Senior Operations Advisor

Do you want to be part of a global team of humanitarian professionals who help DRC Senior Management Teams to excel operationally? We are looking for a Senior Operations Advisor support COs and ROs globally.
 

Who are we?

The Operational Support and Oversight section (OSO) within DRC’s HQ-Operations Department (HQ-OPS) provides the global support and oversight needed to sufficiently mitigate the risks DRC is exposed to across our implementing entities globally. The section continuously does so by enabling our 4 Regional Offices and 40 Country Offices to proactively identify and mitigate operational risks and by promoting and supporting decision-making that efficiently aligns with DRCs internal global standards and policies, and with external laws and regulations in the countries we operate.

 

About the job

The Senior Operations Advisor (SOA) plays a crucial role in advancing operational standardization and ensuring global consistency, aligning with DRC’s 2025 Strategy, HQ-OPS Department Strategy, and OSO work plans. Additionally, the SOA serves as a key support resource at headquarters (HQ) for Regional Offices (ROs), Country Offices (COs), and other implementing entities, offering expertise in rolling-out and using DRC’s operational tools, policies, and frameworks.

 

The Senior Operations Advisor (SOA) fulfils a multifaceted role with a focus on enhancing operational effectiveness and ensuring alignment with DRC’s strategic objectives. This includes:

 

• Risk Management Support: Facilitating COs and ROs in meeting their risk management obligations by fostering ongoing collaboration and engagement among colleagues. This encompasses actively aiding ROs and COs in proficiently utilizing DRC’s global Risk Registers (RRs) as a year-round management tool, all while concurrently providing rigorous technical quality assurance (QA) support. In cases demanding immediate attention, the SOA takes proactive steps to mobilize and coordinate relevant technical support resources, often tapping into the expertise available at HQ.
• Operational troubleshooting: Serving as the primary point of contact at HQ for complex operational challenges  that necessitate high-capacity facilitation, engagement, and coordination across multiple departments and stakeholders within DRC. The SOA collaborates closely with colleagues in ROs and COs to proactively address operational challenges faced on the ground by identifying and implementing practical solutions.
• Case Handling: Assisting COs and ROs in providing support in on specific high-risk cases in a timely, cost-efficient, and hands-on manner. The SOA actively collaborates with ROs and COs to identify practical operational solutions to cases, alleviating pressures on Senior Management Teams (SMTs) thereby ensuring smooth operational continuity within DRC’s COs and ROs.
• Global Support Capacity: Concurrently, the SOA shares pertinent information, including both RO and CO-specific insights and global lessons learned, with relevant global technical leads throughout the organization. This knowledge exchange is essential to maintaining policies, tools, and frameworks that remain user-friendly and effective for colleagues in COs and ROs. The SOA also support that operational deliverables stemming from Internal Audits and Code of Conduct reports are diligently followed up on.
• Global Roll-out of Policies, Tools, and Frameworks: Offering direct and ongoing support and follow-up assistance to colleagues in COs and ROs during roll-out of essential global compliance tools, such as the Project Cycle Management (PCM) Field Guide, Online Risks Register, etc.  ensuring smooth integration into their operational practices.

 

As a crucial prerequisite, the SOA is expected to maintain a comprehensive operational understanding of designated countries. This responsibility is at the core of HQ-OPS’ and OSO’s mission, enabling DRC to conduct evidence-based analysis of potential operational gaps, irregularities, inconsistencies, and draw from the extensive reservoir of lessons learned gathered through our expansive network of over 40 COs and ROs worldwide.

 

About you

To be successful in this role we expect you to have a minimum of 7 years’ experience within the humanitarian/development sector. Additionally, you have at least 3 years of field experience from being permanently based in a country office in a humanitarian/development organization (either as a national or as an international staff) – preferably as a senior manager/key member of a Senior Manager Team with staff, budget and oversight responsibilities. 

You can translate your field and managerial experiences and capacity into constructive operational support and advisory to country offices and regional offices. As such, you will be able to provide high level support to ROs and COs in finding tangible and efficient operational solutions to often complex and high-risk issues.

Moreover, we also expect the following:

 

Required

• Senior manager experience: key member of a Senior Manager Team with staff, budget and oversight responsibilities
• Professional proficiency in written and oral English.
• Excellent communication skills.
• Relevant academic background, master’s degree in relevant area or equivalent.
• Willingness and ability to travel up to 30 days a year to COs and ROs.
• Ability to translate vast experiences into concrete tangible support and advisory rendered to ROs and COs.
• Analytical skills to produce tangible and efficient operational solutions to often complex issues.

 

Desirable

• Professional proficiency in written and oral Spanish and/or French.
• Professional experience and knowledge from working in countries in Middle East, North Africa and/or Latin America
• Sound understanding of how the humanitarian system is organised, current developments and risks posed to international NGOs, like DRC.
• Sound experience working with donors; fundraising, negotiation and contracting.

 

We offer

Contract length: Until May 31st 2025 – 12 months due to leave of absence (37 hours per week including lunch)

Workplace: Borgergade 10, Copenhagen Denmark

Start date: June 1st or as soon as possible thereafter.

 

Salary and conditions will be in accordance with the agreement between DRC and AC (fuldmægtig niveau). This is a national position for which local terms and conditions apply.

Please note that you need to have the right to work in Denmark (through nationality or obtaining a work visa) to be considered for this role.

Application process

All applicants must send a cover letter and an updated CV in English. Apply online on our page Current Vacancies at www.drc.ngo.

Closing date for applications: May 8th 2024. Due to the urgency in filling this role, we will conduct interviews on a running basis.

DRC encourages all applicants to apply. DRC provides equal opportunity in employment and prohibits discrimination in employment on the basis of race, nationality, ethnicity, gender, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status or disability.

 

Further information

For questions regarding the vacancy please contact: Svend Monrad Graunbøl, Head of Operational Support and Oversight, svend.monrad.graunboel@drc.ngo.

For further information about the Danish Refugee Council, please consult our website drc.ngo.