Head of Operations

Background

The Danish Refugee Council (DRC), an international non-governmental organization (NGO), has been providing relief and development services in the Horn of Africa since 1997. DRC promotes and supports solutions to the problems faced by refugees, internally displaced people (IDPs), and migrants. The organization has offices across the region and has been operational in Ethiopia since 2009. With funding from bilateral and multilateral donors, DRC is currently implementing a range of activities across Ethiopia, including WASH and shelter provision, child and youth protection, gender-based violence response, awareness-raising of migration risks, protection monitoring of migration routes, and livelihoods support for returning migrants or those at-risk of migration.

Overall purpose of the role

The overall objective of the HoOp is to ensure the accountability of DRC’s programme towards the humanitarian needs in Ethiopia and the donors supporting the response. The HoOp ensures that DRC’s projects bring a significant contribution to meeting immediate humanitarian needs during the emergency and other early recovery programming, aiming to secure productive and just communities. The HoOp is a key senior position in the DRC country set up, responsible for cross-cutting programmatic information management, sound design of and overseeing assessments and ensuring that information collected is reflected upon, used to improve ongoing projects, and is incorporated into consistently high quality grant proposals and reports. The post holder is part of the senior management team (SMT) and supports the Country Director in representing the country operations to government, implementing partners and other stakeholders

Responsibilities:

Operations Staff Management and Capacity Building

• Effectively manage the Area Managers with an emphasis on excellence, promoting a culture of accountability, cooperation, learning, creativity and innovation.
• Ongoing development of team composition and structure to ensure that is fit for purpose, develop Job descriptions, follow up field staff related recruitment processes and orientation of staff. Proactively seek to increase the numbers of women in the field team.
• Development of overall staff competence through leadership, training and coaching of technical and management key field staff.
• Provide technical oversight to AM reporting responsibilities.

Operations Development

• Participate in country level strategic planning and contribute to the sustainable management of program growth with a continual eye to new program development that addresses displacements and meets the needs of beneficiaries
• In collaboration with DRC Head of Programme (HoP) lead the Ethiopia annual programme portfolio analyses
• Foster synergies between program areas (integrated approach), support the strong integration of protection and gender throughout all humanitarian initiatives and ensure adherence to Sphere standards or any other international standards when relevant
• Facilitate assessment and rapid response in any humanitarian situation, with written report and recommendation to initiate and setup relevant emergency projects if a response is decided on
• Playing a key role in fundraising and donor contract management.

Operations Implementation & Coordination

• Provide oversight, guidance and leadership to all aspects of programme development and implementation in Ethiopia, including ensuring timely reporting, compliance and quality utilizing routine monitoring and feedback into programme implementation
• Ensure effective and transparent budget follow up, planning and use of financial resources in compliance with DRC and donor policies and priorities and ensure use od program management tools and real time BFU.
• Develop a close and productive working relationship with Area Offices and the technical team in coordination with the HoP to ensure that all aspects of programs are implemented to maximum affect and compliant with DRC and donor regulations.
• Effectively stay abreast of donor policies, procedures, rules and regulations

Program Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning

• In collaboration with HoP, ensure that all projects contribute to measuring impact and are in line with DRC’s country strategic plan
• Adopt an evidence-based approach that see the dissemination of lessons learned and best practices within DRC country and Regional teams, to donors and to other stakeholders when relevant in order to ensure synergetic programming and cross-program collaboration in Ethiopia and in the whole EAGL region

Donor liaison, Partnerships and Representation

• As required represent DRC’s Ethiopia programme to funders and potential donors
• Cultivate key relationships that enhance DRC’s visibility, credibility in Ethiopia with key government and other stakeholders
• Frequent travel for direct support to field sites, representation and identification of opportunities for organizational growth in the competence areas and coverage.
• Identify local NGOs/partners

About you

In this position, you are expected to demonstrate DRC’s five core competencies:

• Striving for excellence: You focus on reaching results while ensuring an efficient process.
• Collaborating: You involve relevant parties and encourage feedback.
• Taking the lead: You take ownership and initiative while aiming for innovation.
• Communicating: You listen and speak effectively and honestly.
• Demonstrating integrity: You act in line with our vision and values.

Qualifications and Experience

• Master’s degree in International Development and/or Humanitarian Assistance, Project Management or any other related field Minimum 8 years of progressively responsible experience in program management, leadership and design in countries of conflict or post-conflict,
• Minimum 4 years of experience in managing complex emergency operations, including 2 years at country senior management level
• Demonstrated experience and skill in proposal development, budget development, program implementation, monitoring and evaluation
• Proven experience in effectively coordinating with National Governments, International and National NGO partners and a variety of working with and coordinating with a variety of donors and consortia including BHA, UNHCR, ECHO and OCHA.
• Preferably previous successful experience with DRC.
• Proven experience in managing integrated programs as well as capacity building.

Conditions

Contract: Salary and other conditions are offered in accordance with DRC’s Terms of Employment for Staff ; Employment band M E

Duty station: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; with some travel

Availability: July, 2023

Reporting Line: Country Director

Providing equal opportunities We are committed to creating an inclusive and positive work environment based on mutual respect for all employees. All applicants are considered for employment without attention to race, age, ability, ethnicity, nationality, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status, or any other factor. At DRC we celebrate diversity and appreciate our employees for the people they are and their unique skills, backgrounds, and perspectives. We encourage all interested candidates to apply.

Promoting high standards : DRC’s capacity to ensure the protection of and assistance to refugees, IDP’s and other persons of concern depends on the ability of our staff to uphold and promote the highest standards of ethical and professional conduct in relation DRC’s values and Code of Conduct, including safeguarding against sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment. DRC conducts thorough and comprehensive background checks as part of the recruitment process