Long-term operations director | Port-au Prince, Haiti | 2023

Chemonics seeks an Operations Director to provide operational leadership for the USAID Global Health Supply Chain Program – Procurement and Supply Management (GHSC-PSM) project in Haiti. The position will be based in Port-au-Prince, Haiti and fielding is anticipated in/around May 2023, with some remote work preceding if needed.

The GHSC-PSM project is the primary vehicle through which USAID 1) procures and provides health commodities, 2) provides technical assistance to improve partner countries’ management of the supply chain, and 3) collaborates with key international stakeholders to support global health initiatives.

The Operations Director is for responsible for assisting the Country Office Director with development and implementation of management systems, and supervision of project operations and staff. S/he will provide oversight of all administrative systems to ensure quality control of project administration. The Operations Director will ensure the coordination and coherence of and adherence to U.S. government regulations and Chemonics’ corporate and field office policies. The Operations Director will oversee a team of approximately 26 staff, of which 5 are direct supervisees.

Responsibilities include:

General

  • Supports the Country Director and Deputy Country Director on the management and operations of the project and developing and implementing key management systems that will support project planning, reporting, and performance management; IT, property and technical procurement systems; contractual management; security; and personnel management.
  • Manages daily work of operations team as directed by Country Director and/or Deputy Country Director and provides performance feedback to operations and finance team.
  • Supports technical implementation through oversight and monitoring of project procurement, effective management of subcontracts and purchase orders project leases, medicines warehouses and service providers, including 3PL transportation companies.
  • Contributes to the development, monitoring, and implementation of the annual project workplans.
  • Monitors and supports the standardization of operational systems and policies across PSM Haiti’s main office and warehouse.
  • Ensures compliance with U.S. government regulations, Chemonics’ corporate policies, laws of Haiti, and any supplemental policies developed specifically for PSM.
  • Develops and implements systems to manage all aspects of project human resources including recruitment, contracting in accordance with labor laws, timekeeping, performance management, and separation.
  • Covers for Finance Director as needed when Finance Director is on leave.

Human Resources

  • Anticipates future recruitment needs, leads recruitment efforts – candidate selection, participating in interview panels, employment verification, and contracting – on as-needed basis.
  • Oversees management of human resources, including personnel contractual management, and HR actions in accordance with labor law for 90+ local staff.
  • Manages annual performance evaluation and salary increase processes.
  • Promotes and supports staff continuous development.
  • Ensures compliance with employee policy manual and updates the policy manual, as required.

Operations

  • Supervises day-to-day operations, including overseeing operations at the project-managed warehouse, planning of workshops and activities, management of office contracts, warehouse leases and maintenance contracts of warehouse equipment, as well as management of a large project vehicles fleet.
  • Reviews purchase orders and draft/finalize subcontracts, including significant sub-task orders (STOs) with local 3PLs for transportation/distribution of PSM’s commodities to the last mile (270 facilities).
  • Manages international travel/conferences with PMU support.
  • Provides support to field office expatriate staff, including but not limited to renewal of visas and other required documentation for work in Haiti.
  • Ensures project vehicles are maintained.

Procurement

  • Drafts or reviews solicitations (RFPs/RFQs) for all non-health commodity procurement and organize/facilitate bidder conferences for local 3PLs; ensures procurement is conducted in accordance with client regulations and Chemonics policies, recommends most appropriate procurement mechanism.
  • Drafts/finalizes subcontracts and purchase orders.
  • Anticipates project equipment needs and ensures inventory is maintained/updated.

Budget

  • Liaises with Finance Director for production of annual budgets, in particular estimation of resources, LOE, and travel necessary to implement work plan activities.

Security

  • Keeps up to date on evolving in-country security situation; with support of FO Security team, circulates security updates to relevant in-country staff.
  • Serves as Safety and Security Focal Point, ensure regular updates of Emergency Action Plan and liaises with the SMU on security related matters.

Communications

  • Participates in producing success stories and other communication material in collaboration with FO technical staff.

Project Closeout

  • Leads the closeout phase from the project field office end and in coordination with the Project Management Unit (PMU). The operations director will actively participate in the development of the Project Closeout Plan for USAID’s approval. The operations director will be responsible for the disposition of inventory and equipment, departure of project staff, termination of relationships with ongoing vendors, and financial closeout. In addition, the operations director will be responsible for the organization of project files and shipment of these files from Haiti to the United States for archiving following Chemonics Records Policy.
  • The operation director will be responsible for carrying out a full range of tasks, including, but not limited to the following:
    • Support the field office to plan and communicate the inventory disposition process with relevant stakeholders, including project staff, property recipients, and USAID representatives as necessary.
    • Ensure that planning and preparation for inventory disposition is done efficiently.
    • Finalize disposition lists by recipient based on approved disposition plan.
    • Schedule pick-up of property for disposition and organize items by recipient.
    • Prepare required disposition paperwork. Specifically, ensure that deeds of donation/acts of acceptance are signed, the paperwork is properly filed, and copies are submitted to the client.
    • File Review, Packing, and Shipping.
    • Review and audit project files to ensure completeness and compliance with USAID regulations and Chemonics’ policies and procedures.
    • Ensure all project files (activity files, finance files, personnel files, procurement files, and operations files) are complete; box and prepare files for shipment to the home office.
    • Ensure file log and file index are updated to allow for accurate tracking of project files.
    • Any other tasks assigned by the supervisor.

Qualifications:

  • Bachelor’s degree required, advanced degree in relevant discipline desired.
  • Minimum 4-5 years of relevant experience in international development/project management/project operations; preferably managing USAID contracts. Experience should include strong skills in procurement/subcontracting, compliance, human resources and financial management.
  • Strong leadership, mentoring, management, planning, analytical and organizational skills demonstrated by ability to work both independently and within a team, assess priorities, and manage a variety of activities with attention to detail.
  • Familiarity with Chemonics’ systems required. In addition, familiarity with GHSC-PSM’s requirements and processes preferred.
  • Previous field operations experience desired (including long-term overseas positions or extended short-term engagements).
  • Demonstrated ability to manage and implement complex USAID-funded public health programs or projects in a developing country context.
  • Ability to supervise local staff effectively.
  • Ability to work with cooperating partners in implementing complex programs.
  • Strong interpersonal, written, and oral communications skills.
  • Commitment to stay until the end of the project (Nov 2024)
  • Demonstrated leadership, versatility, and integrity.
  • Fluency in written and spoken English.
  • Fluency in written and spoken French.
  • Proficiency in Creole preferred but not required.

To Apply:

Please submit your resume to PSMHaitiRecruit@ghsc-psm.org with “Operations Director Recruit” in the subject line by COB Friday, March 24, 2023.

Chemonics is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate in its selection and employment practices on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, or other non-merit factors.

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