The Deputy Director, Operations (DDO) plays a key role in the overall leadership, coordination, and management of the IRC Uganda program. The day-to-day portfolio will include direct supervision of the operations teams including Supply Chain; Safety & Security, Information Communications and Technology (ICT), Field Office management and control. The DDO role works with Finance department and Country Director (CD) on overall financial management, Deputy Director of Programs, CD and program teams on quality support services to program and Human Resources department on staff management, learning and development according to IRC principles, standards, donor guidelines, ensuring these services are delivered in a timely manner and within budget.
Reporting to the Country Director and serving as member of the Senior Management Team (SMT), the Deputy Director, Operations is expected to contribute to organizational strategic thinking, planning, and overall coordination efforts. The role works closely with Deputy Director Finance, Deputy Director Human Resources and Administration, Deputy Director Programs, and regional based functional leads.
The DDO is responsible for ensuring that all the necessary systems, policies and procedures are rolled out, understood, and implemented by the relevant staff in all program areas. In addition, he/she ensures that the Country Director is briefed on security and safety incidents and general advice on security policies and procedures.
Duties and Responsibilities
Strategic Planning and Business Development
- Lead the implementation of the Country Strategic Action Plan (SAP) as it relates to Operations.
- Lead the implementation of operations excellence program (Country Scorecards) identifying improvement priorities and developing action plans.
- Work with CD and DDP to identify opportunities for program expansion.
- Ensure all new proposals receive thorough Operations review and that appropriate support cost and country program asset needs are budgeted for.
Supply Chain
- Support effective use and adoption of INTEGRA, IRC’s Enterprise Resource Planning System by Supply Chain.
- Ensure Supply Chain team meets the needs of the programs in a timely manner and does so in accordance with IRC policies and procedures,
- Ensure Supply Chain Assessment (SCAT) and implementation of action plans
- Direct supervision of the Supply Chain Coordinator and oversight of all Supply Chain staff,
- Verify that Supply Chain policies and procedures are documented, disseminated and consistently applied across the country program.
- Ensure that compliance monitoring processes are developed and effectively implemented.
- Ensure that all leased properties conform to health and safety standards.
- Assist Supply Chain staff in developing and managing appropriate coordination mechanisms to ensure that all operational units are interacting well with each other, as well as with the Regional Unit, Global Supply Chain (GSC), the Country Office, across different field sites, and other IRC support entities.
- Assist supply chain staff in partnering effectively and cooperatively with other units to improve planning and resource utilization. Work with program staff to ensure procurement planning and identification of operational support needs.
- Ensure full proactive involvement of key processes with the finance department including Budget Versus Actual (BVA) report input and necessary information for operational budget accuracy.
- In collaboration with the Deputy Director Finance, Deputy Director HR, Deputy Director Programs and CD, ensure systems are streamlined between HR, Administration, Supply Chain, Finance and Programs.
- Provide input including operational risk analysis and recommendations to the Country Director and Deputy Director of Finance related to operations spending and effectiveness of in-country reporting and planning systems.
- Provide support to all field and program teams to ensure all field offices are functioning efficiently and transparently and in compliance with IRC procurement guidelines.
Information Technology
- Supervise IT Department
- Manage the Information Communications Technology (ICT) Manager.
- Verify that information technology policies and procedures are documented, disseminated and consistently applied across the country program.
- Ensure that IT compliance monitoring processes are developed and effectively implemented.
- Support the IT staff to provide top-tier and effective IT services and support to the Country Office and across all field sites.in line with IT standards and Priority metrices
Safety and Security
- Overall management of safety and security, including:
- Annual Security Standard Assessment and implementation of action plans
- Ensuring the risks IRC staff face in their work environment are mitigated against to the degree feasible given the context.
- Ensuring Security Management Plan and SOP are in place, kept current and always implemented by all staff.
- Ensuring that contextual and scenario analysis are update regularly and shared with the wider management team.
- Supervise the Safety and Security Manager, and oversee the performance of all Safety and Security staff,
- Ensure that the SS Manager works closely with Regional and Global Security related teams,
- Ensure that Safety and Security is factored into program design and implementation, including but not limited to ensure the timely collection and sharing of relevant information,
- Ensuring all staff can access relevant safety and security trainings in a timely manner.
Field Office Management and Control
- Provide oversight and guidance to Field Coordinators based in field offices. This support should focus upon all aspects of field office control and efficiency.
- Work in collaboration with the Safety and Security Manager to ensure that field staff are well trained and operating in compliance with the Security Management Plan. Provide management support and oversight to the Field Coordinators in implementing security policies and procedures.
- Participate in the development and/or review of new proposals, operating plans and strategic plans ensuring that the views of field staff are captured and reflected wherever appropriate.
- Ensure all new proposals have received thorough Operations review and appropriate operations platform is maintained
- Develop and maintain a system that effectively captures performance data field offices sites. Work with the SMT to proactively identify, analyze and respond to trends either through reinforcement or corrective action.
- Participate in the development and/or review of new proposals, operating plans and strategic plans ensuring that the views of field staff are captured and reflected wherever appropriate.
Financial Planning and Cost Control – in coordination with the Finance Controller
- Provide input to the CD on potential areas of concern related to: operations spending; effectiveness of in-country reporting and planning systems; and Field/Program Coordinators oversight of expenditures and adherence to financial requirements.
- Review operating budget and strategy planning as part of the annual fiscal year and budget reforecast processes prior to HQ submission and periodically throughout the fiscal year.
- As requested by the Country Director, provide input to audit issues and corrective action plans.
Programs Support, Strategy and Business Development
- Work with the Country Director (CD) and Deputy Director of Programs (DDP) to identify opportunities for program expansion and to support the development of funding proposals.
- Work with the CD and DDP on the Country Program Strategic Planning process.
- Provide added support to program coordinators as required.
- Ensure all new proposals and budgets have received an Operations review and adjustments made as necessary to cost elements and operations design.
Coordination and Representation
- Serve as an active member of the country program’s Senior Management Team and occasionally deputize for the Country Director when he/she is out of the country or on leave.
- Ensure proactive communication within the Regional Safety and Security Advisor, Regional Unit, HQ Support Departments and NY offices as appropriate.
Staff Management, Learning and Development
- Coach, train, supervise and mentor direct-report staff, including communicating clear expectations, setting quarterly performance objectives, providing regular and timely positive and constructive performance feedback, and providing documented semi-annual performance reviews.
- Hold high-quality meetings with each direct report on a regular and predictable basis, at least bi-weekly.
- Provide a measurable development plan including on-the-job learning with the aim of strengthening technical capacity, exchanging knowledge within the team and providing guidance on career paths.
- Promote and monitor staff care, well-being and self-care; approve and manage all time, attendance and leave requests to ensure adequate departmental coverage.
- Offer leadership support for successful adherence by staff to IRC’s country and Global HR Operating Policies and Procedures.
- As part of succession plan, identify, train and develop capability and capacity of staff to successfully transition DDO role.
Key Working Relationships
Position reports to: Country Director
Position directly supervises: Supply Chain Coordinator, Safety and Security Manager, Field Coordinators, Operations Coordinator and IT Manager
Other Internal and/or external contacts: Deputy Director Programs, Deputy Director Finance Deputy Director Human Resource, Technical Coordinators, and Regional Functional Leads