Deputy Chief of Party, Operations

Project Background

Justicia Efectiva supports the criminal justice system in Honduras to combat the impunity, criminality, and corruption that drive many Hondurans to migrate irregularly each year. Justicia Efectiva simultaneously strengthens institutions’ capacity to deliver effective and accessible services while bolstering civil society oversight and advocacy, fostering an independent and people-centered criminal justice system. To achieve this, Justicia Efectiva follows a comprehensive approach to improve access to justice, enhance the effectiveness of the criminal justice system, and build trust in public institutions through the following four strategic themes:

• Strategic Criminal Prosecution: Improving government resource allocation and mobilizing actors to optimize the reporting, investigation, and prosecution of priority crimes that impact people’s daily lives.
• People-Centered Justice: Transforming institutions to respond to citizens’ demands and improve vulnerable people’s justice journeys through data-driven, participatory, inclusive, and locally-led practices.
• Local Justice Systems: Improving the capacity of local justice operators and enabling agile multi-sectoral and interinstitutional coordination to reduce barriers and costs to accessing justice.
• Open Justice: Strengthening the transparency of the criminal justice system, enabling greater oversight of government institutions, and promoting increased citizen trust.

Through these lines of action, Justicia Efectiva helps to bolster democracy and the rule of law in Honduras and address the justice needs afflicting of vulnerable groups to rebuild the social contract between the government and its people.

Position Description

The Deputy Chief of Party (DCOP-Ops) directly supervises the Director of Operations (DO), the Human Resources Manager, Security Manager, and the Procurement & Subcontracts Manager, and works in partnership with the COP and DCOP – Technical to manage the project’s work plan and implement new processes and approaches to achieve project goals, in addition to providing oversight and leadership to the program’s operations. S/he will serve as a significant liaison for operational issues (e.g., accounting, budgeting, finance, and human resources issues) with USAID/Honduras, other contractors and implementing partners, other donors, and any other key stakeholders. The DCOP-OPs will have demonstrated ability to work in complex environments and manage diverse teams to deliver impact. The DCOP is responsible for overseeing project administration, financial management, operations, logistics, and subcontracts, and reports directly to the COP.

Key Duties and Responsibilities

• Finance
• Oversee the DO in ensuring a high level of financial and contractual compliance and integrity.
• Monitor Activity burn rate to identify bottlenecks and areas to improve.
• Oversee the DO in ensuring the proper reconciliation of local bank accounts.
• If necessary, provide a final review of findings of regular financial files, both electronic & physical, audits to ensure compliance and identify areas for improvement.
• Approve payments in accordance with the Project Schedule of Authority.
• If necessary, provide a final review and approval of financial operations with regards to reasonableness, allocability, and allowability, adhering to corporate policies, contractual terms, US Federal Acquisition Regulations, Agency for International Development Acquisition Regulations (AIDAR) and other applicable rules and regulations.
• Advise COP and DAI home office on project financial matters in collaboration with the DO.
• Human Resources and Payroll
• Directly supervises the Human Resources Manager.
• Advise the Human Resources Manager on hiring requirements and process, contributing to expediting process and complying with corporate policies, contractual terms, US Federal Acquisition Regulations, Agency for International Development AcquisitionRegulations (AIDAR) and other applicable rules and regulations.
• Approve all local employee’s salary offers and supervise candidate’s verification processes.
• Ensure compliance with payroll fringe benefits.
• Contribute with the HR team in deployment of trainings that are mandatory and required by DAI.
• Review the monthly payroll packet and obtain COP signature.
• Ensure compliance with local labor law and provide guidance on all HR legal issues arising from employee management.
• Oversee contracting and deployment of well over 60 consultants annually.
• Oversee all HR and Payroll issues.
• Ensure that the Finance Manager and Human Resources Manager are effectively coordinating and cooperating to ensure compliance with monthly payroll and statutory fringe benefit contributions according to Honduran law.
• Coordinate with the Human Resources Manager on providing contributions to the HR team in the deployment of trainings that are mandatory and required by DAI.
• Oversee project recruitment and employee lifecycle providing guidance and support to the Human Resources team to ensure that operations are running smoothly and efficiently to meet the project’s manpower needs.
• Support the Human Resources manager (as needed) in managing staff performance as required by local labor laws and DAI policies.
• Procurement and Subcontracts
• Directly supervise the procurement & subcontracts manager.
• Provide support and guidance on all procurement related issues, compliance and adherence to corporate policies, contractual terms, US Federal Acquisition Regulations, Agency for International Development AcquisitionRegulations (AIDAR) and other applicable rules and regulations.
• Provide review and approval of processes on the online TAMIS platform according to Project Schedule of Authorities.
• Advise Procurement team on any issuesrelated to the portfolio.
• With the procurement & subcontracts manager, manage relationship with local partners. Ensure that partners are operating in compliance corporate policies, contractual terms, US Federal Acquisition Regulations, Agency for International Development Acquisition Regulations (AIDAR) and other applicable rules and regulations.
• Alongside the procurement & subcontracts manager, develop, manage, maintain, and update (when necessary) the project’s partners strategy.
• If needed, provide assessments and recommendations to adjust the procurement & subcontracts to best fit and respond to the ongoing implementation needs of JECCC.
• Security
• Directly supervise the Security manager and support him/her in their duties.
• Ensure that our duty of care to employees and project partners is observed by having appropriate security measures in place.
• Operations and Logistics
• Directly supervise the director of operations and support him/her in their duties.
• Ensure that the Activity’s operations are compliant with Honduran law, USAID regulation, and DAI policy.
• Ensure that the program has appropriate and compliant information security systems and measures and that all staff are provided equipment appropriate to complete their scopes of work.
• Ensure/ regular completion of inventory audits and review results with DO and relevant manager.
• Conduct regular reviews of Field Operations Manual to ensure all policies are updated accordingly.
• Strategic Leadership
• Provides overall administrative management of program activities and supports strategic decision-making surrounding implementation of technical activities. Works with the technical teams to identify operational efficiencies and monitor program activities budget execution. Identify implementation bottlenecks and work with COP and DCOP-Technical to address them.
• Ensure compliance with DAI’s Code of Ethics and all other DAI policies and procedures by preparing and providing trainings to staff and program beneficiaries as needed including new hires, interns, grantees, and more.
• Alongside the Director of Operations, serve as a liaison with key stakeholders, informing them of DAI standards, administrative processes such as participant travel and per diem, and any other administrative questions they may have related to implementation with the Activity.
• Acts as COP in the absence of the DCOP-Technical and COP.

Minimum Qualifications

• At least fifteen (15) years of work experience in financial management, financial reporting, budgeting, contracting and procurement, and grant management and human resource issues. Of, which at least six (6) years of experience supporting USAID programs with their application process, either through a home office or field role, including reviewing applications and preparing full packages for USAID approval
• At least eight (8) years of supervisory work experience, including: (1) direct supervision of professional and support staff; (2) quality evaluation of staff performance and deliverables; and (3) project management under contract(s).
• S/he must have proven field technical experience in designing and implementing integrated program management and in working directly with host country government (national and subnational) and civil society organizations.
• University bachelor’s Degree in administration, finances, industrial engineering or related fields with 15 years relevant experience OR an additional 4 years’ experience in place of a degree.
• Spanish ILR Level 3 – Full Professional Proficiency in Reading, Speaking, Listening and Writing (or equivalent)

Preferred Qualifications

• Preferred English and Spanish ILR Level 4 – General Professional Proficiency in Reading, Speaking, Listening and Writing (or equivalent).
• Experience managing operations for U.S. government-funded activities or other international donors’ activities.