Head of Operations

The position is to be filled as soon as possible, with an initial contract duration of two years. There are very good prospects for an extension. Employment location will be Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.

As Head of Operations, you will be a member of the senior management team within Burkina. You will lead and manage all support departments (Logistics, HR, Administration and IT) and report to the Country Director. You will be responsible for an effective and efficient delivery of Welthungerhilfe (WHH) programs in compliance with WHH and donor policies and standards. The objective is to facilitate smooth workflows, collaboration among the support units, cost efficiency, compliance, risk management in the Country Office, and the overall structure of program activities in the country.

Your responsibilities

General system management:

• Ensure control systems are in place and effectively implemented to guarantee accountability and compliant use of donor and internal funds
• Provide relevant and timely recommendations to the Senior Management Team on required improvements of internal policies and procedures based on programme needs
• Identify donor-specific requirements to ensure compliance
• Ensure all issues related to government authorizations and reporting are managed timely and proactively

Human Resources and Administration:

• Overall responsibility for HR Management
• Ensure WHH is fully compliant with national employment legislation and requirements and global HR policies and standards
• Ensure staff are trained on the Code of Conduct and mechanisms to report abuses are functioning effectively
• Ensure an effective performance development review system is in place and ongoing training is provided to line managers and staff
• Support the HR department in developing a capacity building plan for all staff

Manage the logistic department / Procurements Logistics procedures:

• Ensure the efficient and timely procurement of goods and services based on programme needs in a transparent, compliant and accountable manner
• Oversee the implementation of and compliance with procurement policies and procedures
• Supervision and control of the procurement plans for all projects and the Country Office
• Supervision and support of the logistic staff in Country Office and support to logistics teams based in the project offices
• Assess the logistics performance in the country office and in each project office and develop and manage an action plan for trainings and capacities building including for local partners staff
• Regularly review transport reports to ensure compliant fleet management through the use of Fleet Wave software
• Ensure the cost-effective maintenance and renewal of the fleet of vehicles
• Ensure stock management procedures and standards are in place in the Country Office and all areas of intervention

Information Technology:

• Ensure IT policies and procedures are understood and adhered to by all staff
• Ensure procurement needs for the IT departments are taken into consideration into project budgeting

Your profile

• A university or college degree or equivalent qualification in a relevant field such as humanitarian assistance, management studies, logistics, human resources
• At least 5 years of relevant experience in an operational position within an international NGO, including two years in a senior level position
• Proven experience in training and capacity building of staff
• Experience in compliance/control and fraud mitigation systems
• Experience working with major international donors and grants compliance requirements
• Previous regional experience in the Sahel context would be an asset
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills and ability to motivate others
• Willingness to undertake missions in the field, often with fragile security conditions
• Ability to work under pressure and adhere to strict deadlines
• Readiness to receive necessary vaccinations for traveling to Welthungerhilfe’s programme countries
• Excellent spoken and written French and English language skills

Our offer

We offer you the opportunity to work in a responsible and interesting field as part of an extremely dedicated team. Welthungerhilfe attaches great importance to the personal and professional development of its employees and the balance of their work and private life. Remuneration is based on our gender-independent salary scale. In addition, Welthungerhilfe offers numerous other benefits, which are listed under “Our benefits”.