Senior Operations Manager

Position: Senior Operations Manager

Program: Australia Solomon Islands Partnership for Justice (ASIPJ)

Duration: Full-time until 31 December 2025

Line manager: ASIPJ Deputy Team Leader

Direct reports: Logistics and Procurement Manager, HR Manager, Finance Manager, Admin Officer, Admin Support/Driver

Background to the Australia Solomon Islands Partnership in Justice (ASIPJ) Program

The Australia Solomon Islands Partnership for Justice (ASIPJ) continues Australia’s long-running support to the Solomon Islands Government (SIG) justice sector, being directly preceded by the Australia Solomon Islands Justice Program. Its goal is to work closely with SIG to enable justice agencies to maintain delivery of their existing, core activities while clearly identifying and engaging with fundamental problems and critical issues affecting their ability to contribute to stability and offer access to justice for citizens.

Subject to a finalised design, ASIPJ will be delivered through four key outcome areas: i). improving core service delivery capacity; ii). enhancing capacity for justice sector management and leadership; iii). enhancing collaboration with state and non-state actors to improve access to justice, and iv). increased sensitivity and responsiveness to those vulnerable to family and sexual violence. It is a four-year program with an option to extend to eight years.

ASIPJ aspires to be locally led, problem-oriented and learning driven. It will be pragmatic, practical, and adaptable, and will mainstream gender equality, disability and social inclusion (GEDSI). Deloitte is the Managing Contractor, leading an exciting coalition for change that includes these consortium partners – Adam Smith International (ASI), providing the Operations Hub; Ninti One, for its Indigenous expertise; and The University of Queensland, to support critical research and knowledge generation.

Position Description

The Senior Operations Manager (“SOM”) will oversee the day to day running of ASIPJ program operations. The SOM will ensure that program activities and interventions are adequately supported by effective and efficient administrative, procurement, logistical and financial systems and that they are conducted in accordance with operational guidelines and standards.

The SOM will supervise and oversee the Operations Team, which consists of a Logistics and Procurement Manager, Human Resources (HR) Manager, Finance Manager, Administration Officer, Administration Support/Driver. The SOM will be responsible for identifying necessary capacity building activities within the Operations Team to ensure that personnel can perform effectively within their specified function.

The SOM will manage and oversee the program’s:

• logistics and finance systems;
• capital procurement of assets;
• running of the program office;
• the program’s risk assessment from an operations perspective;
• ASIPJ personnel safety and security, and
• contracting, mobilisation/demobilisation and movement of ASIPJ and Consortium personnel.

Reporting to, and with oversight from, the Deputy Team Leader, the SOM role will work across the ASIPJ team and with consortium partners. They will coordinate closely with the Deputy Team Leader in providing performance and other feedback on the work of the Logistics and Procurement Manager, Finance Manager, HR Manager, Administration Officer, and Administration Support/Driver while identifying and recommending adaptations to the operations structure to enable the effective and efficient delivery of program activities as articulated in the Program Design Document.

Duties and Responsibilities

The primary duties and responsibilities of the Senior Operations Manager are to:

• Regularly review the policies and procedures in the Operations Manual, as well as implementing operational policies and procedures and ensuring staff are trained and competent in the use of these policies.
• Work with the ASI Global Operations team and Deloitte to develop and implement the program Security Plans, Standard Operating Procedures, Crisis and Emergency Plan, and Emergency Response Procedures and Business Continuity Plan processes and procedures for all aspects of the program operations.
• Work with ASIPJ Team Leader, Deputy Team Leader to ensure program risks are identified and monitored, and adequate mitigation measures are in place.
• Ensure contractual compliance and processes are in line of DFAT’s standards and ASI requirements.
• Manage the program’s budget including forecasting, invoicing, and financial reporting.
• Ensure that program’s expenditure is tracked, including any grants issued under ASIPJ, and any possibilities of overspending is reported to the ASIPJ Team Leader, Deputy Team Leader and DFAT.
• Be the primary approver for all payments raised by the ASIPJ Finance Manager and ASI Finance Team and ensure that a supporting audit trail is available and that the payment process is compliant with ASIPJ Operations Manual.
• Conduct regular spot-checks and provide oversight to internal/external audits to minimise any risk of fraud and/or noncompliant Ensure logistical and operational needs for the smooth running of the ASIPJ office, systems and processes are identified and met.
• Support the preparation of project proposals, business cases and budgets to justify program expenditure and provide value for money assessments as required.
• Be involved in and provide oversight of ASIPJ tender processes.
• Oversee the engagement of ASIPJ advisers, including approaching market, leading the pre-contracting processes and ensuring all necessary due diligence processes are satisfactorily completed.
• Contribute to periodic reports and plans and lead the Operations Team’s inputs into relevant reports for the consortium and DFAT.
• Support the HR Manager and ASIPJ Deputy Team Leader with personnel performance management, timesheet and leave management and other aspects of HR.
• Lead the processes of mobilisation, onboarding and orientation of new personnel, and demobilisation of personnel.
• Serve as a point of contact in the Emergency Assistance Tree and support responses to security, health and safety issues for ASIPJ personnel.
• Lead the procurement of ASIPJ assets and maintenance of ASIPJ’s asset management system.
• Any other duties as identified by the ASIPJ Deputy Team Leader.

Skills and experience required

The ideal candidate will have:

• A relevant university degree or diploma with at least ten years of experience in a similar role. A Masters degree is desirable.
• Extensive international experience in managing financial, operational and HR systems for businesses and/or donor-funded programs. Experience with DFAT policies and procedures is desirable.
• Excellent organisational skills and integrity in maintaining records.
• Experience in capacity building, including training and on the job mentoring of staff, leadership and management skills; and excellent communication skills.
• Demonstrated capacity to work collegially with partner organisations and international staff.
• Strong working knowledge of MS Office programs, particularly Excel.
• Demonstrated commitment to gender equality, youth empowerment, disability inclusion, human rights and the principles of Do No Harm.
• Experience in the Pacific context, particularly Solomon Islands, is desirable.

Reporting Requirements:

• Report to ASIPJ Deputy Team Leader.
• Work with and receive strategic direction from DFAT.

COVID-19

ASIPJ personnel are required to adhere to COVID-19 policy requirements for the purposes of entry to Solomon Islands, to government offices and the ASIPJ office. This includes being fully vacinated as defined by the Solomon Islands Ministry of Health and Medical Services.