Job Vacancy @ BRAC Sierra Leone – Field Operations Manager

Job Description

Career with BRAC International

BRAC is an award-winning international non-governmental development organisation, with the vision of a world free from all forms of exploitation and discrimination, where everyone has the opportunity to realise their potential. BRAC is a leader in developing and implementing cost-effective, evidence-based programmes to assist poor and disadvantaged communities in low-income countries, including in conflict-prone and post-disaster settings. It is an organisation of and for the people of the Global South, pioneering new development and social enterprise approaches to equip communities to achieve prosperity. As well as being the world’s biggest NGO by number of staff and people directly reached, BRAC has regularly been ranked the number one NGO in the world by the Geneva-based NGO Advisor, an independent organisation committed to highlighting innovation, impact and governance in the non-profit sector. BRAC retained the top spot in 2020 among the top 500 NGOs for the fifth consecutive year.

BRAC was founded in Bangladesh in 1972 by Sir Fazle Hasan Abed. It started its first programme outside of Bangladesh in Afghanistan in 2002, and has since reached millions of people in 11 countries in Asia and Africa. BRAC has a holistic approach to development that uses a wide array of programmes and social enterprises, including in microfinance, education, health, agriculture, gender and human rights. BRAC believes that every person has inherent potential, and when an enabling environment is created and that potential is unleashed, even the poorest can become agents of positive change in their own lives, for their families and their communities.

About the Programme

In 2022, the Mastercard Foundation in partnership with BRAC International (BI) will be announcing an initiative that will create a positive and measurable impact for 1.2 million adolescent girls and young women and 9.5 million people across seven countries in East and West Africa, including Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, and Uganda.

There is mounting urgency to support adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) living in poverty, which has been further amplified by the global pandemic. Through this partnership, scalable economic development approaches will be delivered in communities to foster the agency and voice of AGYW. They will have the opportunity to fulfill their aspirations, achieve sustainable livelihoods, and engage in advocacy issues.

BRAC International will implement an integrated and holistic model to address the various life cycles of a young woman living in poverty, ensuring she is able to transition safely from adolescence to adulthood. She will be equipped with the appropriate skills, tools, and access to finance to effectively exercise her agency and build a fulfilling and productive livelihood.

In preparation for the launch, BRAC International is seeking applications from competent, dynamic and self-motivated individuals to fill the following position in Sierra Leone.

Reporting to the Programme Manager, BRAC Sierra Leone, the Field Operations Manager will be in charge of ensuring effective implementation of the flagship programme under the Mastercard Foundation-BRAC International partnership in BRAC SL. A successful candidate will support the Programme Manager to manage, implement and oversee the roll-out of planned activities at the community level to ensure growth and quality objectives. This will involve planning, monitoring, supervision and execution of all project activities, including training, community mobilization, procurement and distribution of inputs to programme participants, linkage activities, and stakeholder engagement.  The role will also help strengthen the supervision framework for field staff and ensure staff deliver planned activities on time and budget.

Key Duties/Responsibilities: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily.

• Oversee programme implementation & monitoring
  • Coordinate with programme staff to ensure timely implementation of monthly, quarterly and yearly activity plans as per programme design and budget
  • Support Regional Managers, Area Managers, Branch Managers/Coordinators and Programme Assistants to ensure timely project rollouts, including assisting with planning and management of the delivery of activities, trainings and procurement
  • Provide support to strengthen supervision framework to ensure quality programme delivery
  • Ensure internal monitoring within the programme to assess the quality of service delivery, data collection and integrity and documentation in branch offices
  • Manage and strengthen MIS, program/management data collection and reporting
  • Provide support to troubleshoot operational issues as they arise
  • Conduct monitor visits to branch offices as required

• Manage recruitment and staff training
  • Lead recruitment of field staff and ensure staff onboarding, orientation and training
  • Support Branch Coordinators and programme Assistants to organize and conduct all trainings as per training modules, schedules and budget
  • Manage capacity development of programme staff, identify capacity gaps and regularly communicate operational issues to the Programme Manager

• Support procurement and budget control
  • Establish guidelines for procurement and oversee the procurement of assets/inputs and ensure fulfillment of financial and procurement protocols

• Provide coordination and communication support
  • Conduct monthly meetings with Regional Managers, Area Managers, Branch Managers and programme Assistants and proactively report any observation that may affect programme implementation to senior management for follow up and guidance.
  • Consolidate the monthly, quarterly and yearly project progress reports flagging any critical issue to programme Manager
  • Conduct weekly field visits and regular learning meetings and guide field teams accordingly
  • Coordinate with Technical Specialists, Operational Supervisors and Monitors
  • Build and maintain relationships with the key national level stakeholders

• Safeguarding Responsibilities
  • Ensure the safety of team members from any harm, abuse, neglect, harassment and exploitation to achieve the programme’s goals on safeguarding implementation
  • Act as a key source of support, guidance and expertise on safeguarding for establishing a safe working environment
  • Practice, promote and endorse the issues of safeguarding policy among team members and ensure the implementation of safeguarding standards in every course of action
  • Follow the safeguarding reporting procedure in case any reportable incident takes place and encourage others to do the same

Education and Experience:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology/Operations Management/Agriculture/International Development/Economics/Development Studies or related field
• Six or more years of experience managing field operations and large field teams
• Previous experience working with ultra-poor and marginalized communities to implement integrated development programs including microfinance, graduation, livelihood, agricultural and food security, and/or girl’s and women’s empowerment programs
•  Prior experience in facilitating trainings, orientation and onboarding for field staff and consultants
• Experienced in working with partner NGOs and in establishing effective linkages with different input/service providers, government agencies and other stakeholders

Required skills and Abilities:

• Ability to travel frequently within Sierra Leone to BRAC International countries as needed
• Exceptional interpersonal, management and communication skills
• Proven ability to perform under pressure and prioritize with multiple competing demands.
• Fluency in written and spoken English is a must
• Familiarity with BRAC’s work and/or experience working g on poverty reduction program

EMPLOYMENT TYPE:  Contractual

SALARY: Negotiable

JOB LOCATION: BRAC Sierra Leone Country Office

If you feel you are the right match for the above-mentioned position, please follow the application instructions accordingly:

Candidates need to email their CV with a letter of interest mentioning educational grades, years of experience, current and expected salary at [email protected]

Please mention the name of the position and AD002_SL in the subject bar. 

Only complete applications will be accepted and shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Application deadline: 6^th April 2022

BRAC is committed to safeguarding children, young people and vulnerable adults, and expects all employees and volunteers to share the same commitment. We believe every stakeholder and every member of the communities we work with has the right to be protected from all forms of harm, abuse, neglect, harassment, and exploitation – regardless of age, race, religion, and gender, status as an individual with a disability or ethnic origin. Therefore, our recruitment process includes extensive reference and background checks, self-disclosure of prior issues regarding sexual or other misconduct and criminal records and our values are a part of our Performance Management System.

BRAC is an equal opportunities employer.

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