Program Operations Manager, for Syria, Hasakeh

We are currently looking for a Program Operations Manager to support our team in Syria.

Department: REACH

Position: Program Operations Manager

Contract duration:12 months

Location: Hasakah, Syria

Starting Date: ASAP

COUNTRY PROFILE

After more than a decade of conflict, conditions in Syria remain volatile and marked by violence and socioeconomic deterioration. The scale, complexity, and severity of humanitarian needs in Syria extends the necessity for up to date, timely, and accurate information. Evidence-based planning and programming remains paramount to ensure that the response adequately meets the needs of the most vulnerable people and is tailored to different realities across communities and over time. REACH has been conducting assessments on the humanitarian situation in Syria since 2013 and has since grown significantly as an actor in the response.

Broadly speaking, REACH Syria facilitates a humanitarian evidence base via four key research streams:

• Monitoring of the humanitarian situation in Syria, including joint market monitoring to track prices of goods as per the survival minimum expenditure basket (SMEB);
• Displacement tracking, through tracking the movement of IDPs and returnees;
• Remote sensing activities, including market functionality, flood hazard assessments, etc;
• Technical support to clusters, including thematic assessments and capacity building

POSITION PROFILE

Under the management of the Country Coordinator, the Program Operations Manager oversees field team operations across two bases in Northeast Syria (Amuda/Hasakah and Raqqa). The Program Operations Manager creates and maintains an operational setup that allows the programmes team to achieve program excellence and ensure the highest level of impact and accountability, while also complying to IMPACT’s guidelines and standards.

As part of the REACH Senior Management Team, she/he contributes to the development and implementation of mission strategy, in addition to promoting organizational vision, and cores values across the mission.

In his/her mission, the Program Operations Manager will be hosted by ACTED and will fall under the responsibility and management of ACTED’s Country Director for Administrative, Security, Logistics, HR and Finance issues.

RESPONSIBILITIES

The Program Operations Manager is responsible for the following:

Field Team Management

1. Responsible for management of field operations and supervision of staff across two bases in NES.
2. In coordination with ACTED Security, ensure the implementation of safety and security protocol across all field teams within NES bases.
3. Responsible for overseeing HR/administrative processes, maintaining adequate staffing across bases, supervising Field Managers, and related procedures as they relate to staff within field teams.

Operational Setup

1. Ensure that REACH has a logical and functional operational setup that allows the implementation of data collection for programme activities in NES.
2. Develop and maintain systems to evaluate and adjust the NES operational setup, as needed to address shifts in context/realities on the ground.
3. Incorporate feedback from programmes teams as well as external stakeholders into the field team structure.
4. In coordination with the Country Coordinator, assist in developing the NES-specific operational component of grant proposals, concept notes, and budgets.

Knowledge Sharing and Learning Processes

1. Maintain and update systems/ processes to ensure a regular review of REACH’s operational presence in NES.
2. Develop knowledge sharing processes/ practices to facilitate integration of the NES field team into the programmes team, and vice versa.

Context Analysis & Strategy Development

1. Maintain an up-to-date understanding of the context in NES, including the socio-economic situation, the impact of the crisis, and the humanitarian system.
2. Understand how the NES geo-political situation relates to/could potentially impact the humanitarian situation, operations, and field staff in NES.
3. Regularly share context updates with the REACH Syria Country Coordinator, SMT, and programmes team & support the development of a context-sensitive REACH Syria country strategy.

External Engagement

1. In coordination with the Country Coordinator, ensure that relevant partners in NES are consulted while reviewing coverage and field presence.
2. Represent REACH when engaging with partners in NES.

REQUIREMENTS

• Academic Excellent academic qualifications, including a Master’s degree in a relevant discipline (International Relations, Political Sciences, Social Research, Economics, Development Studies, or similar) or equivalent related years of work experience in similar field.
• Years of work experience At least 4 years of relevant working experience, including at least 2 years of management experience. Experience in humanitarian settings highly desirable.
• Management experience Previous experience in a management role in an INGO at field level and proven track record in successful program management and development of national teams in humanitarian contexts.
• Organizational and coordination skills Strong coordination, presentation, and organizational skills.
• Experience in research and humanitarian settings highly desirable.
• Understanding of different data collection methodologies and proven ability to maintain data quality required
• Security environment Experience in a high-risk security zone required. Ability to operate in a complex and challenging security environment. Ability to prioritize self-care and wellbeing.
• Multi-tasking skills Ability to multitask with tight deadlines.
• Level of independence Proven ability to work independently.
• Experience in geographical region Past experience working in Syria or the Middle East is desirable.
• Cross-cultural security environment Ability to operate in a cross-cultural, as well as complex and challenging security environment.
• Software skills Proven knowledge of the Microsoft Office Suite, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Language skills Fluency in English required; fluency in Arabic and/or Kurdish an asset.

CONDITIONS

• For this position, salary between 3’600 CHF and 3’720 CHF gross monthly, etc. as well as a monthly living allowance of 300 USD NB – IMPACT salaries are strictly determined by our salary grid depending on the grade of the position and the level of education of staff. A location-dependent security and/or isolation adjustment is then applied as a recognition that some staff are required to work in difficult places where living and working conditions are much more difficult than elsewhere.
• Accommodation and food provided in the guesthouse.
• Enrolment in Swiss private pension fund (Swisslife – approx. 9.975% of staff gross salary), health insurance, life insurance and repatriation assistance.
• This base is not a family duty station
• Flight tickets every 6 months & visa fees covered (in-country travel costs and professional expenses are fully covered).
• R&R after 2-3 months (flight ticket up to 500$ + 200$ of living allowance) if duty station allows
• Contribution to the luggage transportation: between 20 and 100 kgs, depending on the length of the contract (+ luggage and personal property insurance)
• Annual leave of 36 days per year. Public holidays of the country of assignment. Family/compassionate leave when applicable.
• Predeparture induction – 3 days at IMPACT Initiatives’ HQ in Geneva + one week pre-departure training in ACTED HQ in Paris, including a 4-days in situ security training;
• IMPACT prioritizes the psychological safety of its staff and the health insurance provided covers, among others, up to 1000 € per year of psychosocial counselling fees.