Operations Director At Concern Worldwide

Job Title: Operations Director – South Sudan

Reports to: Country Director, South Sudan

Terms: 2 years, Fixed Term Contract, Unaccompanied

Location: Juba, South Sudan.

Salary: Band 5 (€50,107 – €55,674)

Requirements:

Frequent travel to the Concern’s field locations in South Sudan; regional and international travels, as circumstances may require.

About Concern:

Established in 1968, Concern is a non-profit, non-governmental humanitarian organisation, dedicated to the reduction of suffering and the ultimate elimination of extreme poverty in the world’s poorest countries.

Concern’s vision, our mission and our work are all defined by one goal – ending extreme poverty, whatever it takes. Concern strives for a world free from poverty, fear and oppression.

Our culture is values driven and we believe that our people are central to all that we do and are key to delivering on our goal of Reaching the Furthest Behind First. We are committed to ensuring a workplace where everybody feels valued and are enabled to succeed in their work and contribute to delivering on our mission.

Role Purpose:

This is an unaccompanied position based in Juba, South Sudan, with occasional travel to other operational and office locations where Concern’s programme in South Sudan has activities or a presence. Reporting to Country Director (CD), you will line manage Logistics, Administration, Human Resources (including Staff Health, Welfare & Safeguarding) and IT, and work closely with Programme Director (PD), Country Financial Controller (CFC), Area Coordinators (ACs), Programme Managers (PMs) and externally with Human Resources (HR) and Logistics teams in Dublin.

Responsibilities:

Senior Management:

• Through active participation in the Senior Management Team (SMT), assist the CD in overall management, implementation, development and strategic direction of the South Sudan country programme, in line with the Country Strategic Plan.
• Ensure that key Concern support policies (Procurement and Logistics, Transport, HR, IT, and particularly Security Management Plan – SMP) are continuously updated or disseminated as required and appropriated to the context.
• Ensure that all staff are aware of and comply with Concern’s policies and procedures.
• Together with Country Management Team (CMT) ensure implementation of Concern’s Code of Conduct (CoC) and associated policies
• Liaise, as necessary, with relevant internal and external stakeholders to ensure the effective coordination and implementation of logistics/procurement, security, IT, HR and administration.
• Responsible for ensuring Concern South Sudan’s compliance with local legislation, rules, and regulations in line with government regulatory authorities, including but not limited to Criminal Investigation Department, Relief and Rehabilitation Commission, Immigration, the Revenue Authority, and the Ministry of Labour.

Human Resources / Peoples Management and Administration:

• Support the HR Manager in ensuring effective and efficient HR systems are in place.
• Assist Programme Managers in resource planning for new projects or funding-driven requirements.
• Ensure staff welfare, health and safety, and safeguarding systems are established and maintained.
• Oversee the development and regular updating of Human Resources policies and procedures, ensuring alignment with Concern’s organisational policies, best HR practices, and relevant labour laws.
• Provide technical support, on-the-job training and coaching to staff.
• Support the HR Manager in ensuring all positions have accurate job descriptions and that staff contracts comply with labour, tax, and social security laws while adhering to best practices.
• Ensure effective performance reviews, training, and capacity development through the Performance Development Review (PDR) system, supporting teams in its implementation across the country programme.
• Advise and support the HR Manager on matters related to staff, ensuring compliance with Concern’s HR policies and both national and international staff manuals.
• Oversee the management of the offices and apartments and ensure contracts are up to date and that facilities are maintained to an acceptable standard.
• Liaise with Concern’s legal advisor to ensure all legal procedures and mitigations are dealt with.

Logistics:

To ensure effective and efficient logistical support and resources are provided to the staff including, but not limited to:

• Ensure that the logistics functions within Concern are strengthened to adequately support programmes in all aspects of logistics including but not limited to procurement, storage and stock management, transport and distribution of goods and facilitation of services.
• Ensure logistics reporting is completed and reviewed regularly.
• Ensure efficient procurement of goods and services in a transparent and accountable manner, ensuring value for money for the organisation and justifiable use of donor funds.
• Ensure procurement procedures are effective, efficient and adhered to by all staff and purchase committees.
• Ensure effective management of drivers and fleet including supervision of fleet management, monitoring of transport reports, planning of vehicle rental according to programme needs, ensuring safe, reliable and efficient transportation for programmes and staff.
• Oversee the management of the fixed asset register

Information Technology:

To ensure effective IT systems for communication and data management linking with Concern’s systems, including but not limited to:

• Ensure appropriate IT support for the programmes i.e. Grant Management System (GMS), Digital migration, internet etc.
• Follow up on recommendations from Regional IT Adviser
• Ensure Concern’s IT policy and procedures are in place and followed
• Through the IT designated person, ensure provision of effective support systems, enabling the smooth operation of IT systems

Budget and Financial Management:

• In conjunction with the CD and CFC set, manage and monitor the support systems budgets for Transport/ Administration/International Staff
• Ensure relevant operations staff are trained on budget procedures and monitor their monthly expenditure
• Identify all donor-specific operations requirements to ensure compliance.

Security:

• Ensure SMP is updated, approved and regular trainings done, including live update and roll out of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), contingency and evacuation plans.
• Ensure all new staff receive thorough security briefings and adhere to Concern’s security protocols
• Act as Security Focal Point and Monitor the day-to-day management of security matters and closely work/coordinate with the field Security Focal Persons (SFPs), other security agencies to ensure prompt reporting.
• Support Security Focal Group(s) and ensure that the members have the knowledge and information to operate successfully to prepare and share regular security / political briefs.

Accountability:

• Promote and ensure compliance with the Core Humanitarian Standard (CHS) commitments and quality criteria
• Ensure that all staff are familiar with the principles underpinning accountability, safeguarding and Concern’s Feedback and Complaints Response Mechanism (FCRM) and ensure that information about Concern’s commitments on accountability and safeguarding are disseminated among programme participants and communities.
• Ensure that the FCRM is functional, effectively implemented and accessible in all programmes’ locations, enabling safe reporting of both programmatic and sensitive complaints, including safeguarding concerns.
• Ensure that complaints are welcomed, managed and responded to in a timely, fair and appropriate manner; ensure that sensitive complaints, including safeguarding concerns, are handled with utmost confidentiality and that the safety of the complainants and those affected is prioritised at all stages.

Other:

• Any other reasonable duties, as assigned by the CD.
• Contribute to organisational accountability initiatives.
• Adhere fully to the commitments and rules of Concern’s CoC and its associated policies, including the respect of confidentiality.
• All managers are responsible for upholding and promoting Concern’s values, demonstrating leadership on workplace equality, diversity and inclusion, and role modelling a positive safeguarding ethos.
• All managers are required to actively participate in any emergency response as and when required.

Role Holder Requirements:

Essential

• Degree and/or post Graduate Degree in Business Administration, Commerce, Organisation Development or relevant field.
• At least five (5) years’ experience in a similar role managing operations for an international company or organisation. Experience with International NGOs, in international settings, is a distinct advantage.
• Significant previous experience with an INGO in developing and delivering systems which are compliant to EU, US donors and/or UN procedures.
• Working with major international donors’ grants, ensuring compliance.
• Sound experience in HR, administration, ICT and logistics management including procurement and fleet management.
• Experience in security management and working/living in insecure and sensitive/volatile environments.
• Experience in dealing with local authorities, national and international NGO’s and UN agencies.
• Empathy with Concern’s vision, mission, goal and objectives.
• Excellent people management, analytical, problem solving, negotiation, interpersonal and communication skills.
• Written and spoken proficiency in English.
• Experience with performance management for staff, including evaluations, goal setting and creation of professional development plans.
• Highly proficient use of Office 365 and familiarity with other commonly used Microsoft applications and software.
• Strong commitment to ethical leadership, confidentiality, and professionalism.
• Experience in obtaining work permits, patents, certifications, or other legal requirements.
• Demonstrated excellence in negotiating contracts for products and services.
• Promotes gender equality, challenging the reinforcement of negative gender stereotypes within the workplace.

Desirable

• Flexibility, adaptability, sense of humour, and patience.
• Experience in South Sudan (distinct advantage) or comparable contexts.
• Familiarity with Concern’s strategies, programmatic approaches and organisational culture is a distinct advantage.
• Ability to represent the organization.
• Ability to cope with stress, work under pressure often to strict deadlines.
• Cross cultural awareness and sensitivity to cultural differences.