The Organisation

Plan International is an independent development and humanitarian organisation that advances children’s rights and equality for girls.

We believe in the power and potential of every child. But this is often suppressed by poverty, violence, exclusion and discrimination. And it’s girls who are most affected.

Working together with children, young people, our supporters and partners, we strive for a just world, tackling the root causes of the challenges facing girls and all vulnerable children.

We support children’s rights from birth until they reach adulthood. And we enable children to prepare for – and respond to – crises and adversity. We drive changes in practice and policy at local, national and global levels using our reach, experience and knowledge.

We have been building powerful partnerships for children for over 85 years, and are now active in more than 75 countries.

Job Description
Position    Head of Operations (H-OP)    Grade    
Department & Location    Plan International Cameroon    Date    June 2022
Reports to    Country Director (CD)
Purpose
How does this post support Plan’s strategy and mission?    Working in 50 developing countries across Africa, Asia and the Americas, Plan’s stated Global Strategic Goal (2017-22) is to  work with vulnerable children and especially girls so that they can learn, lead, decide and thrive. Within the strategy we have an ambition to transform the lives of 100 million girls and Deliver greater impact for vulnerable children, especially girls. Plan aims to achieve this goal by working in partnership with others and through high performing teams whose behaviours reflect the corporate values.

The H-OP is responsible for leading, managing and developing a team of functional experts, including Finance, Supply Chain, ICT, Sponsorship, Security, Internal control, legal and risk management, to support the delivery of quality and integrated programming in line with the organizational standards, frameworks and procedures.

The H-OP is managed directly by the Country Director and will at times be required to take on the responsibilities of the Country Director position in his\her absence.

 
Dimensions of the Role
•    The H-OP is a member of the Core Country Leadership Team along with other country managers and is expected to contribute to Plan’s understanding and strategic direction in the country. He or she deputises for CD as required and if needed in relation to external stakeholders;
•    The H-OP co-leads the implementation of Accountability Framework of the Excellence in Operations priority, he participates at the monthly KPIs review, quarterly staff meetings, semester & annual meetings/events.  
•    The H-OP line manages three support managers in the areas of Finance, Supply chain, ICT, Sponsorship, Security, Internal control, legal and risk management. Finance and ICT function heads have secondary reporting line to Regional Managers of these functions.
•    The H-OP reports regularly to the CD on the management of all risks associated with programme delivery including budget, people management, legal compliance and security.
•    The H-OP provides technical oversight and support to Programme Influencing & Implementation Areas in managing risks and remaining compliant in the delivery of cost-effective programmes.
•    The H-OP oversees the preparation, consolidation and analysis of collated country and PUs budgets for submission to the regional office.
•    The H-OP manages the operation support budget.
•    Upon delegation of the Country Director, the H-OP may approve all commitments, contracts, grants, leases, disbursements, and transfers to third parties up to €200,000.
•    The H-OP works remotely & virtually with teams & keeps high performance management in though & difficult times of emergencies of epidemics & pandemics & natural disasters. Therefore, he/she needs to be resilient & adapt to country contexts.

Typical Responsibilities - Key End Results of Position

Team development and people management
•    Staffing: Oversees the hiring, development and retention of qualified people in all positions of the operation support unit and other units as required to support the delivery of effective, efficient and high quality programmes;
•    Team building and maintenance: establish, agree, communicate and monitor standard of performance and behaviours for the operations support unit. Team ToR, objectives, and key performance indicators (KPI’s) are agreed annually, and monitored and updated quarterly
•    Individual development and performance management: manage and develop the performance of the operations support teams across the country to ensure delivery of quality support and services. This includes agree, monitor and evaluate individual accountability and personal development plans as per Plan’s performance management policy and process.

Strategic planning, reporting and support to programmes delivery
•    Strategic planning: contribute to the strategic development and management of the country in particular by reviewing and commenting on the draft Country Strategic Plan (CSP) and the Programme Unit Long Term Plans (PULTP)
•    Support to programmes: Oversee the planning and delivery of all general services and logistical requirements of program work in line with established procedures e.g.: procurements, storage, transportation and distribution;
•    Budgeting: oversees the coordination of the preparation, consolidation, analysis and submission of country and PIIAs budgets to the regional office (RO) as per field budget instructions and guidelines;
•    Reporting: coordinate the reporting process, in particular quarterly and annual reports, to the RO including timely submission of all required reports and implementation of follow-up actions and recommendations.

Compliance and management of risks
•    Policies and procedures: coordinates with relevant heads of Department/Section so that systems and processes are in place to comply with Plan global policies, standards and procedures and legal requirements in the areas of finance, people & culture, Supply Chain, ICT, Sponsorship, security
•    Child Protection: ensure the compliance and coherence of Plan’s Child Protection Policy at all times to safeguard and protect children from all forms of abuse;
•    Audit and investigation: oversees the facilitation of internal and external audit missions and ensure audit follow up and action lists are addressed in a timely manner;
•    Risk Management: Ensure systems and processes are in place to identify and manage risks including developing, updating and submitting countrywide risk register to the RO in line with the Global Risk Management policy, and ensuring that risks are adequately identified, assessed, mitigated and reported on through risk registers at all levels in the country.
•    Health and Safety: oversees the development and implementation of health and safety standards in compliance with the host country laws and Plan’s global health and safety policy;
•    Loss and Incident reporting: report timely and consistently all losses and incidents, including updates, to the International Headquarters (IH) and the RO;
•    Legal and regulatory: oversees the review of agreements and contracts and ensure compliance with the host country laws and regulation, ensure the interface with the legal advisors, timely report all potential legal cases to legal advisors and to the RO and to IH as relevant;

Procedures, process and applications support
•    Applications and systems support: oversee the in-country rollout of corporate systems and applications including finance systems, HR Information System (HRIS), Y.O.D.A, ChildData and other corporate applications;
•    Global and regional policies and procedures: oversee the rollout, including staff training, of global policies and procedures in the country;
•    In-country policies and procedures: oversees the development and implementation of up-to-date financial and Supply chain systems, policies, procedures and guidelines to support in-country operations and ensure compliance of Plan’s global standards and donor requirements.

Other responsibilities
•    Liaison with stakeholders: liaise with and communicates with government bodies, donors, United Nations and local and international agencies stakeholders – as required and directed by the Country Director.

Dealing with Problems
•    Ability to quickly understand and assimilate the complexity of Plan’s business model, systems and procedures, organisational structures and decision-making processes;
•    Capable to work in a matrix management setup and to work collaboratively  with functional leads in the RO i.e. finance, supply chain, Sponsorship and ICT;
•    Good understanding of HR, financial, sponsorship and supply chain systems and standards and be able to propose appropriate solutions to achieve efficiency and effectiveness;
•    Good understanding of Security/emergency management to ensure staff safety, minimize risks and maintain business continuity;
•    Ability to provide support to program influencing and implementation area and the country office staff to address internal child protection issues and other incidents;
•    Ability to identify critical and systemic risks and take timely and appropriate actions.
•    Ability to work virtually online, and remotely to manage your teams at distance & keep a high performance under emergencies, epidemics & pandemics.
•    Ability to adapt & be resilient in tough times and be capable of supporting your teammates remotely accordingly

Communications and Working Relationships
Internal    External
•    Country Leadership Team members
•    Extended Country Leadership Team
•    Others H-OP in the Region
•    Functional departments Heads in the RO (ICT, Sponsorship, Finance, Security, and Supply Chain)
•    Global Assurance Manager and Team
•    Legal Counsel in the International Headquarters.    â€¢    National and Local authorities especially relevant ministers in the country e.g.  labour department, Ministry of Finance etc.
•    Partners organisations
•    Other INGO deputies and functional managers principally in the areas of: security, Sponsorship, supply chain and finance
•    Legal Advisors in country;
•    Security Associations and Networks
    
Knowledge, Skills, and Behaviours required to achieve role’s objectives

Knowledge
•    Demonstrable knowledge as a result of education, training or practical experience on the key debates in development, particularly around child rights;
•    Demonstrable knowledge of financial, Supply chain and business management;
•    Strong knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), e-mail and the internet;
•    Strong knowledge of the requirements of donors’ compliance and grants management;
•    Fluency in English and strong working knowledge of French, spoken and written;
•    Knowledge of the host country, the geopolitical factors affecting child-poverty in the country as well as the political, social and economic opportunities for development are an advantage.

Leadership Skills and Behaviours demonstrated from experience

Striving for high performance:
•    Achieves clarity and accountability among whole team of their individual and collective objectives;
•    Organises work clearly and effectively within the team;
•    Deals with poor performers by either improving their contribution or managing their exit, if appropriate.

Strategic thinking and innovation:
•    Creates strong strategic direction for own part of organisation in wider Plan context;
•    Major contributor to direction in the management team of which they are a member;
•    Flexible in responding to new demands presented in emergency situations.

Decision making and risk management:
•    Can address complex problems in a balanced way;
•    Good judgment in decision-making, making best use of available information;
•    Willing to make difficult or unpopular decisions and stand by them.

Influence and communication:
•    Uses the potential of varied cultures to reach solutions;
•    Excellent listener who understands and shows sensitivity to the views of others;
•    Forms good relationships quickly with wide range of people, including those in positions of power and who have different views/ interests;
•    Represents Plan effectively with senior people in external stakeholder organisations;
•    Understands external and internal politics and able to navigate these;
•    Communicates with clarity and passion both 1-1 and with large groups;
•    Effective negotiator in complex situations;
•    Assertive without being aggressive.

Building effective teams and partnerships:
•    Creates a highly motivated team with a unified purpose;
•    Modifies own view to get best outcome for organisation;
•    Contributes effectively to work of other functions/ units and to management team as a whole
•    Able to build partnerships and improve relationships;
•    Resolves conflict effectively in own team or across boundaries.

Developing people:
•    Continuously uses both 1-1 and team situations to develop others;
•    Organises work to give others development opportunities;
•    Adapts style to suit the needs of a wide variety of people;
•    Deals effectively with mistakes and re-motivates those involved.

Self-awareness and resilience:
•    Aware of own strengths, weaknesses and pro-active in using feedback and self-development
•    Aware of impact on others and uses impact to create positive climate at work
•    Aware of own emotional reactions and able to manage them
•    Manages own workload effectively and manages stress without harm to self or others
•    Positive about change and able to cope well with ambiguity and support others in doing so

Physical Environment
•    Based in the country office located in Yaounde with extensive and regular local travel as well as some international travel,
•    Ability to travel to remote areas,
•    Current security level: Medium

Level of Contact with Children:
Low contact: No contact or very low frequency of interaction with children.

Organogram

Location: Yaounde

Closing Date: 11-07-22

Equality, diversity and inclusion is at the very heart of everything that Plan International stands for.

We want Plan International to reflect the diversity of the communities we work with, offering equal opportunities to everyone regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation.

Plan International is based on a culture of inclusivity and we strive to create a workplace environment that ensures every team, in every office, in every country, is rich in diverse people, thoughts, and ideas.

We foster an organisational culture that embraces our commitment to racial justice, gender equality, girls’ rights and inclusion.

Plan International believes that in a world where children face so many threats of harm, it is our duty to ensure that we, as an organisation, do everything we can to keep children safe. This means that we have particular responsibilities to children that we come into contact with and we must not contribute in any way to harming or placing children at risk.

A range of pre-employment checks will be undertaken in conformity with Plan International's Safeguarding Children and Young People policy. Plan International also participates in the Inter Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. In line with this scheme we will request information from applicants previous employers about any findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment during employment, or incidents under investigation when the applicant left employment. By submitting an application, the job applicant confirms their understanding of these recruitment procedures.

Please note that Plan International will never send unsolicited emails requesting payment from candidates.