Operations Officer

Background

Moving Minds Alliance

The Moving Minds Alliance (MMA) is a growing multi-stakeholder partnership of over 25 member organisations working to scale up the financing, policies, and leadership needed to effectively support the youngest children and families affected by crisis and displacement everywhere. The MMA is hosted by the International Rescue Committee (IRC).

Five years since its inception, having recently updated its strategy, operational model and governance, The MMA is embarking on its next phase of activity with its rapidly growing membership. Bringing on board and building collaborations with key collaborators across sectors will be a key goal for this next phase, as well as crafting MMA as a platform for transparent and effective collaboration, sharing and learning for the growing community working to support the children and families affected by crisis.

IRC UK

IRC UK was established in 1997 to support the organisation’s global activities and particularly to diversify its donor base and be able to better advocate with policymakers on behalf of the people we serve. Since its establishment IRC UK has grown rapidly and now comprises approximately 180 staff.

IRC UK is currently hosting the MMA team members through the provision of employment services.

Team Chart

The Purpose of the Role

The MMA Operations Officer provides critical support to MMA’s strategy delivery, administration, collaboration and governance. This role facilitates and contributes to all aspects of operations for a network secretariat. This includes administration, budgets, procurement, collaboration support, human resources, travel logistics and governance. Under the supervision of the MMA Director, you will work to ensure that the MMA secretariat team can function effectively, efficiently, transparently, and accountably.

Scope and Authority

Authority:

The Operations Officer will work independently under the overall guidance of the MMA Director and in collaboration with the MMA secretariat team. This will include leading on procurement and HR processes and running an operations budget. The Operations Officer will ensure the smooth running of different working groups within the MMA, including scheduling meetings, setting agendas and ensuring effective note taking and follow up takes place. The Operations Officer will provide crucial assistance to the effective functioning of the MMA Steering Committee and will assist with team travel and logistics.

Responsibility for Resources:

Responsible for an operations budget of circa GBP 50,000 and running the MMA assets and equipment. Responsible for leading all aspects of individual procurements up to and occasionally in excess of GBP 100,000.

Key Working Relationships

• Has regular contact with MMA secretariat team members, providing support to their day-to-day activities.
• Has regular contact with IRC procurement and finance teams
• Provides directs support to MMA member representatives, helping to ensure that collaboration is smooth and effective
• Provides direct support to the MMA steering committee members
• From time to time may coordinate consultants

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES

Accountability 1 (35%)

• Leading MMA Procurement and Logistics.

The Operations Officer will take the lead on procurements, providing an interface between the MMA secretariat team and the IRC procurement team. They will coordinate the workflow for each procurement and ensure a well-run process that is fully aligned with policy. They will analyse processes and look for ways to optimize them to maximise transparency, equity and cost effectiveness, always seeking to do so in a way that reinforces good collaboration between MMA members. They will also support the team with other logistics requirements, including travel and event organization support where necessary as well as supporting with travel visas and documentation when required.

Accountability 2 (30%)

• Supporting member collaboration and governance.

The Operations Officer will ensure that systems and platforms are in place for effective collaboration between members. Primarily this will mean supporting up to 5 – 7 working groups with scheduling, agenda setting and recording meeting notes and outcomes and following up on commitments and key milestones. It will also include handling subscriptions for digital collaboration tools. They will help build an effective collaborative practice across the MMA team and suggest ways of improving to make collaboration more equitable, inclusive and effective.

Accountability 3 (35%)

• Running finance and administration systems.

The Operations Officer will manage the MMA financial systems including budgeting and reporting. They will provide an interface between the IRC teams and systems and the MMA team, ensuring that we use the IRC systems optimally and adapt them to MMA requirements. Under the overall budget responsibility of the MMA director, the Operations Officer will ensure the efficient use of systems and processes to ensure effective deployment of annual budgets of between one and two million GBP per year. They will also support in developing budgets for donor proposals and will support the Director to compile the annual report.

Person specification

Essential

Skills, Knowledge and Qualifications:

• A well organised individual who thrives on supporting a collaborative environment
• Able to work in a dispersed and adaptive team, comfortable with complex challenges
• Enjoys working independently with light touch supervision
• Financially literate with a solid understanding of budgeting and financial management systems as used in the not-for-profit sector. Understand financial and accounting good practices.
• Good familiarity with procurement systems, approaches and regulation.
• Proven track record of building effective relationship across multiple teams and organisations.
• Fully committed to principles of collaboration, such as equity, transparency and inclusion.
• Fully committed to ensuring that systems, approaches and relationships are free from any form of racism, bias, discrimination or exclusion.

Experience:

• Experience of working in a similar multi-partner organisation and collaborative environment.
• Demonstrable transferable skills gained in a relevant role.
• Experience working with people from different backgrounds and promoting diversity, equity, inclusion, and anti-racism in an intercultural, often remote work environment