Deputy Director Operations

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises, helping to restore health, safety, education, economic wellbeing, and power to people devastated by conflict and disaster. Founded in 1933 at the call of Albert Einstein, the IRC is one of the world’s largest international humanitarian non-governmental organizations (INGO), at work in more than 40 countries and 29 U.S. cities helping people to survive, reclaim control of their future and strengthen their communities. A force for humanity, IRC employees deliver lasting impact by restoring safety, dignity and hope to millions. If you’re a solutions-driven, passionate change-maker, come join us in positively impacting the lives of millions of people world-wide for a better future.

Since 2017, IRC has supported Rohingya Refugees and Bangladeshi nationalities communities in Cox’s Bazar, Khulna, Barisal, and Chittagong with integrated services. The organization also addresses climate change impacts by building resilience and promoting economic recovery, education, and protection.

Purpose of the Role

The Deputy Director of Operations (DDO) is a key leadership role responsible for driving operational excellence and ensuring the smooth and efficient functioning of IRC Bangladesh’s core operational departments. This includes Supply Chain, Safety, Security & Access, Government Affairs, IT, Office & Facility Management. The DDO provides strategic oversight, ensuring compliance with IRC and donor regulations while fostering cross-departmental collaboration to enhance program delivery.

This role is critical in enabling IRC Bangladesh to achieve its mission by implementing robust operational systems, driving process improvements, ensuring compliance with IRC and donor regulations, supporting the delivery of high-quality program service and ensuring operational readiness in a complex humanitarian setting. The DDO will champion innovation, efficiency, and accountability while leading efforts to strengthen operational performance. Additionally, the DDO will play a key role overseeing operations for Refugee Resettlement programs, ensuring effective logistics, compliance, and coordination with government and humanitarian agencies to ensure effective service delivery.

As a member of the Senior Management Team (SMT), DDO plays a pivotal role in shaping organizational strategy, ensuring risk mitigation, taking a key part in building strong internal and external collaborations and enhancing operational resilience. The role requires strong leadership, problem-solving, and change management capabilities to drive continuous improvement and ensure the highest quality support for programmatic success.

Highlights of Key Responsibilities

1. Operations Management and Strategic Planning:

• Provide strategic leadership and oversight for the IRC Operations department, fostering a high-performing and motivated team through capacity building, team development, effective delegation, and empowerment.

• Ensure the efficient management of IRC Bangladesh’s field operations, guaranteeing comprehensive support for program development and implementation at the field level.

• Continuously evaluate the operational structure and evolving needs of IRC Bangladesh, implementing strategic and operational enhancements to adapt to changing contexts while ensuring the sustained execution of the IRC Bangladesh Strategy Action Plan.

• Lead business continuity planning and assurance across all operational aspects, including access, safety, security, and government relations, to mitigate risks and prevent disruptions to programmatic activities across IRC field sites.

• Drive operational improvements to optimize efficiency, cost-effectiveness, safety, and compliance in program implementation, thereby strengthening donor relations and enhancing organization-wide functions.

• Oversee the effective adoption of Integra, IRC’s enterprise resource planning (ERP) system, leading the change management process with a particular focus on Supply Chain. Ensure seamless collaboration between Operations, Finance, and Program departments to facilitate successful Integra implementation.

• Contribute to the development and review of proposals, operating plans, budgets, and strategic plans, ensuring that operational requirements are effectively integrated and addressed.

• Collaborate with program teams to implement IRC’s partnership strategy, actively participate in the partnership working group, and facilitate operational capacity-building initiatives for partners.

• Maintain strong relationships with IRC Headquarters and Regional Operations Leads across key functional areas, including Supply Chain, IT, Safety, Security & Access, and government liaison/administration, ensuring alignment and coordination as needed.

2. People Management and Staff Development:

• Provide continuous support to individual team members to facilitate their success and professional growth by establishing clear performance expectations, delivering constructive and timely feedback, and fostering motivation to exceed their potential.

• Cultivate a collaborative and high-performing team culture characterized by mutual accountability, adaptability, and an unwavering commitment to delivering high-quality services to clients.

• Define and enforce clear expectations for proactive cross-functional collaboration within IRC Bangladesh, fostering a culture of partnership and seamless coordination across Operations, Finance, HR, and Program departments.

• Work in close coordination with the Deputy Director-HR to ensure effective workforce planning for the Operations Department, encompassing continuous staff capacity development, timely recruitment to address vacancies, and strategic initiatives to enhance gender diversity in management-level positions.

3. Supply Chain Management:

• Provide strategic leadership, direction, and oversight to ensure the efficient and effective operation of the Supply Chain (SC) function. This includes setting performance targets, identifying and mitigating risks, ensuring seamless cross-departmental coordination, and implementing robust monitoring mechanisms.

• Facilitate the successful adoption and optimal utilization of the IRC’s Integra ERP system within the Supply Chain function. This involves cross-departmental collaboration, issue resolution, and the provision of coaching and support to enhance system efficiency for program delivery.

• In close collaboration with the Regional Supply Chain Director, guide and support the Supply Chain department in establishing and maintaining strong processes and systems for fleet management, procurement, and inventory control at all levels, including facility-level operations. Ensure effective coordination with Program teams to facilitate smooth execution and continuous monitoring of these systems.

• Ensure strict adherence to and effective implementation of IRC Global and donor procurement policies, maintaining compliance with all relevant regulations and standards.

4. Office, Safety, Security, and Access Management:

• Oversee the management of operations at field offices, ensuring they effectively meet program needs through strong leadership and oversight of the Cox’s Bazar and Ukhiya Operations departments.

• Collaborate closely with the Deputy Director of Programs (DDP) and the Field Coordinator to maintain control, efficiency, safety, and security at field offices.

• Ensure that IT infrastructure adequately supports IRC’s programmatic and operational needs, and that IT services, hardware, and software are regularly maintained as necessary.

• Maintain a comprehensive understanding of evolving safety, security, and access risks, as well as contextual dynamics in all areas of operation, proactively adapting strategies to mitigate these risks and ensure the safety of staff and facilities.

• Ensure the regular updating of IRC’s Safety and Security Management Plan and collaborate with relevant departments to enforce strict adherence to its implementation.

5. Government compliance and Liaison/Representation and Coordination:

• Provide strategic leadership across departments to establish and maintain strong relationships with government counterparts, ensuring smooth program delivery that aligns with the Government of Bangladesh’s (GoB) regulations for INGOs.

• Ensure that all relevant functions collaborate closely to adhere to established workflows for government compliance processes, such as FD approvals and operational coordination at the national, Cox’s Bazar, and camp/district levels, in a timely manner.

• Regularly monitor and address access-related challenges and barriers through coordination with relevant internal functions.

• Ensuring accommodation, visa, and security clearance for expatriate staff involves overseeing secure housing, facilitating visa processes, and coordinating security clearances to ensure smooth transitions and effective operations within the country.

• Advocate for and promote IRC Bangladesh’s vision and mission among both external and internal stakeholders.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in business administration, management, Logistics & supply chain, or a related field (a master’s degree is preferred). Certification in operations, leadership, or project management is a plus.

• Over 10 years of progressive work experience (including 5 years at an operational leadership level), preferably in a complex and dynamic humanitarian or development environment and managing refugee resettlement programs.

• Excellent leadership, people management, interpersonal, and negotiation skills, with a demonstrated ability to develop gender-balanced, harmonious, and high-performing teams.

• Successful experience working for Refugee Resettlement programs is preferred. Candidates with relevant International experience will be highly preferred.

• Ability to think strategically and provide strategic leadership to diverse teams, prioritize and meet deadlines in challenging environments; must be culturally sensitive.

• Previous substantial experience in at least three of the following fields: Project Management, Supply Chain, Administration, Security, IT, Risk Management, Communication, Fleet Management, Government Liaison.

• Excellent understanding of GoB’s compliance requirements for NGO operations in Bangladesh, budget management, and change management.

• Strong diplomacy skills; ability to be flexible to changing needs, manage stress, and maintain good collaboration with partners, donors, and other peers in a critical environment.

• Commitment to IRC’s core values: Integrity, Equality, Accountability, and Service.

**Standard of Professional Conduct:**The IRC and the IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in the IRC Way – our Code of Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, Accountability, and Equality.