risks for IRC staff, programs and operations in the country and suggest appropriate risk mitigation measures;

• Oversee the development and the update of key security documents, including Security Management Plans (SMPs), Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), Contingency Plans and Security Risk Assessments (SRAs);

• Oversee the delivery of safety & security awareness trainings to all staff members, including through the internal IRC e-learning platform;

• Ensure that humanitarian access, safety and security are factored throughout the cycle of each new program, from design and budgeting to implementation and closure.

5. Strategic Planning Budgeting and Finance

• Participate in the review of the strategic action plan (SAP) for IRC DRC Country Office (CO)

• Develop an operations plan to support the program activities

• Support overall CO efforts to ensure a strategic-thinking culture ensuring new hires are oriented to SAP, aware of their roles in contributing to the SAP, and incorporating elements of the SAP into their daily work in order to contribute to its overall objectives.

6. Representation

• Establish a good rapport with local and national level administrative, labor, customs, immigration, and other officials to ensure that IRC projects conform to local laws and customs and to minimize bureaucratic restraints on project implementation.

• Establish good rapport with other INGOs and humanitarian actors

• Attend relevant external meetings organized to discuss security, logistical, and administrative issues impacting IRC operations on the ground

Requirements

• Masters degree required (management-related or general operations preferred);

• Minimum of 5 years’ experience managing operations and/or projects in developing countries, preferably in Africa;

• Demonstrated ability to manage field staff and remote field offices

• Experience in Global Supply Chain, HR, Admin, and security management

• Experience having managed operations (including security) in conflict-impacted setting

• Excellent cross-cultural communication skills

• Excellent staff capacity building and training skills

• Strong problem-solving, analytical and decision-making skills;

• Strong computer skills;

• Flexibility, ability to work independently and meet deadlines

Specific Security Situation/Housing

Goma is security phase 3 (ORANGE) so the DDO will be expected to respect the various security protocols in place in country. Phase 3 requires clear contingency planning in place with staff prepared should hibernation or evacuation be called.

Standard of Professional Conduct: IRC and IRC employees are required to abide by the values and principles outlined in the IRC Way Code of Conduct which are Integrity, Service, Equality and Accountability. In accordance with these values, IRC operates and implements policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Harassment-Free Workplace, Fiscal Integrity, Anti-Retaliation, Combating Trafficking in Persons and several others.

Diversity, Inclusion and Gender Equality: IRC acknowledges and honors the fundamental value and dignity of all individuals. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and consider all applicants on the basis of merit without regard to race, sex, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, marital status, veteran status or disability. IRC is also committed to narrowing the gender gap in leadership positions. We offer benefits that provide an enabling environment for women to participate in our workforce including parental leave, gender-sensitive security protocols and other supportive benefits.

Returning National Candidates: IRC strives to attract, motivate and retain qualified national staff in our programs. We strongly encourage national or returning national candidates to apply for this position. If you are a national of the Country in which this position is based and are currently located outside of your home country and possess over two years of international work experience, the IRC has introduced an attractive remuneration package. The package includes competitive compensation, return flight to post, shipping allowance, temporary housing and a relocation allowance. Certain restrictions may apply.

CVs to be submitted in English or French

We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.