Operations Director – Palestine At Mercy Corps

About Mercy Corps

Mercy Corps is powered by the belief that a better world is possible. To do this, we know our teams do their best work when they are diverse and every team member feels that they belong. We welcome diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be stronger and have long term impact.

The Program / Department / Team (Program / Department Summary)

Mercy Corps has been present in Palestine since the 1990s focusing its interventions on Food Security, Water Security, Economic Opportunity, peace & good governance, as well as Humanitarian Assistance. With funding from USG, major European donors, and some private donors. Mercy Corps has worked with communities in Gaza, West Bank and East Jerusalem to respond to the needs and bring benefits especially to youth and women, to build their resistance and expand future opportunities.

The Operations Department provides key support to the entire country program in procurement, asset management, warehouse management, fleet management and facilities & office management for successful program implementation.

The Position (General Position Summary)

The Operations Director is a key person within a country’s senior management team, who assure the resources are planned and utilized towards effective program support. The Operations Director plays a key role in the overall leadership of the country program under the guidance of the Country Director.

As a member of the senior management team at the country level, the Operations Director shares the overall responsibility for the direction and coordination of the Mercy Corps country operation activities under the direct supervision of the Country Director.

Essential Responsibilities (Example Section Below – Adapt to Specific Role)

Manage reliable and cost-effective operations and effective implementation of the strategies of Mercy Corps towards the right direction, including supervision of general facilities and office management, information technology, procurement, asset management, fleet management and warehouse management.
Supports the program team on timely provision of operations support at a higher level of standards.
Ensures compliance requirements of Mercy Corps and rules and regulations specified by the donors and sometimes host governments.
Provides management information for decision making as required.
Support developing budgets for operations activities of country programs as an integral part of program proposal development and country level budgeting.
Represents Mercy Corps as required in coordination with country management. As a senior management team member, the operations director will have certain representation at the discretion of the country director. The level of representation may vary dependent on the country context (i.e. Local Logistics Cluster, NGO Working Groups, etc.)

Responsibilities of Operations Director:

As a member of senior management, the operations director is responsible for but not limited to key responsibilities of strategic oversight, development and implementation of policies and procedures and resource management;

STRATEGIC OVERSIGHT

Strategic oversight, direction and advice on all aspects of Mercy Corps operations management, aiming at the achievement of the following results:

Successful contribution for implementation of country operations strategies and establishment of management guidelines.
Advice on operations strategies, policies and plans affecting operations, program deliverables and staffing.
Analyzing Mercy Corps’ operating environment in the country and adjusting operations and providing advice on contextual changes.
Guide Mercy Corps operational strategies and activities.
Successful implementation of operational strategies and direct establishment of management achievements with operations.
Maintain regular control on operations budget and identify any exceptions or possible implications of under / over spending in a timely manner.
Promote continuous organizational learning culture with the empowerment of individuals and teams with the identification of learning needs. Create learning opportunities and ensure access to available learning resources.

IMPLEMENTATION OF POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

Implementation of appropriate operations policies and procedures that comply with Mercy Corps policies and procedures and with donor rules and regulations focusing on the achievement of the following results:

Full compliance of operations with Mercy Corps Global Procurement and Logistics policies, procedures and processes.
Provide strategic, technical and managerial leadership in implementation of Global Procurement and Logistics in the country program.
Ensure ongoing full compliance of Mercy Corps finance policies and procedure and others (i.e. Program Management Manual, National Staff Handbook and etc.)
Act as focal point from operations for all internal and external audit matters in coordination with country management.
Provide expert advice on Mercy Corps policies regarding resource management, tools, etc.
Development of local policies and procedures with the support of country management and implementation of them.

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

Effective and efficient resources management in administration, procurement, logistics and IT on the achievement of the following results:

Ensure effective management of resources and reporting in a systematic, transparent and efficient manner to country management.
Responsible for provision of high quality and timely procurement and other program support.
Exercising oversight over procurement processes and logistics ensuring compliance with Mercy Corps procurement policies and procedures as well donor rules and regulations.
Oversee provision of transport and travel support (international and domestic).
Oversight on maintenance of proper custody of Mercy Corps assets, warehouse inventory and general inventory.

TEAM MANAGEMENT

Develop the capacity of the team, deepen understanding of their roles and assist with career development.
Assist team members with information, tools and resources to improve performance & reach objectives.
Promote accountability, communicate expectations and provide constructive feedback informally and formally via regular one on ones and performance reviews.
Create and sustain a work environment of mutual respect where team members strive to achieve excellence.
Hire, orient and lead team members as necessary.
Work with all Mercy Corps staff to ensure smooth introduction and adoption of operational systems.

SECURITY

Ensure compliance with security procedures and policies as determined by country leadership.
Proactively ensure that team members operate in a secure environment and are aware of policies.

Supervisory Responsibility

Senior Operations Manager – WBJ
Senior Operations Director – Gaza

Accountability

Reports Directly To: Country Director

Accountability to Participants and Stakeholders

Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our program participants, community partners, other stakeholders, and to international standards guiding international relief and development work. We are committed to actively engaging communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.

Minimum Qualification & Transferable Skills

BA/BS degree in a relevant field.
Minimum of 5 years senior management experience in a corporate or an INGO sector, including experience in operational support including developing strategies with supervisory responsibilities.
Proven ability in planning and organizing substantial tasks includes complex situations in both development and emergency contexts.
Willingness and ability to change for the events of emergencies and good working relationships with incoming HQ teams (i.e. HLR, TSU, GPL).
Developing credibility with colleagues and stakeholders at all levels of Mercy Corps.
Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to lead multi-disciplined and multi-cultural teams, sometimes in insecure and volatile environments.
Demonstrated leadership skills, including the ability to lead and motivate qualified and experienced individuals with strong personal values.
Analytical, decision making and strategic planning skills and the ability to manage multiple priorities at various levels.
Skills of coaching, mentoring, delegating and providing guidance to team members in the country program.
Team building skills and understanding the key success factors in working in a team environment.
Commitment to the humanitarian principles and to the organizational and programmatic goals of Mercy Corps.
Effective verbal and written communication, organizational, prioritization and Microsoft Office applications.
Excellent oral and written English skillsrequired; proficiency in Arabic is a plus but not essential.
Ability to work effectively with an ethnically diverse team in a sensitive environment.

Success Factors

The successful Operations Director will be good at problem solving and have the ability to work out methods to deliver successful programs while demonstrating excellent stewardship of donor funds and compliance with Mercy Corps and donor regulations. They will maintain strong cooperative relationships with other departments and interact effectively with international and national personnel both in a managerial as well as training capacity, while demonstrating the ability to multitask, meet deadlines and process information in support of changing program activities. They will be able to live and work closely with a diverse team of individuals in a highly intense and fluid work and security environment and be willing to travel regularly to Mercy Corps field offices and project sites. The most successful Mercy Corps staff members have a strong commitment to teamwork and accountability, thrive in evolving and changing environments and make effective written and verbal communication a priority in all situations.

Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions

The position is based in Jerusalem, and it requires up to 40% travel to support country programs, which may include travel to insecure locations like the Gaza Strip, where freedom of movement is limited and areas where amenities are limited. Housing for this role is in individual housing; staff will have access to good medical services, and the living situation is of a good standard.

Ongoing Learning

In support of our belief that learning organizations are more effective, efficient and relevant to the communities we serve, we empower all team members to dedicate 5% of their time to learning activities that further their personal and/or professional growth and development

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Achieving our mission begins with how we build our team and work together. Through our commitment to enriching our organization with people of different origins, beliefs, backgrounds, and ways of thinking, we are better able to leverage the collective power of our teams and solve the world’s most complex challenges. We strive for a culture of trust and respect, where everyone contributes their perspectives and authentic selves, reaches their potential as individuals and teams, and collaborates to do the best work of their lives.

We recognize that diversity and inclusion is a journey, and we are committed to learning, listening and evolving to become more diverse, equitable and inclusive than we are today.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Mercy Corps is an equal opportunity employer that does not tolerate discrimination on any basis. We actively seek out diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be collectively stronger and have sustained global impact.

We are committed to providing an environment of respect and psychological safety where equal employment opportunities are available to all. We do not engage in or tolerate discrimination on the basis of race, color, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, disability (including HIV/AIDS status), marital status, military veteran status or any other protected group in the locations where we work.

Safeguarding & Ethics

Mercy Corps is committed to ensuring that all individuals we come into contact with through our work, whether team members, community members, program participants or others, are treated with respect and dignity. We are committed to the core principles regarding prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse laid out by the UN Secretary General and IASC and have signed on to the Interagency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. We will not tolerate child abuse, sexual exploitation, abuse, or harassment by or of our team members. As part of our commitment to a safe and inclusive work environment, team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner, respect local laws and customs, and to adhere to Mercy Corps Code of Conduct Policies and values at all times. Team members are required to complete mandatory Code of Conduct elearning courses upon hire and on an annual basis.