Operations Manager - Catholic Relief Services

[PsilocybeLarvae]

Catholic Relief Services
Europe/Middle East Region

Job Description

Position Title: Operations Manager
Functional Group: Subregion CP/LO
Regional Compensation Band: 2
Geographic Scope: Single country
Location: CRS Europe/Middle East
Reports To: Head of Office
Supervisory Responsibilities: All Local Office staff
(Administration, Finance, Procurement, IT, Fleet)



BACKGROUND:

CRS Europe/Middle East is implementing an ambitious regional strategy that
over the next few years will fundamentally change the way CRS operates in
the region, the sort of activities it supports, and its approaches to
partnership with European and U.S. organizations. The CRS Europe/Middle
East regional strategy derives from and contributes to the agency's
worldwide strategic framework and priorities, with particular emphasis on
relationships of solidarity with and among Europeans who are working to
build societies that leave no one behind. An explicit component of the
regional strategy involves significantly modifying the way CRS does business
in the region, transforming the highly operational posture that has
characterized the three subregions within Europe for the last ten years into
one that features much closer cooperation with and support to local,
regional and networks of partner organizations on issues and activities that
create space for fuller participation in the social, economic, political and
cultural processes.



JOB SUMMARY:
The Operations Manager (OM) is a host of each CRS Local Office - a leader
that has main responsibilities to ensure an efficient, forward-looking,
legal, and secure operating environment for local office operations
consistent with CRS agency-wide policies and procedures and in line with the
CRS Europe/Middle East regional strategy. In close collaboration with the
HOO, s/he will oversee all program support functions, and ensure overall
management quality.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Program Support:
Project - Knowledge: Understands all projects documents, project activities,
donor requirements and needs to enable appropriate planning for material,
financial, and human resources. Corresponds on management and administrative
matters with stakeholders. Provides various status and progress reports and
filings on behalf of local office.
Resource Management: Provide and develop overall Human Resource strategy
for local office. Assure that personnel files, severance and contracts are
in consistency with CRS policy and local policies. Oversee benefits
database, participate in recruitment and selection procedure, orientation of
new employees. Create and maintain liaisons with necessary local government
labor ministries and CRS policy makers to assure local interests and CRS are
maintained. Approve all expenditures from administrative budget. Daily
supervise all staff in Administration, Finance, Procurement, IT, Fleet and
provide leadership and mentoring to them. Leads the process of strategic
planning for Resource Management - how, when and why to allocate other
resources - straff development and training, implementation of MQAT action
plan, monitoring of the plan, evaluation of the results.


Financial Management: Approve all staff payment requests to Finance. Serve
as top authority when dealing with financial and banking institutions
regarding financial issues. Approve office budgeting, supervise monthly
budget report and assure sufficient cash flow. Maintain firm oversight of
local office budget's in coordination with Head of Office. Together with
Finance Officer, prepare annual budget plan , and cash forecast. Monitor
budget-performance and provide analysis and recommendations to Head of
Office. Oversee the monthly payroll and approve its execution in Finance.
Manage local office audits and follow-up on findings until closure.


Property Management: Provide per CRS guidelines for inventory controls,
contracting services, and maintenance management for all CRS properties and
assets consisting of the following: facilities such as (housing, office,
warehouse, garages) and physical assets of vehicles, equipment, computers,
and other inventories. Maintain key relationships with suppliers, provide a
physical inventory annually to include financial updates to CRS HQ, assure
that properties are maintained and safe. Ensure staff is provided with
adequate facilities and equimpent. Ensure that all procurement documentation
is in database.

Relationship Management: Liaise with other NGO-s and international/national
community on issues of Operation Management. Maintains good working
relationship with local government authorities. Creates and maintains good
and quality communication of local office level, regional level as well as
with external associates. Occasionally, at HoO's direction, attends meetings
and speaks on behalf of CRS's local office issues.


Information Technology: Ensure that all IT systems function optimally and
match office needs. Recruit and select an adequate IT staff for the
necessary support for local office's information technology, which includes
the set-up of IT system, office network, phone system, and other ancillary
services. Supervise and oversee the work of IT Specialist, assure that the
Specialist maintains all IT documentation.

Procurement: Oversee the entire procurement process to ensure compliance
with CRS and donor policies including review of contracts, prepare and
maintain documentation for leases and grants. Serve as liason with lawyers,
assuring quality legal and consultaing services for CRS. Assure systems and
processes are in place for expendable goods such as office supply and fuel.

Security: Constantly review the local security environment and provide
recommendations to the Head of Office (HOO) to minimize risk to staff and
partners. Ensure overall security of CRS office(s) and expatriate house(s).


Fleet Management: Coordinate and control the weekly schedules of CRS
drivers. Coordinate reporting of driver's time, vehicle logs, gasoline
expenses, purchases, etc.

Performance Management. Coordinate the quarterly review and annual
performance assessments and development plans of subordinate staff. Ensure
quiality performance plans are developed, coaching session held and
appraisals done. Clearly communicates the results to each of the staff.

11. Other: Perform other duties as requested by Head Of Office.


KEY WORKING RELATIONSHIPS:
Supervisory:
All local office staff (Administration, Finance, Procurement, IT, Fleet)

Internal:
Head of Office, Local Project Officers, Regional Project Officers,
Subregional Finance Manager.

External:
Partners, Donors, NGO community, local Government institutions, local
financial institutions, Contracors, suppliers and consultants.

QUALIFICATIONS:

Technical/Professional
· Minimum 5 years of directly relevant professional experience that
includes supervision of others;
· Ability to provide training and facilitate meetings for diverse
audiences;
· Must have financial management experience preparation of budgets,
forecasts, payroll, payable, receivable, and contracting experiences,
knowledge of CRS operations, policies, procedures prefferable but not
compulsory
· Strong interpersonal relationship and communication skills,
fluently speaking and writing in English language.
· Understanding of IT networks (an area of responsibility) and a
skill proficiency in Microsoft products and Internet.
· Previous CRS, USAID, or NGO experience is highly desirable.

Education:
· Bachelors Degree (Graduate degree preferred) in a directly related
field, such as Management, Business Administration, Finance, contracting, or
other as determined by CRS interview panel; Work experience in a directly
related field will be considered in lieu of graduate degree 2 years for each
year of degree

Personal Competencies:


· Strategic thinker with strong leadership and decision making
abilities
· Demonstrated strengths in relationship management; able to work
cooperatively with diverse groups of people at all levels in a
multicultural, team environment
· Strong problem solving skills; able to see problems in context of
the organization and think thru consequences of solutions
· Self-motivated and able to work without close supervision;
· Able to prioritize work, multi-task and meet deadlines;
· Organization and planning skills; detail oriented;
· Mature, responsible, and professional; able to manage in an
unstable environment with potential for unrest;
· Exercises good judgment and sound decision making;
· Diplomacy, tact and strong negotiation skills;
· Adherence to the principles of Catholic Social Teaching


Working Conditions:
Normal conditions of an office environment. Travel approximately 10%.
Position requires flexibility and the capacity to deal with ambiguity and
change until regional systems and standards are in place.




APPLICATION PROCEDURES: Interested and qualified candidates are requested to
send their CV accompanied by a cover letter in English

Please send your applications to Astghik Mkrtchyan, Receptionist, at e-mail
address: astghik[at]crs.am, 18:00 Thursday, 7 October, 2004

No phone calls, please. Only short listed candidates will be contacted for
interview.

APPLICATION DEADLINE: 7 October, 2004