Operations Director (OD)

Department: Operations Department
Job Family: Operations Management
Reports to: Executive Director
Grade: Grade 1
Location: Head office with travels to the field and internationally as required
Direct Reports: Operations Executive, Finance Coordinator, Support Care Coordinator
***Role Overview:
The Operations Director (OD) is responsible for the development and implementation of the operations of the organization, policies and activities according to AAV's objectives and commitments made under AAV's Country Strategy Paper VI (CSPVI), based on ActionAid's core competencies with stakeholder participation. She/he provides measurable inputs to ensure the delivery of the activities and team effectiveness and healthy working environment in AAV. She/he manages and ensure resource prioritisation and allocation and work plan coherence across the expected results of office operations AAV's CSPVI in contribution for AAV to achieve the key results as committed in CSP VI by end of 2023. This role is responsible for working with AAV's staff and partners to foster long-term relationship to achieve AAV's programme strategies.
***Role Dimensions:
This role influences outcomes directly and clearly controls the operations of the organization to deliver CSP VI commitments. This role links up all teams in the organization through ensuring sufficient resources (finance and human) to the deliveries of all three Programme Priorities (PPs) and Organization Priorities (OPs) as set out in the CSP VI.
***Accountabilities:
1. Organisational and Corporate Development/ Representation:
• Is a member of Country Leadership Team (CLT), providing leadership to progressively strengthen AAV as an organisation, so that effective development programmes can be continued to deliver, and AAV's strategic goals can be achieved
• Make contribution to strategic decision-making process particularly in relation to finance management, resource allocation and human resource management, so that an effective programme design, implementation and monitoring will be done.
• Provide inputs to ensure AAV's strategic planning and organisational policy development
• Track trends in contemporary development finance management, resource mobilisation and human resources management practices, document and provide advice/recommendations on key developments to CLT
• Maintain an effective working relationship with all other CLT members to ensure that there is effective coordination of all activities in support of organisation objectives
• Direct operation teams to ensure effectiveness and efficiency, while also minimizing organisational risk
• Develop and refine AAV's approach and policies, practices and manuals to assist staff and partners to deliver effectively their responsibilities.
• Represent AAV to provide and coordinate country level input and participation in the international program processes, strategies and plans
• Represent AAV to attend various programme-related networks and alliance meetings, knowledge sharing and learning forums, document and share feedback with the team
2. Governance and Board Relations:
• Work with the IS Internal and External Audit teams, and relevant AAV's departments to conduct audits of finance, human resources and administration + IT management issues, present audit recommendations to the Executive Director and CLT
• Participate in the induction of Board members in Operations (finance, IT, Admin and HR) role or being invited to the Board meetings on issues related to her/his mandates
• Provide periodic input and advice to the Executive Director for reporting at board meetings on matters relating to Operation issues (or as and when requested/ instructed) by the Executive Director
3. Strategy Development and Implementation:
• Support the Executive Director to lead the development of both strategic and 3-year plans in accordance with CSPVI and 3-year planning guidelines for both ActionAid Vietnam and Aid for Social Protection Programme Foundation Vietnam - a strategic partner of ActionAid Vietnam
• Ensure the effective implementation of OD activities in accordance with the CSPVI and the broader AAI strategies and plans
• Support Programme MnE team to develop and refine the programme framework for Organizational Priorities under CSP VI on yearly basis
4. Resource mobilisation:
• Design and implement AAV's resource mobilisation strategies (for local and international regular giving markets) to ensure a sustained and diversified funding base for the organisation
• Take lead, coordinate, and provide programmatic inputs/details to identify program funding gaps and new funding opportunities, and develop concept notes and proposals under corporate funding
• Ensure AAV's accountabilities generated from donors' funding to specific projects that are assigned to the supervision under OD
• Enhance donor relationship through providing donor services (e.g. donor visits, reporting, networking, and other purposive engagements).
5. Policy Research, Refinement, and Communication:
• Identify areas of critical concern within management of finance, IT, HR and Admin management for refining, improvement, updating and use
• Lead the development and implementation of all policies related to finance, IT, HR and Admin management to ensure the smooth operations of AAV
• Work with other members of CLT and contribute to build and strengthen AAV policies.
6. Partnerships, Partnership Relationship management and Networking:
• Contribute to developing, implementing, and monitoring AAV's partnership strategy and plans
• Participate in identifying and initiating strategic networks, alliances and partnership with government agencies, local right programmes, and academic and research institutions, etc.
• Support programme staff to strengthen networks and partnership with whom AAV is collaborating. Provide support to the networks/partners for building of their capacity
• Collaborate and exchange information with partners and report on their performance on a periodic basis; ensure effective information flow and communication with stakeholders including partners and international teams
• Contribute to progressively positioning AAV in networks and coalitions through purposive engagement with CSOs, media, academia, and authorities at national, regional, and local levels
7. Human Resources Management:
• Ensure an enabling environment for supervised staff performance, make recommendations to the Executive Director for staff recognition and reward to encourage staff productivity, innovation and performance (e.g. facilities, equipment, duty facilitation, team building etc.)
• Direct and supervise the function of supervised staff to ensure that they are appropriately motivated and trained and that they carry out their responsibilities to the required standards
• Involve in recruitment of staff under supervision
• Provide induction, training, coaching, mentoring and advice to supervised staff to ensure that they understand and carry out their responsibilities effectively
• Assign performance objectives and conduct comprehensive performance appraisal of supervised staff and provide/obtain feedback when necessary to/from supervised staff
• Work with HR Function to identify training needs, development opportunities and recommend relevant training for supervised staff
• Recommend to Executive Director for hiring and firing staff in OD basing on the need and performance of the relevant positions.
8. System, Policies and Procedures Management:
• Contribute to developing and implementing country-specific guidelines for the management of partnerships in line with the CSPVI and other relevant organizational policies
• Share OD cross-context learning is with country program staff, partners and other related stakeholders; provide technical training and ongoing technical coaching are provided for country program staff and partners to ensure ongoing program quality and innovation
• Develop, review, and apply PP2-specific framework, tools, templates, and other technical materials to contextualize and adapt global and country-specific intervention
• Participate in the review and update of ActionAid policies and procedures at country level and advise the CLT on the potential implications of the new systems, policies and procedures
• Design and operate OD program activities within organisational policy and in compliance with applicable standards and codes
• Implement all necessary policies and procedures to ensure that correct procedures are followed by staff under supervision
• Adhere/comply with approved organisational policies and procedures, including safety and security plan, related procedures and guideline by AAI and AAV
• Timely report risks for staff safety and security to Security Focal Person or Executive Director
9. Budgeting and Planning:
• Contribute to the development, review and consolidation of country program plans and budgets; and the annual national resource allocation
• Develop, manage, monitor, and update the annual budget for OD Department to ensure the sound management of OD budget
• Participate and take lead in the development and planning of alternative development models to improve programme plans using programme and project review findings
• Review and approve program concepts and plans to ensure the alignment to the CSPVI and annual plan and budget
• Conduct regular field level visits to programme areas and units to provide support and supervision, and guide programme implementation
10. Workplan:
• Develop, monitor, review and update the bi-annual and annual work plans and budgets of OD Department to ensure the implementation of OD objectives is as cost-effective and efficient as possible.
Financial Management
• Control the expenditure and the disbursement of resources of the budget in charge to be complied with financial policy
• Review and approve programme concepts and financial requests
• Review and approve partner financial requests
• Manage, monitor and advise on programme and project spending and variance reports
11. Program Reviews, Monitoring, Evaluation, Program Learning and Reporting:
• Monitor the implementation of OD ensuring short term programmes are within the framework of the CSPVI
• Participate in developing and implementing of processes to review the CSPVI, E.g. Mid-term review and end-line evaluation
• Coordinate OD programme and project reviews and evaluation in line with ALPS
• Define key OD programme information requirements of stakeholders and develop mechanisms for periodic provision of this information
• Review, consolidate and share OD programme reports within and outside the organisation for shared learning
• Review project and donor reports before submission
• Champion and track the use of OD programme-related knowledge by AAV and amongst its partners
• Ensure oversight, monthly analysis and management of the OD programme budgets for efficient and effective use of resources (budget, timescales, deliverables, and impact)
• Monitoring framework, metrics and reporting systems are established and operationalized for the program team and OD interventions; adequate monitoring and evaluation is conducted for all projects.
• Regular reports are prepared and shared with relevant stakeholders in general and donors in particular, including capturing lessons learned and good practices for replication.
**Others: Perform well other tasks assigned by Line Manager
***Typical People Management Responsibility:
Approximate number of people managed in total: 03 (01 Finance Coordinator, 01 Supporter Care Coordinator, 01 Operations Executive)
Matrix Manager - (projects/dotted line): Management Support Staff in the Country Coordination Function of the respective country groups/ cluster
Team Leader: Yes
Grandfather- manager of Team Leaders/Managers: Executive Director
***Key Relationships to reach solutions:
Internal (to ActionAid or team): CLT members, all AAV staff, relevant ActionAid International Program and Policy-related Communities
External: AAV's partners, Government Officials, Donors, NGOs/INGOs, media, academia, elected representatives