Operations Manager

Project Background:

The Bangladesh Systems Strengthening for One Health (SSOH) aims to enhance Bangladesh’s global health security (GHS) capacity to operate a high functioning and equitable One Health (OH) disease detection system that prevents, detects, and responds to new and emerging infectious and endemic zoonotic disease, while ensuring good One Health governance and reducing risks of irreversible antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Through evidence-informed and integrated systems approach, SSOH will strengthen Bangladesh’s One Health Systems and enhance the country’s capacity to prevent, detect, respond to, and recover from infectious disease threats. The activity aims therefore aims to achieve results under the following development objectives:

1. Strengthen Systems for Better One Health Governance across the Government of Bangladesh (GOB).
2. Strengthen One Health Disease Detection Systems for effective prevention, detection, and response.
3. Reduce Threats of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) across OH sectors.

Role’s Purpose:

The Operations Manager is a key member of the Project’s team. S/he will play a pivotal role in providing operational and administrative management of the SSOH project in the following areas: operations and administrative support to the project team, recruitment and human resources management, procurement, and subcontracts, overall contractual compliance and client management support, office management, and travel/security logistics. In coordination with the project’s Finance and Operations Director, the Operations Manager will play a pivotal role in overseeing operational management and ensuring compliance to project’s Field Operations Manual (FOM), USAID regulations, contract requirements and limitations, as well as relevant local laws, requirements, and practices in support of technical project management requirements as they arise.

Key Duties and Responsibilities:

Operations and Administration:

• Act as primary point of contact for operational project needs in DC, including the management of office-related tasks, scheduling/invites, technology resources and troubleshooting, managing videoconferencing, reserving rooms, procuring devices and software, ordering office supplies, conducting inventory audits, updating project org charts and contact lists (as needed by SSOH Ops/HR team), and maintaining project calendars (SSOH travel, reporting, evaluation panels, etc.); act as liaison between SSOH project and DAI Home Office teams;
• Provide administrative assistance to the operations team and technical activities by reviewing invoices and expense reports, supporting operational procurements, answering operational or procedure-related questions, coordinating meeting and event logistics, coordinating travel and security logistics;
• In coordination with the Finance and Operations Director, develop and improve upon operational processes and systems and internal controls to efficiently guide project management and implementation and ensure compliance in accordance with the DAI USG Operations Manual, USAID rules/regulations, and the terms of the contract, including process guides, checklists, resource guides, and a library of best practices and lessons learned;
• Independently troubleshoot common problems utilizing the DAI Washington Operations Manual, SSOH’s agreement, and project precedent, escalating more complex issues to the Finance and Operations Director and following up until resolved
• Coordinate the maintenance of administrative records, including project procurement, recruitment, and finance documentation; maintain and spot-check administrative records by saving and categorizing in a rational, straightforward hierarchy all documentation on shared file servers and project management systems in accordance with the project’s document saving protocol and norms

Contracts, Compliance, and Client Management:

• Support the Finance and Operations Director in managing and responding to AOR and/or client requests, including drafting and filing USAID client approval requests and responses and coordinating with the HO on these requests;
• Support compliance with agreement terms and conditions by ensuring administrative aspects of the contracts and subcontracts comply with applicable regulations and corporate policy
• Provide support in areas of data management and reporting, including quarterly and annual reports; develop and maintain trackers and process guides to improve the accuracy of collected data and aid in data standardization across the technical and procurement teams
• Assist with external or internal audits as necessary.

Recruitment:

• Provide lifecycle recruitment and onboarding support, including drafting/reviewing scopes of work, posting positions, reviewing CVs, setting up and participating in interviews, coordinating with the DAI Home Office (HO) counterparts to finalize agreements, drafting and reviewing client approval requests, developing new hire onboarding schedules (in close collaboration with SSOH Ops/HR team), training new staff, and maintaining personnel folders
• Identify potential efficiencies and improvements to the recruitment process
• Maintain open communication with DAI’s HO team on administrative and operational aspects of the recruitment process; act as liaison between the SSOH project team, SSOH Home Office team, and candidates throughout recruitment process.

Additional Support:

• Ensure smooth coordination of logistics, country clearance and other necessary authorizations for training, travel, and events;
• Ensure project records are properly maintained; including project procurement, recruitment, and finance documentation, maintaining a rational, straightforward hierarchy in accordance with the project records map;
• Coordinate process for review of subcontractor requests for payments and invoicing and project expense reports in coordination with HO support team to ensure compliance with DAI and project finance and accounting policies and procedures
• Assist with external or internal audits as necessary;
• Other administrative or operational support duties as assigned by the Senior Leadership Team

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree Business Administration, Human Resources, Organizational Capacity Development, or in a relevant field. Advanced degree in relevant field preferred.
• At least 9 years of relevant administrative, operational, and/or technical professional experience.
• Exhibited experience in operational and process management of donor-funded development projects, including experience in administrative, business, human resources/recruitment, travel and/or event logistics, and/or project management skills. Prior experience support USAID-funded development projects, preferred.
• Demonstrated knowledge of internal controls and audit processes (e.g. procurement, subcontract agreements, etc.)
• Experience with Microsoft Office, including Excel
• Prior work experience in Bangladesh.

Skills

• Excellent oral and written communication skills in English.
• Ability to manage multiple tasks and shifting priorities without compromising the quality of work
• Ability to work effectively in a cross-functional team.
• Attention to detail, able to manage one’s work, take initiative, set schedules and meet deadlines without close supervision.

Reporting

The Operations Manager will report to the Finance and Operations Director and will supervise the Operations Assistant.

About DAI

DAI is a global development company with corporate offices in the United States, the United Kingdom, EU, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Palestine and project operations worldwide. We tackle fundamental social and economic development problems caused by inefficient markets, ineffective governance, and instability. DAI works on the frontlines of global development. Transforming ideas into action—action into impact. We are committed to shaping a more livable world.

DAI and its employees are committed to confronting racism and holding ourselves accountable for positive change within the company and in the communities, cultures, and countries in which we live and work. DAI is committed to attracting and retaining the best employees from all races and backgrounds in our continued effort to become a better development partner.

DAI upholds the highest ethical standards. We are committed to the prevention of sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment as well as other ethical breaches. All of our positions are therefore subject to stringent vetting and reference checks.