Head of Operations, Admin and HR at BBC Media Action

Department: Operations, Admin and HR
Reports to: Country Director
Start Date:  Immediate
Type of Contract: Fixed Term

Job Purpose

• We require a dynamic manager with extensive experience, a highly developed understanding of media and development, and excellent management skills to lead our Operations, Admin and HR department.
• This is a senior management team role, reporting directly to the Country Director, responsible for the effective functioning of BBC Media Action’s operations, administrative affairs and human resources. This includes overseeing logistics, IT, business and government relationships, staffing and other aspects that may be required for the day-to-day operation of the office and to support the activities of other departments.
• The Head of Operations, Admin and HR will also be responsible for office and staff security, health and safety, and will work with the Country Director to ensure our activities are carried out in line with BBC’s health and safety protocols.
• In addition, this post will be responsible for overseeing co-operation between BBC Media Action and the relevant authorities in Nigeria and ensuring best practice in the BBC’s compliance with local regulations.

Main Duties

• Provide leadership of the Operations, Admin and HR Department in the Nigeria office, with overall responsibilities for logistics, IT, security, health and safety, physical infrastructure, equipment, business and government relationships, and compliance with all local regulations.
• Supervise a team of managers, administrative staff, IT staff, transport officers, HR staff and office assistants and arrange their job responsibilities to ensure efficient functioning of the office in all areas in charge.
• Take a holistic view and work across all other departments of BBC Media Action in Nigeria to ensure they get the necessary logistic, technical and HR support needed to effectively carry out their work.
• Oversee the security of the office, staff and property and ensure our activities are carried out in line with BBC’s health and safety protocols, including risk assessments for all travel.
• Take responsibility for overseeing the maintenance of office vehicles, equipment and property, and for ensuring appropriate health and safety gadgets are in place in the office.
• Advise and support the Country Director and other senior staff to manage risk related to all aspects of our work.
• Supervise the HR team to ensure that staff recruitments comply with BBC rules and local regulations, and that proper HR records and paperwork are kept on file.
• Ensure that our agreements with suppliers and contractors are compliant with local regulations and BBC standards, meet the needs of our work, and provide good value for money.
• Build and maintain relationships with relevant government bodies in line with local requirements and BBC standards and protocols.
• Support professional development of all staff, including strengthening capacity, building skills and delegating authority to support professional growth.
• Participate actively in BBC Media Action Nigeria’s country senior management team and encourage maximum collaboration across all departments to help ensure our work in Nigeria achieves its intended impact.

Skills, Knowledge and Experience

• Proven extensive experience managing and motivating large teams of Operations and Admin staff in a high-pressure work environment to achieve strategic objectives.
• Minimum of seven years experience leading and supervising office Operations and Admin in an NGO or in a related environment.
• Excellent negotiating and influencing skills, with demonstrated experience of negotiating contracts and resolving issues with external suppliers and partners.
• Proven extensive experience building and maintain relationships with Nigerian government bodies in line with local requirements and international best practices.
• Proven extensive experience overseeing the deployment of staff for assignments across Nigeria, with a particular focus on safety scenario planning, risk assessments, and other measures intended to mitigate risks in the field.
• Thorough knowledge of local tax, commercial, media, labour and safety legislation. Proven knowledge of BBC editorial, safety, procurement and other standards and protocols would be a plus.
• Proven work experience helping use media to achieve development goals, and a strong knowledge of the Nigerian media sector and international donors operating in Nigeria.
• Demonstrable ability to handle pressure, meet tight deadlines; to prioritise work and to confidently delegate authority; to manage several projects at the same time.
• Proven experience in communicating effectively with people at all levels and from different backgrounds.

Key competencies:
The following competencies (behaviours and characteristics) have been identified as key to success in the job. Successful candidates are expected to demonstrate these competencies:

• Business Management - Is able to understand commercial imperatives and trading relationships, appropriately applies business principles in terms of costs, the market and added value.
• Strategic Thinking - Can identify a vision along with the plan which needs to be implemented to meet the end goal. Evaluates situations, decisions, issues, etc. in the short, medium and longer-term.
• Analytical Skills - Simplifies complex problems, processes or projects. Identifies casual relationships and constructs frameworks for problem-solving and/or development.
• Decision Making - Is ready and able to take initiative, originate action and be responsible for the consequences of decisions.
• Influencing Others - Presents sound and well-reasoned arguments to convince others. Draws from a range of strategies to persuade people in a way that results in agreement or behaviour change.
• Motivation/Drive - Constantly seeks to do things better through setting more challenging goals. Is prepared to question the current way of doing things and take risks in pursuit of excellence.
• Flexibility - Adapts to changing circumstances and displays a positive attitude to the process of change.
• Self-Awareness - Have an understanding of own strengths, limitations, emotions, etc and how it impacts on others.
• Teamworking - Ability to establish harmonious work-relationships with colleagues in a multicultural environment.