Operations Officer at Mercy Corps

Location: Dikwa, Borno

Program / Department Summary

• Mercy Corps has been present in Nigeria since December 2012, focusing its interventions on adolescent girls’ empowerment, economic development and conflict mitigation. In mid-2014 Mercy Corps has decided to address the rising humanitarian needs among displaced households and vulnerable host communities by in the north east Nigeria and started its humanitarian program.
• With funding from humanitarian donors including OFDA, FFP, EU and ECHO the humanitarian program has been focusing on food assistance, non-food items distribution, protection, livelihoods support, WASH and capacity building of humanitarian response actors.
• All Mercy Corps interventions in Nigeria are implemented in a conflict and gender sensitive manner.

General Position Summary

• The Operations Officer provides day-to-day support to the program operations in Dikwa the Borno State, under the direct supervision of the Field Manager and technically by Operations manager based in Maiduguri.
• As part of his/her responsibilities the Operations Officer will undertake tasks under procurement, administration, logistics and security working in close collaboration with the finance and program teams.
• S/he will promptly and effectively provide all required support to programs so to deliver the assistance to beneficiaries in a timely, compliant and transparent manner.

Essential Job Functions
Procurement:

• Read and has clear understanding of the Mercy Corps FP3 guidelines and all procedures;
• Lead Mercy Corps daily Procurement Activities in Dikwa Office to meet program and country mission objectives in a timely manner and in accordance with Mercy Corps guidelines and donor regulations;
• Possesses a full understanding of MC procurement policies and formats. Provide training to new staff on these policies and provided refresher training as gap in staff knowledge are identified;
• Assists staff as needed on creating clear and understandable purchase requests (PR) and other documentation;
• Collects quotations and bids from the market for PR-s with support from Operations Manager – as per Mercy Corps standards and formats;
• Conduct regular market survey at least every quarter with coordination and support from Operations Manager;
• Conduct Preferred Supplier process for Accommodation, stationary and other repetitive request in coordination with Procurement Officer and Administrative Officer
• Maintains PR Master Lists and shares with staff on weekly bases.
• Interact with vendors during collection of quotations – explain Mercy Corps formats and ensure that vendors will use the provided forms;
• Ensures fair competition and strictly adhere to Mercy Corps procurement rules regarding vendor relations as described by Mercy Corps
• Interacts with contractors, in coordination with the Operations Manager and Field Manager;
• Ensures that the required documentation of supplies and transactions are completed to Mercy Corps standards. Maintains and updates the procurement files
• Raise payment request for vendor’s payments and monitor the status of each payment.

Assets:

• Read and has a clear understanding of the Mercy Corps Asset Management Manual and all procedures;
• Assists the Asset Controller with asset management. Identify assets during the course of procurement and notify the Asset Controller on receipts of assets;
• Participates in regular assets inventory and checks.
• Ensures that all the assets are maintained and in good condition. Check assets stickers regularly;
• Maintain inventories of Mercy Corps premises (non-expandable properties) conduct regular checks (quarterly);
• Advise Operations Manager on any broken, damaged or destroyed equipment;

Fleet:

• Read and has a clear understanding of the Mercy Corps Fleet Management Policy Guidelines;
• Support the Operations assistant and deep field Operation Officers in fleet management and able to step-in in these roles

Administration:

• Read and has a clear understanding of the Mercy Corps Field Administration Manual and all procedures;
• Support in running offices and ability and readiness to step-in when required
• Establishes and maintain appropriate filing systems for office correspondence. Receive and dispatch mail;
• Support that the office is run in a professional and responsible manner including hosting guests, cleaning, receptionist duties and general contact and liaison with outside agencies.
• Support that office has sufficient office supplies.
• Support the management of office consumable (office materials like: stationary, cleaning & hygiene,): that will include: collecting the requests on monthly bases, maintaining the stock, monitoring the use.

Warehousing and commodity Management:

• Ensure that warehouse policies are followed as described in the policies and procedure manual
• Establish and maintain pipelines of supplies , oversee commodity storage and movement
• Ensure proper warehousing documentation and ensure that commodity tracking are in place
• Provide accurate monthly reports across Biu and all deep field offices.

Operations support deep field offices in Dikwa:

• Focal person for all operations support to deep field offices, including procurement, fleet, warehousing and admin
• Obtain and process all request from the deep field offices including getting required signatures, supporting procurement and dispatch of good and equipment to the deep field offices, provide required operations training such as admin, procurement and warehousing.

Operations Management - Security:

• To ensure that compound guards remain an effective and credible deterrent;
• 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;

Others:

• Carries out other duties as assigned by supervisor
• The Operations Officer will conduct himself/herself both professionally and personally in such a manner as to bring credit to Mercy Corps and to not jeopardize its humanitarian mission.

Security:

• Ensure compliance with security procedures and policies as determined by country leadership.
• Proactively ensure that team members operate in a secure environment and are aware of policies.

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 toward 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.

Accountability:

• Supervisory Responsibility: Technical support for all operations in the deep field offices and Security Company.
• Reports Directly to: Field Manager
• Technically to: Operations Manager
• Works Directly with: MEL, Programs, Finance and Operations

Requirements, Knowledge and Experience

• A Bachelor's Degree in Supply Chain / Logistics / Operations Management discipline, Business Administration, Public Administration, Commerce etc.,
• Minimum of 3 years relevant experience in operational coordination and support functions with an international non-governmental organization or in the private sector;
• Experience in overseeing logistics operations and systems;
• Demonstrated experience in setting up and managing complex administration and operational systems;
• Minimum of 2 years of experience leading teams in humanitarian assistance and development field;
• Demonstrated understanding of complex emergencies, related security concerns, and appropriate responses to such emergencies;
• Excellent negotiation, representation, skills and the ability to work comfortably with an ethnically diverse staff;
• Excellent verbal and written communication, organizational, prioritization and computer skills in Microsoft Office applications are required;
• Demonstrated attention to detail, ability to follow procedures, meet deadlines and work independently and cooperatively with team members.
• Proven records of successful training and capacity building of staff;
• Knowledge of Mercy Corps systems and procedures (particularly Mercy Corps procurement systems) is desirable;
• Ability and willingness to travel to unstable areas of Borno state and operate comfortably in these areas.

Success Factors

• Ability to maintain high integrity in performing assigned responsibilities, excellent problem solving skills, and ability to act as intermediary between program and operations staff to ensure smooth process flow while maintaining a balance between program implementation and compliance with Mercy Corps and donor policies Fast thinker and creative problem solving. Flexibility and creativity in planning.
• Ability to take initiative, learn quickly and be accountable for results.
• Ability to understand the larger picture while remaining focused on the details.
• Awareness of and sensitivity to multi-cultural international development work. Even temperament and a good sense of humor.
• Ability to get along and familiarize with nuanced roles and personalities. High security awareness.