The Director of Operation is a senior leadership position and the incumbent will report directly to the Executive Director and oversee our day-to-day operations of the organization. This position requires a strategic thinker with strong operational and financial acumen to oversee the organisation’s administrative, financial, and human resources functions. The Director of Operation will oversee our day-to-day operations and ensure the efficient and effective achievement of our mission.
The successful Director of Operations would demonstrate results from depth of experience, bringing skills and capabilities in 3 principal areas:
Technical
Essential
– Demonstrable skills and expertise leading all areas of Operations, including responsibilities for financial management and business administration, human resources and information technology
– Proven achievements of process design and best practices development for small-scale enterprises / research institutes along a rapid growth trajectory.
– Extensive experience of strategy development, planning and objectives setting
– Expertise in delivering operational excellence to meet shared service needs on time and within budget
– Identifying and the research institute’s operational risks and managing / minimising potential impact if they arise
– Monitoring and evaluating performance using best practices reporting frameworks
– Reporting to local, regional and national authorities in Germany to meet legal and regulatory requirements for international non-profits
– Digitally oriented and data literate, with very relevant experience of new applications for solution and service development
– Financially astute with business acumen
Desirable
– Applied understanding of the opportunities and challenges of international non-profits
– Interest in opportunities across Africa, focusing on upcoming and current trends and emerging challenges
– Understanding the African policy landscape and challenges faced by policymakers and civil society groups
– Contributes to revenue generation through sustainable sources, including corporate funding grant awards and individual donations
– Professional connection to and/or personal interest in sustainability, especially new knowledge areas including Green Tech and Finance
– Other third sector experience an advantage
Interpersonal
Essential
– International approach and cross-cultural mindset
– Motivating colleagues to deliver preferred outcomes and engaging stakeholders with positive impact
– Credible and effective at and across all levels to ensure quality contributions
– Open to ideas and responsive to opportunities for continuous improvement
– Networking and nurturing stakeholder relationships in government and business
Desirable
– Experience working in a multi-national and cross-cultural environment
– Well-honed communication skills with donors, supporters and fundraisers
– Credible representing the charity to high-profile supporters
Leadership
Essential
– Applying a project management approach to design, co-development and rapid-value delivery alongside colleagues and team members
– Team building and on-the-job staff development through mentoring and coaching
– Effective collaborating with business and technical professionals alike
– Ethical in word and deed. Free from conflicts of interest
– Enjoys creative thinking and innovative problem-solving
Desirable
– Organisation design and development for sustainable growth and longer-term expansion
– Confident with ambiguity and comfortable with the new and unknown.
To apply, please send a single pdf document containing the following to [email protected]: your CV and a brief statement of interest. Please include your last name and “Director of Operations” in the subject line.