Democratic Republic of the Congo: Head of Office, Brazzaville

Job Title: Head of Office

Department/Country: CARO /Republic of Congo

Position Type: Regular

Job Location: Brazzaville

Band: D

FLSA: Exempt

Reports To: DCR

Job Responsibilities:

• Manage planning and implementation of all key activities at the sub-office level ensuring alignment with Country Program (CP) and agency strategic programming and operations excellence priorities and standards. Approve expenses, monitor spending, and make budget adjustments in line with operational and programmatic needs and donor requirements.
• Serve as the security focal point. Proactively manage security and mitigate security risks. Ensure a safe work and living environment through leading implementation of safety and security protocols and staff care and well-being best practices.
• Effectively manage talent and supervise. Manage team dynamics and staff well-being. Provide coaching, strategically tailor individual development plans, and complete performance management for direct reports. Monitor and assess performance to ensure adequate capacity. Contribute to staffing plans and recruitment process of senior staff.
• As the primary representative of CRS in Brazzaville (and Republic of Congo), strengthen existing and develop new relationships with partners, government and community organizations.
• Proactively and effectively manage resources and promote stewardship, ensuring program and operations teams and partner staff have and optimize the appropriate human, financial, and material resources and tools.
• Ensure high-quality project implementation, management, and compliance with programmatic standards, policies and procedures through project review systems and quality control (comprehensive M&E systems, budget review and analysis). Promote documentation of program reviews, success stories, and lessons learned
• Monitor day-to-day operations to ensure all operational services (HR, Finance, Supply Chain, Admin, ICT) are delivered with high quality in an efficient manner and adhere to policies. Manage risk and address challenges that affect the proper stewardship, optimal utilization and maintenance of program assets and resources (financial, human, and material).
• Create and maintain the proper conditions for learning. Establish a safe environment for the sharing of ideas, solutions, and difficulties and the capacity to detect, analyze and respond quickly to small deficiencies. Identify capacity strengthening needs for staff and partners and coordinate with CRS DRC program and operations teams to address capacity strengthening.

Job Responsibilities specific:

Support to Operations Management (Compliance, Administration and Finance)

• Provide support to administrative and finance teams to develop contracts, process payments and finalize reports (finance, logistics, administration) in line with CRS/individual donor policies, rules and regulations.

• Support operations team to adhere to staff recruitment and human resources policies and procedures.

• Support project Director to review of partner liquidations and support any follow up prior to forwarding to the national office.

• Provide on the job support to support staff and plan for additional support/oversight from national level MQ staff as/when needed.

• Work closely with the Operations team to identify and coordinate technical assistance needs for MQ staff including short and/or long term assistance needs.

• Develop and update on regular basis all inventories, physical stock and reporting in collaboration with administration and logistics teams.

• Develop monthly list of needs and manage requests for supply and equipment needs for programs and office in collaboration with other staff members.

Program Quality and Management

• Provide support to all Program Managers (especially GF director) to consolidate weekly/monthly activity planning and reporting, as necessary.

• Work closely with PMs (especially GF director) and staff to identify technical support needs and assist in developing necessary scopes of work, timelines and follow up for TA provided.

• Ensure effective communication with Kinshasa based PQMQ staff responsible for providing technical support/monitoring, reviewing advance requests and responding to donor requests for information/questions.

Partnership:

• Oversee the representation and visibility of CRS to the local Church.

• Create systematic and effective system to strengthen capacity of all partners.

• Maintain a healthy, supportive and empowering working environment for the operations team that encourages honest communication among CRS staff and with partners.

Coordination / Representation

• Oversee the representation and visibility of CRS to the United States Government, local government, donors, international organizations, etc

• Collaborate and maintain good relationships with CRS' partners in Republic Of Congo.

• Support the timely provision of information on program interventions for sharing with existing/perspective donors, Caritas National and relevant HQ departments, to ensure the maximum promotion of CRS and partner activities.

• Coordinate all visits of CRS staff, donors, and partners.

Scope: The Head of Office will directly supervise the operation staff within the sub-office.

Personal Skills

• Excellent strategic, analytical, systems thinking, and problem-solving skills, with capacity to see the big picture and ability to make sound judgment and decisions.
• Strong relations management abilities. Ability to relate to people at all levels internally and externally. Strategic in how you approach each relationship.
• Team leadership abilities
• Proactive, resourceful, solutions-oriented and results-oriented
• Able to live in an environment where everyday comforts may not be readily available.

Required/Desired Foreign Language: French / English

Travel Required 30% of the time with some trips to Kinshasa

Key Working Relationships:

Supervisory:

Internal: Country Representative, Deputy country representatives, Head of Operations, Global funnd staff and project director, and Kinshasa-based operations/programming staff.

External: Government officials, Church, Local/international NGO offices, and UN agencies operating in the project area, CCN.

Agency-wide Competencies (for all CRS Staff):

These are rooted in the mission, values, and guiding principles of CRS and used by each staff member to fulfill his or her responsibilities and achieve the desired results.

• Serves with Integrity
• Models Stewardship
• Cultivates Constructive Relationships
• Promotes Learning

Leadership and Management Competencies

• Communicates strategically under pressure
• Manages stress and complexity
• Actively promotes safety and security
• Manages and implements high-quality program activities

Typical Background, Experience & Requirements:

Education and Experience

• Master's Degree in Business Administration, International Relations, or other relevant field.
• Minimum of 5 years work experience in a non-profit, development, and/or humanitarian organization with progressive responsibilities and some project management experience. Experience with an international organization a plus.
• Experience working with projects funded by multiple public donors, including USAID and Global Fund.
• Experience in stakeholder management and establishing and strengthening community partnerships.
• Staff management experience and abilities that are conducive to a learning environment.
• Knowledge of procurement and general office administrative/management issues
• Proficient in MS Office package (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Visio), Web Conferencing Applications, and information management systems.

Disclaimer: This job description is not an exhaustive list of the skill, effort, duties, and responsibilities associated with the position.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Catholic Relief Services carries out the commitment of the Bishops of the United States to assist the poor and vulnerable overseas. Our Catholic identity is at the heart of our mission and operations. We welcome as a part of our staff and as partners people of all faiths and secular traditions who share our values and our commitment to serving those in need.

Please follow this link to apply: http://www.aplitrak.com/?adid=amFzb24uaG9rZS45NDIxNi4zODMwQGNhdGhvbGljcmVsaWVmLmFwbGl0cmFrLmNvbQ