Arbiterz Jobs: Director of Operations – Nigeria, Mercy Corps

General Position Summary

The Director of Operations is a critical member of the country’s senior management team with supervisory and managerial responsibility. Reporting to the Country Director, the Director of Operations will be primarily responsible for enabling excellence in all operations functions of all offices in Nigeria, including procurement, logistics, assets, fleet, and warehousing.

S/he will be required to strengthen the operational performance and efficiency of the organization by developing the capacity of staff and establishing the right systems. S/he will also ensure that managerial processes, resources, and the necessary infrastructure are all in place. The Operations Director provides support and leadership through capacity building and the development of systems.

Reports Directly To: Country Director

Works Directly With: HQ Regional Finance Officers, HQ Global Supply Chain (GSC), HQ Global Procurement, Internal Auditors, Finance Director, Human Resources, and Programs Managers/Directors.

Supervisory Responsibility

Directly: Operations Manager, and Senior Safety and Security Officer

Essential Job Responsibilities

Strategy & Vision

• Recognize opportunities for innovative action and create an environment where alternative viewpoints are welcomed.
• Set direction of program support department by prioritizing and organizing actions & resources to achieve objectives and contribute to countrywide strategy development.
• Work with the Country Director and senior management team to support the growth of the program portfolio, formulate strategies and plans.
• Develop and organize activities to secure resources for programs and convince stakeholders to provide support.

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Influence & Representation

• Identify, build, and manage collaborative partnerships with consortium partners, sub-grantees, donors, local governments, and other stakeholders.
• Communicate effectively to ensure overall program targets and donor obligations are met.
• Communicate with our partners to verify their systems and that they understand and follow all appropriate procedures and archiving.
• Establish a high level of credibility and manage strong working relationships with external stakeholders.

Operational 

• Ensure integration of program support systems and processes in all Mercy Corps Nigeria offices.
• Ensure all offices have capacity (human and technical) to support smooth program operations.
• Ensure internal and donor procedures, policies, and guidelines are followed.
• Establish and maintain a pipeline of supplies, overseeing the logistical aspects of the operation; oversee NFI, commodity storage, and movements as needed.
• Ensure unified and cost-effective fleet management, including tracking of maintenance, fuel usage, and vehicle scheduling.
• Oversee set-up and development of Mercy Corps offices, including drafting and reviewing contracts for office and housing space, and leasehold improvements.
• Develop and periodically review country or field office-specific policies and communicate them to teams.
• Oversee database and file management for administration, procurement and logistics documents.
• Oversee facility management, including housing and office leases; ensure that security standards are maintained at all premises.
• Ensure that Mercy Corps contracts and business transactions/relationships are transparent and in compliance with Nigeria law and Mercy Corps/donor policies.

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Team Management

• Lead and develop program support teams in the main office and field offices.
• Create and sustain a work environment of mutual respect where team members strive to achieve excellence.
• Promote accountability, communicate expectations and provide constructive feedback via regular performance reviews.
• Provide team members with information, tools and other resources to improve performance and reach objectives.
• Contribute to country team-building efforts, help team members identify problem-solving options and ensure the integration of all team members into relevant decision-making processes.
• Take ultimate responsibility of performance of program support functions.

Finance & Compliance Management

• Ensure compliance with donor and Mercy Corps regulations.
• Draft and review scope of work to hire and manage any technical consultants, including review for technical efficacy and contract budget. 

Security

• Ensure compliance with security procedures and policies as determined by country leadership. 

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Knowledge and Experience

• BA/BS degree in a relevant field.
• A minimum of 7 years’ experience setting up and managing administration, procurement, logistics, and human resource systems with NGOs or a business with supervisory responsibilities.
• Demonstrated understanding of supporting complex operations in challenging environments.
• Demonstrated attention to detail, following procedures, meeting deadlines, and working and problem-solving independently and cooperatively.
• Knowledge of Mercy Corps systems and procedures (esp. procurement systems) desirable; knowledge of USAID and other donor regulations will be helpful.
• Excellent negotiation and representation skills.
• Effective verbal and written communication, organizational, prioritization, and Microsoft Office applications.
• Excellent oral and written English skills required.
• Ability to work effectively with an ethnically diverse team in a sensitive environment.

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