Mercy Corps Operations Manager Job in Kenya

Mercy Corps has recently been awarded a 3-year program under USAID’s Yes Youth Can initiative, covering six regions in Kenya; Western, Nyanza, Rift Valley, Central, Nairobi and Coast.

The core of this program is a Youth Innovate for Change Fund (YICF), which will be a youth-owned, youth-led and youth-managed financial facility to support local solutions for community economic development as it grows in value.

This program aims to appropriately empower Kenyan youth (15-35yrs) to strengthen their socio-economic and political stakes through youth-led and managed initiatives and institutions.

The YICF will in the first three years provide sustainable financial and skills development assistance to approximately 200,000 youth through a variety of youth-identified social and economic community development projects.

General Position Summary:

The Operations Department provides program support functions for the Country and Field Offices including Procurement, Logistics and Administration.

The Operations Manager is tasked with managing and coordinating all procurements and logistics in the six regions mentioned including Nairobi.

Direct office management requires the standardized implementation of all Operations policies and procedures with involvement and oversight of the day to day activities.

The Operations Manager will ensure timely reports and updates are provided back to field offices and program management.

The Operations Manager works closely with their counterparts in Program and Finance Management on budgeting, expenses and forecasting cash flows.

Essential Job Functions:

• Oversight Mercy Corps Kenya program operations functions
• Maintain an updated and executable procurement plan on a regular basis. This plan should be shared as part of report to the Operations Director.
• Ensure the uniform implementation of Mercy Corps’ Logistics, Procurement, Asset Management, Administration and Human Resources guidelines, as well as donor guidelines where applicable, across field offices.
• Oversee Mercy Corps electronic procurement system in both procurement of services and materials in Nairobi and field offices.
• Ensure that all field offices are set up and functional and that are at an acceptable speed and quality.
• Ensure overall management of supplier/vendor relationships with the highest level of professionalism
• Ensure Mercy Corps gets “value for money” during all procurements irrespective of the value
• Oversight of centrally administered requirements that are critical to the country needs. Including but not limited to: registration of vehicles, importation, insurance, radio registration etc.
• Overall management of program equipment and facilities; vehicles, office premises and equivalent, to guarantee year-round efficiency of program assets. Particular attention to efficiency of fleet.
• Provide oversight of operational cost controls across all offices to ensure reasonable monthly expenditures on electricity, water, communication and other utility items or services.
• Establish context-based and objective mechanisms of preventing corruption during procurement processes
• As a supervisor of other Operations staff (HR, admin and logistics), this position will ensure proper training and continuous capacity building of staff with a view to improve efficiency levels on support functions.
• Manage operational budget in liaison with Country Finance Manager and CoP to ensure operational expenses are all within approved budget.
• Any other duties as assigned by supervisor and characteristic to the position

Organizational Learning

As part of Mercy Corps’ agency-wide Organizational Learning Initiative, all team members are responsible for spending 5% of their work time in formal and/or non-formal professional learning activities.

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: Logistics/Procurement Officer & HR Officer

Accountability: Compliance with MC and USAID regulations and policies

Reports Directly To: Director of Operations

Works Directly With: CoP, Program Managers, Finance Manager, Head of field offices

Knowledge and Experience:

• A minimum of 3 years of experience working in international relief or development in management of procurement, logistics and administration with an international NGO.
• Previous experience with a USAID grant
• BA/BS or equivalent in a relevant field. Professional training and experience in supply chain management desired.
• Demonstrated experience in securing cost effective procurements and supplier chain management
• Familiarity with Mercy Corps Office in a Box, Finance and compliance systems.
• Excellent computer skills in Excel
• Demonstrated ability and desire to train and build capacity of staff.
• Fluency in written and oral communication in English required.

Success Factors:

• Demonstrated ability to provide leadership and communicate effectively with team members of varied personalities
• Demonstrated capacity to manage diverse teams in high-pressure context.
• Demonstrated ability to train, coach and build capacity of staff of varying skill, experience and aptitude levels. Building the capacity of staff will be a key success factor.
• Demonstrated flexibility and creativity in planning and problem solving.
• Proven ability to learn quickly, take initiative, and be accountable for results.
• Awareness of and sensitivity to multi-cultural international development work.
• Even temperament and a good sense of humor are appreciated.
• Proven ability to follow procedures and meet deadlines.
• Commitment to transparency, accountability and compliance with donor, organizational and national policies and regulations.

Living /Environmental Conditions:

The position will be based in Nairobi, with 40% field travel.

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.

Staff are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and respect local laws, customs and MC's policies, procedures, and values at all times and in all in-country venues.

Interested candidates who meet the above required qualifications and experience should submit on or before Jan 30th Jan 2012 at 4.00 p.m. a cover letter, detailed Curriculum Vitae (CV) listing three professional references (including a recent or supervisor) to hrkenya@ke.mercycorps.org

Applicants must clearly indicate on the email subject “Application for the position of "Operations Manager”.

Applications without this subject heading will be disqualified.

Please do not attach any certificates.

Potential candidates will be interviewed as applications are received.

Only qualified short-listed candidates will be contacted