Regional Operations Manager at Adam Smith International

Oversee operational platforms in all countries of operation in Africa, to support projects deliver effectively for their clients and beneficiaries. This will include:

• Management and administration of local offices;
• Procurement according to company policy and the principles of transparency, competition and value-for-money;
  • Asset management, including regular checks of all assets in the region
  • Local travel and logistics;
  • Regional journey management, including travel, visas and accommodation;
  • Maintaining an up-to-date log of the locations of country personnel.
  • Oversee the roll out and management of the JMP (Journey Management Plan) in the region
  • Establish and/or improve policies and standard operating procedures for all of the above.
  • Manage personnel working for country platforms, including recruitment, capacity building and mentoring, supervision, and performance management.
  • Implement environmental and climate change-related policies in consultation with ASI policy and requirements of ASI environment champions.
  • In countries where ASI starts new projects, guide and support the PM in project-set up, and ensuring compliance with all in-country legal and tax requirements.

 Compliance

• Ensure that policies, procedures and activities in countries of operation are compliant wth global company policies and standards.
• Ensure that policies, procedures and activities in countries of operation are compliant with local laws and regulations at lowest cost.

Efficiency

• Plan and budget for regional and country operations.
• Ensure that operational platforms and compliance is achieved within global, regional and country budget envelopes.
• Continually drive innovation, quality and efficiency in regional and country operations.

Relationships

• · Work closely with business service functions that have overlapping mandates with regional and country operations.
• · Work closely with project managers and project directors to understand and deliver against their needs.
• Problem solve to overcome internal and external challenges.
• Communicate frequently and constructively with internal stakeholders to keep them informed of activities and challenges and escalate issues.

QUALIFICATIONS

A post-graduate degree in Economics, Business Administration, Social Sciences or equivalent.

EXPERIENCE REQUIRED:

• 5 years or more in a senior operations capacity in a multilateral or pan-African professional services organisation.
• Proven experience in all relevant functions, people management, facilities, logistics, event management, business registration, asset management, and procurement
• Experience in Sub-Saharan Africa/horn of Africa.

COMPETENCIES/SKILLS:

• Fluent spoken and written English (French is an advantage)
• Leadership demonstrated ability to motivate colleagues – both peers and those under your management – to high performance over several years.
• Ability to manage complex situations and problem solve.
• Ability to manage commercial relationships and negotiations.
• Relationship-building.
• Ability to work effectively with multicultural and multinational teams.
• Quantitative and qualitative analysis.
• Ability to work under pressure.

KNOWLEDGE

• People Management
• Finance & Procurement
• Contract management, duty of care, occupational health and safety issues.
• Asset management.
• Planning and budgeting.

SKILLS:

• Good negotiation skills.
• Good people management and leadership skills.
• Good budget, finance and forecasting skills.
• Ability to build effective, credible supplier relationships and networks.
• Excellent computer skills, especially Word, Excel, PowerPoint.
• Outstanding written English and communication skills.
• Superb attention to detail.

ATTITUDE:

• Energetic, positive, and solution-oriented
• Enthusiastic, dynamic, and flexible.
• Self-starter, showing initiative and readiness to take the lead..
• Proactive communicator, interacting frequently via informal and formal channels with key internal stakeholders.