Hello Hello! Alight is recruiting an Operations Manager to be based in the Addis Ababa Country office. You’re interested in joining us? Welcome, we’re happy you’re here!

If you join us, you will find…

A team with deep experience in co-designing solutions that create new value around the world. We know we need to always be better, and we believe in the power and abundance of everyday people, everywhere, to change the world with us.

A culture of radical accountability to our customers –as we help build a meaningful life for and with the displaced, we ask them what they want and then deliver on it.

Alight (formerly American Refugee Committee) is an international non-profit organization with its headquarters located in the United States. Alight has provided humanitarian assistance to millions of beneficiaries in 29 countries over the past 40 years, currently reaching over 10 million refugees, IDPs, and disaster-affected communities in 17 countries around the world, helping people regain control of their lives after conflict and natural disasters. Alight maintains full-fledged humanitarian programs in Somalia, Uganda, Rwanda, Sudan, South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Pakistan, Thailand, and Myanmar. Alight is currently responding to humanitarian situation in Ethiopia.

The overall objective of the Alight (ARC) in Ethiopia program is to prevent death and alleviate human suffering among affected internally displaced persons (IDPs) in settlements and host communities where we work. Alight has embarked on WASH, Health, Protection, and livelihood activities in Ethiopia and expand to other parts of the Country. Alight is taking a multi-sectoral approach in responding to the severe drought conditions through a range of activities including Health, Relief Commodities and WASH.

 The Ethiopia Program of the Alight (ARC) has fully-fledged offices in Addis Ababa, Mekelle, Semera & Amhara liaison offices in Ethiopia. Alight is working closely with national and regional authorities and with several Ethiopia -based international and national organizations to galvanize coordinated lifesaving humanitarian assistance to the people in need.

PRIMARY PURPOSE OF THE POSITION:

As part of Country Leadership team, the Operations Manager will ensure an effective and accountable operations support system is in place in line with Alight’s global as well as Alight Ethiopia’s national policies and procedures of the field office. S/he will also be responsible for the overall Management and implementation of an effective procurement, logistics, fleet, Admin, warehousing, and asset management practices of Alight Ethiopia Country & field offices.

MAJOR/KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

OPERATION MANAGEMENT

• Provide leadership to the Operations team including procurement, logistics and administration, IT and security, and other general service support operations.

• Provide guidance and advice to staff in the areas of operations and administrative matters; arrange meetings on day-to-day project matters.

• Maintain lease, Inventory/Assets, vendor contracts schedules and ensure timely renewals are done.

• Handle all external administrative issues regarding the organization and other stakeholders (Government, beneficiaries, and vendors).

• Continuously liaise with the line ministries and the local government to ensure achievement of sustainable strategic partnership in projects’ development and implementations.

• Attending regional coordination and planning meetings.

• Continuously monitor and ensure that the guest houses, office and generally the compound is well maintained.

• Approve all repair and new work that’s required in the compound.

• Hold regular meetings with the operations team and security teams to avoid any security lapse that may occur.

• Develop/update and seek approval for standard operating procedures (SOP) as per the context.

PROCUREMENT

• Participates in development and enhancement of procurement policy as well as take part in setting of procurement strategies. Reviews and updates the organization’s procurement policy as needed.

• Identify, monitor, and analyze risks in procurement and develop proactive preventive measures in place.

• Monitor and Control Operation team performance against the set standards.

• Coordinates with the operation team to achieve audit readiness and respond to audit queries.

• Safeguard organization procurement policy, standard and procedures.

• Lead and manage tendering process of the organization, undertake prequalification of vendors and ensure Organization’s procurement policy is strictly followed for all procurements.

• Ensures donors requirement in procurement is adhered to.

• Manages all stores and ensure standard storage condition is in place.

• Ensure timely monthly procurement plans and reports are done.

• Coordinates with SMT (Senior management team) to ensure 100% burn rate of budgets is achieved while safeguarding the standard operations procures.

• Work with proposal development team for clarity of operation budgets.

• Ensure that all operation budgets are adequately managed with timely BVA reviews.

• Oversee daily procurement and Logistics of the organization.

• Manages leases and all forms of contract for the organization.

• Supervise and evaluate performance of all service providers according to Alight policies and the contractual terms and obligations.

• Attests receiving and releasing of goods.

• Strictly manages compliance issues in procurement.

• Support preparation of monthly grant spending plan.

ASSET MANAGEMENT

• Manages inventories for all assets and prepares inventory report.

• Maintain Alight goods and property register of the organization and ensure updated distribution lists are maintained as per Alight Asset management standards and liaise with the finance department or delegated for verifications.

• Lead the biannual and annual physical count of inventories in all Alight offices and stores (National and Field offices).

• Work on preparation of the disposition plan as appropriate up on close out of projects.

LOGISTICS & FLEET MANAGEMENT:

• Monitor overall fleet utilization, fuel consumption, and follow up on irregularities and do analysis.

• Lead Alight’s fleet allocation and ensure that all sites/sectors have reasonable access to vehicles.

• Closely supervise the vehicle service and transport activities are run properly in accordance with Alight policy and procedures.

• Ensure that Alight transport or vehicle policies are known and respected by all drivers and users.

• Ensure cost effective vehicle allocation was arranged at all offices.

• Ensure vehicle maintenance is properly recorded and held.

• Take control of all logistical aspects of seminars and training.

• Manages all buildings and stores in terms of renting and maintenance.

• Represent Alight in meeting with relevant partners.

IT SUPPORT:

• Ensure the IT system works properly and follow-up maintenance of IT equipment’s.

• Lead that Alight IT protocols are respected by all users.

• Ensure e-mail usage knowledge was transferred to Alight staff.

SECURITY:

• Act as a security focal point for the organization in the country.

• Facilitate and advises on staff travel security.

• Ensure that, Alight premises is safe and secured in line with the organization policy and standard operating procedure (SOP).

• Liaise with relevant government ministries on project implementation.

• Brief the line Ministry on any new projects’ initiation and plan.

• Facilitate all required government permits and official authorization.

• Attending all government/inter-agency meetings.

• Does daily security update and share with the team.

• Does weekly and monthly security report.

• Arranges and plans all security training.

• Liaise with government security agents and collect security updates/information on daily basis.

• Seek clearance from relevant government offices for all Organization’s event.

• Collects political updates and shares with the team.

• Assist in creating security checklist and threat level for accessibility purposes.

• Brief new staff and guests on security guidelines and protocols.

• Update staff every Sunday on security issues.

STAFF MANAGEMENT

• Operations officers, Senior officers.

Job Requirements

• At least a university degree in Supply chain & logistics management, Procurement and Purchasing, Project management, Business Administration, or another related field.

• 8 years of relevant experience with the first degree and 6 years of relevant experience for post graduate degree holders, preferably in an International NGO.

• Proven ability in planning and organizing substantial tasks includes complex situations in both development and emergency contexts.

• Willingness and ability to change for the events of emergencies and good working relationships with incoming HQ teams.

• Developing credibility with colleagues and stakeholders at all levels of Alight.

• Demonstrated leadership skills, including the ability to lead and motivate qualified and experienced individuals with strong personal values.

• Analytical, decision making and strategic planning skills and the ability to manage multiple priorities at various levels.

• Skills of coaching, mentoring, delegating and providing guidance to team members in the country program.

• Team building skills and understanding the key success factors in working in a team environment.

• Effective verbal and written communication, organizational, prioritization and Microsoft Office applications.

• Excellent oral and written English skills.

• Ability to work effectively with an ethnically diverse team in a sensitive environment.

KEY BEHAVIORS AND ABILITIES:

• Have a high degree of flexibility and ability to work under sometimes acute hardship conditions against tight deadlines.

• Excellent coordination and communication skills.

• Should have good documentation and dissemination / presentation skills.

• Should be able to live, work and travel in an insecure environment, always following strict security guidelines.

• Proven capacity to work in a quickly moving, unstable situation and work against targeted outputs with tight time frames and deadlines.

• High level of confidentiality and integrity.

• Strong service orientation with the ability to proactively approach staffs, customers & partners.

PLUS

• Gender-sensitive

• Understanding of and commitment to the “Humanitarian principles”

• Understanding of and commitment to Alight code of conduct and organizational goals

How to Apply

• Interested and qualified applicants are required to complete this FORM and only then can send motivation/cover letter and updated Resume (not more than 3 pages) to etjobs@wearealight.org before June 11th, 2023, COB.

Note

• ONLY applicants who completed the prescreening form will be screened.

• Please, indicate the position/title applied for in the subject of the email.

• Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

• Only qualified applicants will be shortlisted and contacted.

• Open to Ethiopian nationals ONLY.

“QUALIFIED FEMALE APPLICANTS ARE HIGHLY ENCOURAGED TO APPLY”