Manager, Operations

Reporting to the Head of Country Office, the Operations Manager provides the technical lead to ensure the optimal coordination and direct management of resources required for the effective, and efficient, sustainable and context-driven planning, implementation and monitoring of the emergency operations responses, aligned with humanitarian and organizational standards and priorities, as well as the IFRC Emergency Response Framework.  

Operational Strategy and Programme Management:

• Negotiate, plan and mobilize IFRC resources in support of the National Society (NS) in the assessment, planning, and implementation of the emergency response.
• Ensure that the response is based on frameworks and approaches that are consistent with or have considered national and international standards and guidelines, as well as IFRC policies, procedures and tools.
• Supervise IFRC technical leads to ensure they work closely with the managers of relevant NS departments in all related programming roles and responsibilities, providing advice and recommendations that carefully consider local capacity and context and ensuring mitigating actions of the identified risks are being implemented.
• Ensure a robust and coherent monitoring of the situation and its potential evolution and ensure that humanitarian interventions are responsive to current and emerging needs and threats.
• Advise on the need of additional human resources and support deployments in coordination with the Country Cluster Delegation and Regional office for Americas, HR department and/or surge desk.
• Ensure sound financial management is applied to all IFRC-assisted programmes within the NS, that budgets are monitored, and any problems identified, and solutions implemented in timely and effective manner.
• Manage operational budgets to ensure that expenditure relating to IFRC-supported operations is within income and approved ceilings, in compliance with IFRC finance procedures and in line with donor earmarking requirements.
• Lead, direct and motivate staff to ensure the highest level of performance in their respective areas of responsibility, ensuring quality service, compliance and timeliness.
• Leads the development of a Risk Management Plan for Hurricane Melissa operation as per the IFRC’s Risk Management Policy, consults the revised IFRC Emergency Response Framework (ERF) to ensure identified risks are within the established default risk appetite for disasters and crises, and coordinates the risk management process (risk identification, assessment, treatment, escalation, monitoring and reporting), including the development of a risk register and clear identification of responsible people for each mitigation measure.
• Establishes a frequency for risk reviews and reporting to line supervisor. Escalates increasing and emerging risks as well as challenges in the implementation of identified mitigation measures, particularly in complex orange level crises.
• Ensure the safety and security of staff in the operation by taking operational decisions based on changing risk levels, providing relevant updates to stakeholders and factoring in risk management into planning, through existing security structures when possible.
• Manage direct line reports and assigned resources (financial, equipment, etc.).
• Promote and ensure the integration of the response into longer term programmes.
• Lead and ensure the effective operationalization of safeguarding policies and practices across the operation, fostering a culture of safety, and holding staff accountable for maintaining high standards of conduct for all personnel and vulnerable individuals in line with IFRC`S Code of Conduct, policies and Principles.

Coordination:

• Assist the NS, Movement and external partners in the achievement of planned outcomes and deliverables following quality standards, in a timely fashion, and within budgets, ensuring alignment of all IFRC network activities.
• Support the NS in setting up the structure needed to ensure that all components of the response are identified, planned and carried out in a coordinated, collaborative and integrated manner with Movement and external partners.
• Promote and support membership coordination: Support the NS in efforts to establish and maintain effective membership coordination structures at operational level and ensure these structures facilitate collaboration and shared leadership among all members.
• Together with the NSand the Head of Country Office, represent IFRC in coordination meetings and forums, involving national authorities, national and international agencies, donors and other partners in the country.
• Collaborate with NS technical teams to support and promote a common context, needs, and situational analysis.
• Assist the NS in creating operational objectives and priorities for emergency operations; ensure that IFRC Network activities align with these objectives.
• Support the NS(s) in developing and implementing operational standards, tools and procedures that ensure quality, consistency and sustainability of emergency response interventions.
• Support common planning, monitoring, evaluation, and reporting framework. Support a single data collection mechanism and promote a common accountability framework.
• Work with the Port of Spain Country Cluster Delegation Programme and Operations department and the regional Health, Disasters, Climate and Crises (HDCC) Department to develop, implement and review contingency planning for identified threats in operational areas, as well as the development of capacities within the NS for emergency response.
• Work with PMER leads in IFRC and the NS to ensure that planning and reporting requirements are met in a timely and efficient manner.

National Society Capacity Strengthening

• Support IFRC network technical leads to develop programme approaches which strengthen and develop the NS’s structures, capacity and performance; analyze and understand their current strengths and weaknesses and to ensure provision of necessary technical and material support particularly in relation to the crisis.
• Ensure existing data on the NS response capacity is analysed alongside the context and the NS mandate to incorporate relevant resources to support.
• Support, the NS to enhance their position vis a vis the national and international coordination mechanism.
• Along the NS, build alliances and partnerships with other stakeholders to enhance the implementation of the operational strategy.
• Promote and assist the integration of humanitarian priorities and interventions within all relevant programming divisions in the NS.
• Review operational learnings from previous operations, especially the Hurricane Beryl operation, and utilize findings to analyze and adapt response options and prioritization and identify NS Response Capacity strengthening opportunities. 
• Support the NS in establishing an effective information management system for the response, including statistics.

REQUIRED:

• University degree in relevant area
• IMPACT training or equivalent

REQUIRED:

• At least 7 years of disaster management experience, including managing staff.
• Min. 1-2 years of field experience in coordinating and managing disaster and crisis management projects and activities especially population movements.
• Experience in project cycle management including proposal development, budgeting and reporting, monitoring, and evaluation.

PREFERRED:

• Good knowledge and relevant work experience in the regional context.

REQUIRED:

• Results oriented and demand driven individual, entrepreneurial, ability to lead in unprecedented and/or ambiguous situations.
• Excellent networking, representational, interpersonal, communication and negotiation skills. An ability to be proactive and persuasive.
• Effective team and project management skills.
• Good analytical skills and solution-oriented mindset.
• Good mentoring and capacity development skills.
• Ability to work well in a multicultural, multilingual and cross-functional team setting.
• Excellent stress management skills.
• Demonstrated accountability.
• Fluent spoken and written English.

PREFERRED:

• Good command of another IFRC official language (French, Spanish or Arabic).

   

Values: Respect for diversity; Integrity; Professionalism; Accountability.

Core competencies: Communication; Collaboration and teamwork; Judgement and decision making; National society and customer relations; Creativity and innovation; Building trust.

Functional competencies: Strategic orientation; Building alliances; Leadership; Empowering others.

Managerial competencies: Managing staff performance; Managing staff development.