Operations Manager – Ninewa At INTERSOS

INTERSOS is an independent humanitarian organization that assists the victims of natural disasters, armed conflicts and exclusion. Its activities are based on the principles of solidarity, justice, human dignity, equality of rights and opportunities, respect for diversity and coexistence, paying special attention to the most vulnerable people.

Terms of reference

Job Title: Operations Manager – Ninewa

Code: SR-29-2611

Duty station: Ninewa Governorate (Mosul & Telafar), with regular travels to all project locations in the governorate

Starting date: 19/09/2022

Contract duration: Until 31st December 2022 (renewable)

Reporting to: Head of Mission

Supervision of: 2 Logistics Officers, 2 HR Officers, 2 Finance Officers, 2 Security & Liaison Officers

Dependents: Non-family duty station

General context of the project

INTERSOS has been present in Iraq since 2003 and currently operates across Ninewa, Salah Al Din (SAD), Erbil, and Sulaymaniyah Governorates. Its largest operational field presence is in Ninewa. INTERSOS thematic sectors of intervention are Protection, Education and Health. The INTERSOS coordination office is in Erbil with bases located in Mosul & Telafar in Ninewa, as well as in Tikrit and Sulaymaniyah and programming presence in other areas of Ninewa, SAD and the Kurdistan region. As of 2022, INTERSOS has over 300 national staff, 18 expat staff and 200 volunteers working in Iraq. By applying an integrated programmatic approach, INTERSOS provides vital services to women, men, girls and boys in IDP, refugee and host communities in its areas of intervention.

In the Protection sector, INTERSOS is one of the main actors in Iraq, providing a comprehensive package of protection services spanning both in-camp and out-of-camp locations. The services include protection monitoring (flagging urgent protection concerns and trends to UNHCR and the protection cluster, including beneficiary profiling and direct referral to specialized services), MHPSS, case management (for GBV, Child Protection and PwSN), and legal assistance, counselling and court representation. Current health programming includes supporting the provision of free and integrated primary health care (PHC) and implementing a pilot project to strengthen non-communicable disease diagnosis and treatment in primary health clinics, and facilitating outreach health services through community health volunteers (CHVs). In Education, INTERSOS has supported access to formal and non-formal education for Syrian refugees and Iraqi IDPs in camp and urban settings, particularly in Kurdistan.

The current context in Iraq provides an exciting opportunity for its programming to transition from what has largely been traditional humanitarian interventions (during and after the conflict with ISIS in significant parts of the country) to longer-term durable solutions, stabilization and development interventions.

General purpose of the position

The Operations Manager oversees the Finance, HR, Logistics and Liaison staff in his/her governorate, ensuring the smooth running on a daily basis of the operations in accordance with INTERSOS policies. S/he must be able to motivate and lead a diverse staff, promote efficient internal communication between different teams, and effectively oversee operations. The Operations Manager is responsible for the overall management of INTERSOS’ office/s and guest-houses in the governorate, the administrative and logistical management of INTERSOS community centres in the districts, and the management of staff movements to the field. The Operations Manager acts as overall focal point for security as well as liaison with local authorities in the governorate.

Main responsibilities and tasks

Main responsibilities:

• Oversee logistics, administration and HR operations in the governorate, aiming to improve the operations systems and processes, in coordination with the Country Office Support Departments and with the support of support field staff.
• Oversee the daily management of INTERSOS’ office/s, guesthouse/s and community centers, ensuring the logistics and administrative needs of staff and beneficiaries at INTERSOS premises are being met.
• Provide hierarchical line management, guidance and support to staff of the different support functions (Logistic, Admin/Finance, HR), ensuring timely and proper performance of them at field level.
• Collaborate effectively with support department coordinators and managers at country level to ensure support staff in the field receive the technical advice and validations they need.
• Monitor support department activities at field level, ensuring that INTERSOS policies and procedures are followed; promptly report any concerns or violations of procedure to the relevant country-level coordinators/managers or the HoM.
• Ensure effective communication/information flow from field level to the country-level on operational issues which may negatively impact the field activities or staff morale; make recommendations on how work processes can be improved.
• Maintain excellent communication with the Program Manager and other program staff to facilitate cooperation and teamwork between support and program staff at all levels in the field.
• When requested, work with the program staff on preparing budgets relating to support costs; facilitate the conducting of assessments; contribute to identifying needs and priorities in the area of operation.
• Act as focal point for security and access issues at governorate level, in close cooperation with the Security & Liaison Officer/s and under the coordination of the Security Coordinator and HoM at country level.
• Ensure that INTERSOS mission security policies and procedures are strictly followed by field staff; conduct trainings and refreshers to ensure staff are aware of them.
• Promptly report security incidents and contribute to their management; conduct security assessments; contribute to security analysis to support the Security Coordinator and HoM in updating internal security processes.
• Support the Liaison Officers in the field in maintaining good communication with authorities and security forces to facilitate program activities; engage with authorities and represent INTERSOS at non-technical coordination meetings, when requested to do so by senior management.
• Conduct on-the-job training to field staff as necessary and ensure, in collaboration with HR Department, that inductions are provided for new field staff.
• Support the senior management on the promotion of accountability and commitment to INTERSOS charter and prevention of misconduct and abuses of power.

Other responsibilities:

• Uphold the INTERSOS Code of Conduct and policies.
• Ensure respect for the core humanitarian principles of neutrality, impartiality, independence and humanity, as well as respect of the “do no harm” principle of humanitarian action.
• Strictly follow internal procedures, policies (PSEA, CPP etc.) and guidelines and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs);

Required profile and experience

Education

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience in a relevant subject (logistics, finance, business administration, humanitarian action, etc).

Professional Experience

• At least 3 years experience as operations manager, head of base, field coordinator or similar position working internationally for humanitarian or development organizations.
• Prior experience working in complex operating environments, preferably in the Middle East.

Professional Requirements

• Demonstrated experience and skills in logistic and procurement, HR and/or finance processes and procedures.
• Knowledge and experience in security management.
• Team management skills.
• Excellent negotiation, interpersonal, communication, and listening skills.
• Prior experience in remote management.
• Excellent reporting skills.
• Project management experience would be an asset.

Languages

• Excellent English spoken and written language skills.
• Knowledge of Arabic strongly preferred.

Personal Requirements

• Culturally and gender sensitive.
• Practical and problem-solver.
• Strong team spirit and demonstrated leadership skills
• Ability to work independently.
• Stress-resilient and able to function well under pressure
• Ability to live and work in austere environments.