Regional Operations Manager

The International Rescue Committee helps people whose lives and livelihoods are shattered by conflict and disaster to survive, recover, and gain control of their future. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, the IRC works with people forced to flee from war, conflict and disaster and the host communities that support them, as well as with those who remain within their homes and communities. At work today in over 40 countries and 22 U.S. cities, we restore safety, dignity and hope to millions who are uprooted and struggling to endure.

As a global humanitarian organization, the IRC has unique capabilities – and is particularly known for rigorous research and evidence-based programs. A key initiative that supports this strategy is the IRC Research & Development (R&D) lab, aimed at investing in the design, development, and scaling of new humanitarian interventions and delivery models. The lab seeks to apply best practices from human-centered design, rapid iteration, multi-disciplinary problem-solving, and an innovation portfolio management function in the humanitarian context.

In 2017, in concert with the IRC’s Middle East Regional team, the R&D lab created a regional innovation “hub” with the objective of building a portfolio of breakthrough solutions for the problems facing Syrian refugees and host communities in Jordan and Lebanon. We’re now seeking a highly effective, entrepreneurial team with the grit and determination to identify and bring 4-5 new innovations to scale in the next 3 years—new solutions that will help millions of Syrians living in displacement survive and recover.

Job Overview:

As the Middle East Innovation Hub builds out its portfolio of projects, the team will need an experienced and highly motivated Operations Manager to support the operationalization of all new hub activities, the establishment of partnerships with relevant local actors, and the integration of projects within the broader regional and country organizational support structures. The Operations Coordinator will be the person responsible for taking promising ideas bringing them to reality, ensuring that all operational needs are met for projects to run in the most efficient way possible in order to maximize impact and learnings.

Major Responsibilities:

General cross- hub support

Maintain overview of all Innovation Hub work, including maintaining common workplan and budget documents

Provide administrative and logistical support to the Innovation Hub team, including meeting preparation, communications, travel, expenses and documents management.

Support budget management for the team’s spend by processing purchase requests and purchase orders, processing invoices and payments, and acting as a point of contact on budget vs. actual status.

Act as the primary point person for all operations with country and regional offices, including supply chain, finance, HR, and partnerships.

Ensure smooth processing of all paperwork related to travel, hiring, purchasing, and partnering.

Ensure strong linkage and two-way communications between Innovation Hub projects and Jordan and Lebanon country programs.

Help ensure meetings and internal conferences run as smoothly and efficiently as possible, by managing invites and conference call details, organizing meeting logistics, booking facilities, preparing meeting materials, preparing minutes and actions, and coordinating follow-ups.

Support the recruitment and orientation of new team members, including HR paperwork, desk and computer set-up, and arranging interview and orientation schedules.

Program design and proposal development

Contribute to program design and development, in particular leading on developing budgets, advising on required staffing, etc.

Ensure issues of gender equality and protection mainstreaming are integrated into program design

Project planning and early implementation management

Working with project teams, develop all required project planning tools (implementation plans, procurement plans, spending plans, M&E plans) and ensure that these are consistently updated, shared and used on a monthly basis

Lead set-up of all operational elements of new projects, including procurement, vendor selection, grant opening meetings, and establishment of all required systems and integration where needed with established IRC/country program processes

Lead design and documentation of any relevant project processes or systems, drawing on design research and user journeys to develop SOPs

Work with country program teams to identify critical intractable bottlenecks and work with appropriate counterparts within the IRC to propose solutions.

Provide general ad-hoc support to large scale innovation projects implemented in Jordan and Lebanon, where necessary acting as deployable program staff (ie. act as “fixer”).

Start-up personnel management

Oversee recruitment of all hub and project staff, ensuring transparent processes adhering to IRC’s policies and procedures

Manage, onboard, and coordinate training of early team, ensuring capacity to fully implement program activities

Conduct regular one to one meetings with direct supervisees and ensure objective setting and performance reviews in line with IRC’s Performance Management System; ensure that these systems are cascaded to all program staff

Plan and execute smooth transition to steady state management structure

Provide on-going problem-solving guidance for project staff regarding programmatic issues, planning issues, and difficulties encountered with local authorities and partners

Key Working Relationships:

Position Reports to: Regional Innovation Director

Position directly supervises: N/A

Indirect Reporting: N/A

Other Internal and/or external contacts:

Internal: Strategy and Communications Specialist, Design Specialist, HQ innovation team staff, Jordan and Lebanon Country Program Directors, Deputy Directors, and Finance, Supply Chain, and Human Resource Departments

External: Various relevant local NGO, governmental, and private sector actors

Working Environment:

●Based in Amman, Jordan

●Standard office work environment

●For international candidates, a generous housing and allowances package is included.

●Regular travel between Jordan and Lebanon

IRC is committed to narrowing the gender gap in leadership positions. We offer benefits that provide an enabling environment for women to participate in our workforce including a flexible hours (when applicable), parental leave, and gender-sensitive security protocols.

Attention Returning National Candidates:We strongly encourage national or returning national candidates to apply for this position. If you are a national of Jordan and are currently located outside of your home country and possess over two years of international work experience, the Middle East Region has introduced an attractive remuneration package. The package includes competitive compensation, return flight to post, shipping allowance, temporary housing and a relocation allowance. Certain restrictions may apply. IRC strives to attract, motivate and retain qualified Jordanian national staff in our programs.