Associate Operations Director

With over 70 years of experience, our focus is on helping the most vulnerable children overcome poverty and experience fullness of life. We help children of all backgrounds, even in the most dangerous places.

Come join our 33,000+ staff working in nearly 100 countries and share the joy of transforming vulnerable childrens life stories!

Employee Contract Type:

International Assignment – Fixed Term (Fixed Term)

Job Description:

The Associate Director of Operations (AS-D) will oversee World Vision Somalias major programs including WFP, BHA and GIK, promoting efficiency, effectiveness and integration to enable on-time, on-target, quality and impactful emergency, recovery and resilience programming. The AS-D will support Food & Cash Assistance team to ensure compliance with WV and international standards and strengthen LNGO deliver network through training and mentorship and engagement in relevant local and international forums for coordination and lessons sharing. In coordination with the PDQA team, he/she will engage with WFP, UNICEF and other UN entities to grow the programs portfolio. The AS-D will actively work with the department of humanitarian emergency affairs to enable planning for and lead implementation of emergency response in existing locations and expand to newly accessible areas. Moreover, the incumbent will ensure emergency response capacity is mainstreamed in operations, by establishing network of focal points, channels of communication for joint action between departments and agile procurement and logistics to enable preparedness and response. The position-holder will ensure that performance enterprise risk management, accountability to affected populations, and quality assurance mechanisms. H/she will guide the integration and layering cash and GIK assistance into the programs multi-sector portfolio in ways which are sustainable and promote resilience. He/she will liaise with the ministry of humanitarian affairs and represent the organization for emergency, recovery and resilience-learning and forums. He/she will ensure that WVs programming is well coordinated with the UN-led Food Security and Cash Working Groups and other relevant internal and external learning and information-sharing fora. In coordination with the communications manager, and PDQA director, the position-holder will lead in the development of communication and marketing products to enhance awareness of WV Somalias in cash and GIK programming. This position holder will maintain awareness of the external funding environment and donor/stakeholder preference for cash and commodity programming to advocate for new funding and showcase WVS as a thought leader in ensuring effective cash assistance programming.

MAJOR RESPONSIBILITES:

40%Provide leadership to food and cash assistance to reach most-vulnerable children with highest quality assistance and pathways to transition to recovery and resilience-building

• Ensure food and cash assistance activities throughout relevant project cycles – project design, start-up, implementation, and close-out are effectively implemented in line with WVI program quality principles and standards, donor requirements, and good practices.
• Communicate regularly with the Integrated Operations Director, PDQA-Director and other relevant WV Somalia staff on important issues and events related to the operations of food and cash programming- – including program implementation, financial and human resource issues; donor, local government and external relations; and new program opportunities,
• Promote World Visions reputation as leader in integrated food and cash assistance and resilience-building.
• Develop and implement effective food and cash assistance systems for strategic and adaptive management, ensuring operational and preparedness and response plans are in place and programs are able to make necessary adjustments to plans and budgets during implementation, in the interest of continuous improvement and responsiveness.
• In cooperation with the Integrated Operations Director, develop a culture of excellence with regards to the planning and implementation of projects, including quarterly and targeted reviews of atisk to ensure completion and optimum expenditure rates.
• Coordinate with Associate Director of MEAL to develop integrated M&E and Information Management Systems for food/cash and DM reporting purposes, ensuring that all required program and operations documents are submitted in a timely and complete manner.

20%Efficient, effective and integrated programming across BHA-financed portfolio and UN-financed portfolios

• Promote information-sharing and internal stakeholder engagement to encourage cross functional coordination amongst all food and cash programming functions under WV Somalia.
• In coordination with the Integrated Operations Director, ensure effective planning, coordination and integration of efforts and reporting with other WV Somalia programs to optimize the use of shared program teams, assets and facilities and strengthen the collective impact of WV Somalia interventions.
• Identify, assess, and strengthen partnerships relevant to food and cash assistance programming, applying appropriate partnership concepts, tools, and approaches.
• Develop and facilitate cross-country learning and knowledge management to enable sharing across the organization, incorporating learnings into project design and operations management of food and cash assistance programming.
• Work with the resource development unit and Support offices to ensure effective resourcing of all aspects of Food and Cash assistance programming including innovative new funding opportunities with non-traditional donors.
• In coordination with the Integrated Operations Director, represent World Vision at appropriate UN/NGO/donor meetings, joint agency assessments, Government engagements, and task forces.
• Foster a spirit of engagement with other agencies and LNGOs to promote better coordination, joint action, and partnership.

10%Ensure GIK integrates within and strengthens the impact of WVs portfolio of projects

• Provide leadership oversight and technical guidance to Gifts in Kind (GIK) management in alignment with Disaster Management Team (DMT) standards and regulations.
• Work closely with Supply chain department for effective stores monitoring and management of the GIK materials.
• Ensure standardized GIK reporting tools are put in place and staff are trained in data base management, reporting formats and protocols.

10%Operations leadership for emergency response preparedness and management

• Provide oversight and coordination of all WV Somalias responses to humanitarian emergencies including chairing response decision-making, ensuring WV Somalias responses meet standards and coordination requirements.
• Coordinate with DRR and Humanitarian Response Technical Specialistto (i) establish district-level DRR plans; (ii) establish focal points for information-gathering, assessment, planning and response.
• Maintain effective working relationships with humanitarian actors, government representatives and World Vision strategic partners such as UN-Agencies, other INGOs, stakeholders involved in the response, at Mogadishu Level and Sub National level levels to ensure synergy and alignment.
• Lead processes to sustainably expand WV operational footprint in new regions, including establishment of government relations, office set-up, partners identification and staffing planning (for direct implementation) to ensure effective management of humanitarian operations in new WV Somalia intervention locations.
• Position World Vision as a competent, innovative and effective humanitarian agency by ensuring that WV Somo responds professionally to all categories of emergencies and undertakes effective disaster management.
• Successfully contribute towards implementation of the WV Somo Response Strategy, particularly focusing on the establishment and implementation of integrated plans, meeting the needs of portfolio contexts and donors.

10%Promote World Visions Risk and Compliance Culture

• In collaboration with the Risk and Compliance, Program Support team, and Partnership Technical Specialist, ensure business continuity through an integrated risk management approach, including security, financial, operational and reputation risks by developing contingency plans and scenarios.
• Ensure all organizational policies, procedures, guidelines and compliance regulations related to food and cash assistance programming are in place, understood, and followed.
• Ensure comprehensive awareness among program managers and their team members of donor and Support Office requirements, including leading on the timely preparation and submission of quality narrative and financial reports.
• Ensure that audit reports are responded to, and recommendations implemented within approved / agreed timeframes.
• Lead the identification and resolution of challenges which impact audit compliance and/or contribute to risk.
• Cultivate an atmosphere of good stewardship, accountable ministry, and diligent compliance with internal and donor-imposed processes.

10%People Management and Capacity Building

• Supervise and mentor direct-report staff, including communicating clear expectations, setting performance objectives, providing regular and timely performance feedback, and leading documented semi-annual performance reviews.
• Ensure effective capacity building, professional development and performance improvement strategies are implemented to maximize staff potential using job descriptions, staffing models and performance management tools.
• In collaboration with People and Culture department develop and implement strategies to ensure quality staff are attracted, retained, and developed for high performance
• Provide coaching and mentorship to program managers, ensuring a shared vision, teamwork, effective communication, and active engagement in decision making and management approaches, as well as ensuring staff care measures are in place and followed.
• Champion performance management mechanisms, ensuring full participation and quality results to promote staff engagement and a culture of excellence.
• Cultivate an atmosphere of staff empowerment and motivation leading to active participation in food and cash assistance programme initiatives, leading by example, and actively engaging with all staff.

KNOWLEDGE/QUALIFICATIONS FOR THE ROLE:

The following may be acquired through a combination of formal or self-education, prior experience or on-the-job training:

• Preferred Masters, but acceptable bachelors degree in international development, Business administration, Social Sciences, Community development studies and Program management
• Experience with resilience, public health, and WASH programming (a minimum of 3-years across all three sectors).
• A minimum of 5 years experience in humanitarian and development practice, with at least 5 years in management positions.
• Strong leadership skills with demonstrated experience either (i) leading/coordinating decentralized, multi-sector teams in fragile context; (ii) leading and/or supporting procurement process and/or (iii) development/improvement of performance management systems; (iv) government engagement.
• Experience in external engagement with NGOs, donors, private sector, etc. with the ability to represent the organization to a variety of stakeholders in a range of forums.
• Excellent oral/written and interpersonal skills.
• Confident communication and documentation skills.
• A team player with leadership qualities, excellent flexible project management skills, organization and dependability.
• Capacity to prioritize and manage a diverse range of staff members, projects and activities.
• Able to work on a cross-cultural environment with a multi-national and multi-agency staff member.
• Ability to solve complex problems and to exercise independent judgment.
• Capable of working independently and with demonstrated experience engaging a wide range of stakeholders.
• Experience working with or in fragile context settings.

Required Education, training, license, registration, and certification:

• Preferred Master but will consider bachelor’s graduates (if other relevant experience is demonstrated) or significant humanitarian leadership experience in lieu of formal education requirements.
• Program Management
• Monitoring and Evaluation
• Economics
• Social science

Preferred Knowledge and Qualifications:

• Work experience for a management level of social enterprise or NGO.
• Understands, values and promotes diversity to achieve organizational goals.
• Must adhere to set security standards.
• Ensure a gender and social inclusion perspective in the scope of work.
• Performs other duties as required.

Travel and/or Work Environment:

• Mogadishu-based with frequent travel to field-offices and Nairobi back offices.
• 10% international travel

Physical Requirements:

• Ability to travel to field locations in 4×4 vehicles.

Application deadline : 19th December 2023

Applicant Types Accepted:

Local and International Applicants (IA’s) Accepted