Operations Manager at Mercy Corps

Primary Location:  Abuja, Nigeria     
Position Status:  field-based, full-time    

Program/Department Summary:
Mercy Corps has been present in Nigeria since December 2012 helping citizens of Nigeria in Nigeria work toward building a more peaceful and hopeful future. Mercy Corps has been addressing the humanitarian needs in Nigeria through: Conflict & Governance: Supporting religious leaders to discuss tolerance and lead peace-building activities in their communities; Economic opportunity: Empowering communities to identify improvement projects that create jobs and bring conflicting groups together for the common goal of boosting economic activity; Women & Gender: Teaching financial literacy and job skills to girls aged 15-19. Mercy Corps will continue these activities in Nigeria expanding on them and offering a multi-sectoral approach that will address social, economic and infrastructure needs. Through these activities Mercy Corps seeks to provide residents of Nigeria with the means to achieve a long-term recovery.

General Position Summary:
The Operations Manager is a member of the country’s senior management team (SMT). The Operations Manager is responsible for all operations functions in Nigeria including Procurement, Logistics, Assets, Fleet, Warehousing, Admin, and HR. S/he ensures compliance with donor regulations as well as Mercy Corps’ internal policies and procedures, updates local manuals and policies, and builds the capacity of local Operations team members. S/he provides support and advises the Country Director, Finance Manager and senior Program Management on operational issues.

Essential Job Functions:

Management

•     One of the most critical aspects of this role is to develop the capacity of staff subordinates.
•     Work closely with program management to facilitate operations aspects of program planning, and upcoming operations resources needs, especially procurements.
•     Advocate for operations systems: work with all Mercy Corps staff to ensure smooth introduction and adoption of operational systems.
•     Work closely with program and finance teams to deliver successful programs while demonstrating excellent stewardship of donor funds and compliance with MC and donor regulations.
•     Assist the program team and departments to understand their roles and responsibilities in terms of interaction with operations departments. These include trainings, regular coordination meetings, problem solving and procurement planning and other such planning activities to ensure effective and timely program implementation.
•     Responsible for the management of all operations functions and staff; responsible for the full and proper implementation of Mercy Corps systems of management, compliance and control as described in Mercy Corps field manuals contained in the Office in a Box.
•     Work closely with finance compliance to mitigate fraud, conflict of interest, and legal ramifications of Mercy Corps activities.

Operations Management - Logistics:

•     Ensure timely and accurate processing and documentation of procurements: the process, ensure accurate paperwork and a supply chain as described in the Field Procurement Manual.
•     Ensure procurement records systems are well managed and maintained.
•     Oversee use of the Electronic Procurement System found in the Office in a Box.
•     Ensure the warehouse procedures are followed as described in the Warehouse Policy and Procedures Guidelines.
•     Establish and maintain pipeline of supplies to Nigeria if need be overseeing the logistical aspects of the operation.
•     Supervise the fleet management team and ensure that systems are in place to track maintenance schedules, fuel usage and vehicle scheduling as described in the Field Fleet Management Guidelines.
•     Maintain service contracts.
•     Liaise with finance to ensure compliance and payment schedules.
•     Oversee tracking of all assets to ensure accurate record keeping of Mercy Corps and donor assets, including exceptional items that require registration and movement tracking, in accordance with the Mercy Corps Asset Management Manual.
•     Coordinate logistics (non-program) aspects of material aid projects and associated shipments, and managing the importation and customs clearance elements.
•     Maintain inventory records of materials and materials flow in all warehouses.
•     Oversee customs clearing, equipment registration, licensing and insurance, etc.
•     Chair tender openings as required.

Operations Management – Human Resources:

•     Ensure the HR systems for national staff are implemented as described in the HR section of the Field Administration Manual.
•     Continue to the development or review of country or field office specific HR policies (National Staff Policy Handbook, phone policy, salary increase) and with the HR team communicate new policies to all staff as described in the Field Administration Manual.
•     Oversee a fair and transparent, and timely recruiting process including orientation and onboarding.
•     Assist other managers to properly implement the performance review process to ensure proper talent management (star performers are rewarded, plan for underperforming team members)
•     Implement a fair and competitive compensation system.
•     Oversee the HR database and proper tracking of key dates for team members.
•     Ensure all HR policies comply with local law.

Operations Management - Security

•     To act as the Mercy Corps Nigeria Security Focal Point.
•     Conduct security risk assessments of core operational features and record and report findings;
•     Advise the Country Representative of emerging threats and trends;
•     To develop and maintain a security alert tree, where staff can be informed of incidents and developing situations;
•     To ensure that compound guards remain an effective and credible deterrent;
•     To coordinate and monitor security activities to ensure that safety policies and procedures are implemented;
•     To develop and maintain emergency and evacuation plans;
•     To ensure through comprehensive briefings, that all staff and visitors to are fully appraised of the risks, the prevailing security situation and any security procedures.
•     To manage and maintain all security communications equipment;

Operations Management - Administration:

•     Ensure the Admin systems are implemented as described in the Field Administration Manual
•     Oversee the set-up and development of Mercy Corps office(s) to meet needs of team members including drafting and reviewing contracts for office and housing space, leasehold improvements, IT.
•     Continue to the development or review of country or field office specific policies (phone policy, IT policy, per diem) and with the administration team communicate new policies to all staff as described in the Field Administration Manual.
•     Oversee database & paper file management for administration, procurement, logistics resources documents.
•     Oversee facility management, including housing and office leases for the office.  Ensure that security standards are maintained at all premises.
•     Responsible for expatriate visa and work permits, if necessary
•     Supervise IT System Administrator to ensure IT systems functions as needed.
•     Ensure that all Mercy Corps contracts and business transactions/relationships are transparent and in compliance with Nigeria law and Mercy Corps/donor policies.

Strategy and Vision

•     Provide program support, coordination, supervision and monitoring activities designed to meet program objectives.

Representation:

•     As appropriate interface with the (donor) person(s) responsible for coordinating all supply shipments to Nigeria via the appropriate approval processes.
•     Interfacing with our partners as well as sub-grantees, to verify their systems and that they understand and follow all appropriate procedures and archiving.

Organizational Learning: As part of our commitment to organizational learning and in support of our understanding that learning organizations are more effective, efficient and relevant to the communities they serve - we expect all team members to commit 5% of their time to learning activities that benefit Mercy Corps as well as themselves.

Accountability to Beneficiaries: Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts towards accountability, specifically to our beneficiaries and to international standards guiding international relief and development work, while actively engaging beneficiary communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.

Supervisory Responsibility:  All country Operations (Logistics and Administration) staff.

Accountability:

Reports Directly To:  Country Director
Works Directly With:  Program Managers, Chiefs of Party, Finance Manager, Security Staff.
Collaborates With: All MC logistics and operations team as required.

Knowledge and Experience:

•     Masters Degree in Management, Procurement and Logistics or related field
•     7 years field experience in administrative or operational support functions with a humanitarian non-governmental organization with supervisor responsibilities.
•     Experience in setting up and managing administration, procurement, logistics, and human resource management.
•     Demonstrated understanding of complex emergencies, related security concerns, and appropriate responses to such emergencies.
•     Excellent writing and communications skills.
•     Excellent negotiation, representation, skills and the ability to work comfortably with an ethnically diverse staff in a very sensitive environment.
•     Effective verbal and written communication, organizational, prioritization and Microsoft Office applications.
•     Demonstrated attention to detail, ability to follow procedures, meet deadlines and work independently and cooperatively with team members.
•     Proven ability to solve problems independently without direct supervision.
•     Experience living and working in Nigeria preferred.
•     Knowledge of Mercy Corps systems and procedures (particularly Mercy Corps procurement systems) highly desirable.
•     M&E experience preferred.
•     Knowledge of donor (DfID and USAID) regulations helpful.

Success Factors:
Critical is problem solving, and the ability to work out methods to deliver successful programs while demonstrating excellent stewardship of donor funds and compliance with MC and donor regulations. Maintaining strong cooperating relationships with other departments is crucial. A successful candidate will have the ability to interact effectively with international and national personnel both in a managerial as well as training capacity and demonstrate ability to multi-task, meet deadlines and process information in support of changing program activities. S/he will be able to live and work closely with a diverse team of individuals in a highly intense and fluid work and security environment and be willing to travel regularly to Mercy Corps field offices and project sites.

Living Conditions/Environmental Conditions:
This position will be based in Abuja and frequent travel will be required to project sites in relevant cities.
Mercy Corps Team members represent the agency both during and outside of work hours when deployed in a field posting or on a visit/TDY to a field posting. Team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and respect local laws, customs and Mercy Corps' policies, procedures, and values at all times and in all in-country venues.