Founded in 1933, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) is dedicated to helping people whose lives and livelihoods have been affected by conflict and disaster to survive, recover and rebuild their futures. Since 1996, IRC-DRC has been responding to the humanitarian and development needs of Congolese and refugee populations in the DRC, while working to promote their rights and strengthen their health, security, economic well-being, education and decision-making. Currently, IRC works in the areas of health (including sexual and reproductive health), nutrition, water, hygiene and sanitation (WASH), child and women protection, governance and conflict management, education, and economic recovery and development.
With its headquarters in Kinshasa, main field office in Goma and field offices in the provinces of North Kivu, South Kivu, Ituri and Tanganyika, the IRC is a key humanitarian actor 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.
Job overview
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, Information Technology, and Field Coordination. The DDO will work with the Country Director, Deputy Director of Programs and other program team members to ensure effective and quality project implementation through good operational support that is in compliance with IRC and donor rules and regulations.
The position will be based in Goma, North Kivu Province, 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.
Key responsibilities
Operational Leadership and Management
• Directly supervise the operational support departments (Supply Chain, IT,) across all IRC DRC offices and field offices
• Directly supervise the North Kivu/Ituri and South Kivu/Tanganyika Field Coordinators. Ensure regular field visits to these offices to provide training and in-person support to the coordinators and their teams.
• 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 the Senior Management Team and operational leads to ensure operational support is in place to achieve 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, Grant Opening, Review meetings, and Close Out meetings to incorporate operations planning into overall project planning and evaluation.
• Ensure the effective implementation of IRC’s global operational policies, initiatives, tools, SOPs at a national level; this will include identifying operational policy voids and developing new policies in consultation with the regional operational leads.
Supply Chain
• 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.
Information Technology
• 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 Coordinator 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.
Administration
• Ensure that all administrative requirements and documentation are updated and respected (INGO registration, taxes, expatriate and office housing contracts, expatriate visas etc.) Work closely with the Operations Officer in Kinshasa and the Administration Advisor to ensure all these requirements are met.
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.
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, especially the INGO forum at Goma level.
• Attend relevant external meetings organized to discuss logistical, and administrative issues impacting IRC operations on the ground.
Qualification and work experience
• Master’s 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 of managing Global Supply Chain, Administration, IT and field office management
• Experience of having managed operations in conflict-impacted setting
• Fluency in French and English, both written and oral
• 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.
The work environment:
• The DDO will be based in Goma, in DRC, and will travel throughout the country to field program locations (35%). Goma is security phase 4 (RED) so the DDO will be expected to respect the various security protocols in place in country. Phase 4 requires clear contingency planning in place with staff prepared should hibernation or evacuation be called for The candidate must be prepared to work in insecure environments. This is an unaccompanied position.
• Housing: Individual housing unaccompanied. All IRC sites have electricity and internet although some interruptions can be experienced. Food is the individual’s responsibility.
• Specific Security Situation/ Housing: The designated base location for this position is Goma in North Kivu Province. Crime and theft are common so there is limited freedom of movement. Civil conflict is ongoing in parts of the Eastern DRC and the area is considered unstable. Strict adherence to security guidelines is requested of all IRC staff.
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.
Standards of Business Conduct: IRC workers are expected to uphold the values and principles outlined in the IRC WAY - Standards of Business Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, Accountability and Equality.
Safeguarding: Strictly adhere to the IRC Child and Adult Safeguarding Policy and all other policies, including those relating to security and fraud prevention.
In accordance with the safeguarding, IRC maintains policies on protecting beneficiaries/clients from exploitation and abuse, child protection, Anti-Harassment in the Workplace, fiscal integrity and anti-retaliation.
Equal Opportunity Employer: IRC is an equal opportunity employer. IRC considers all job applicants on the basis of merit without regard to race, gender, color, nationality, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, disability or any other characteristic protected by law.
Diversity, Inclusion and Gender Equality: IRC recognizes 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 closing 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 safety protocols and other supportive benefits.
National applications as well as female applications are strongly encouraged.
https://rescue.csod.com/ux/ats/careersite/1/home/requisition/43638?c=rescue
