Site Operations Officer

Introduction

The Danish Refugee Council assists refugees and internally displaced persons across the globe: we provide emergency aid, fight for their rights, and strengthen their opportunity for a brighter future. We work in conflict-affected areas, along the displacement routes, and in the countries where refugees settle. In cooperation with local communities, we strive for responsible and sustainable solutions. We work toward successful integration and – whenever possible – for the fulfillment of the wish to return home.

The Danish Refugee Council was founded in Denmark in 1956 and has since grown to become an international humanitarian organization with more than 8,000 employees and also 8,000 volunteers, while managing a turnover of over 400 million Euro. Based in Copenhagen (Denmark) and present in forty countries, the Danish Refugee Council is a non-profit-making, politically independent, non-governmental and non-denominational relief organization. The Danish Refugee Council is Denmark’s largest humanitarian NGO and has been ranked the 3rd best NGO in the world in 2018 (for six consecutive years, the organization is among the top five of the NGO Advisor Annual List).

Our vision is a dignified life for all displaced. All our efforts are based on our value compass: humanity, respect, independence and neutrality, participation, and honesty and transparency.

Background

The Danish Refugee Council initiated its activities in the island of Lesvos in November 2015 due to the unprecedented influx of asylum seekers. Following new political developments and displacement dynamics in early 2016, DRC expanded its activities to the mainland to support the people living in several sites across the country. With offices in Athens, Larissa and Thessaloniki, it currently implements a wide range of activities, including Site Management Support, legal assistance, identification of individual needs and protection of highly vulnerable persons, access to services within and outside the hosting sites through cultural mediation, and non-formal education. DRC works closely with the refugee communities, the Greek authorities and other humanitarian actors to ensure a protective environment for refugees and asylum seekers in Greece.

Purpose

DRC Greece is looking to recruit a qualified, flexible, and enthusiastic professional to work for its Office in Attica, Greece, as a Site Operations Officer.

Under supervision of the Site Operations Coordinator and in close coordination with other DRC field units, the Site Operations Officer will support the implementation of all care and maintenance objectives under DRC projects in the long-term accommodation centers.

Duties & Responsibilities

Under the managerial supervision of the SMS Team Leader and the technical supervision of the Site Operations Coordinator the Site Operations Officer will:

• Develop and maintain good relations with the persons of concern, relevant stakeholders and other humanitarian actors, to support adequate implementation and coordination of DRC’s SMS activities.
• Lead daily monitoring of the condition, function, and safety of on-site facilities.
• Supervise the maintenance work of the handymen, develop daily work plans, ensure they have the equipment and materials they need and monitor the quality of their work.
• Support the SMS Team Leader and Site Operations Coordinator in responding to and addressing the care and maintenance needs of the on-site facilities as identified by DRC and the responsible Greek authorities.
• Identify operational priorities by assessing operational objectives; determining project objectives, such as, efficiency, cost savings, energy conservation, operator convenience, safety, environmental quality; estimating relevance, time, and costs.
• Develop operational solutions by defining, studying, estimating, and screening alternative solutions; calculating economics; determining impact on total system.
• Develop care and maintenance solutions which are contextually and culturally relevant, cost effective, and in compliance with Greek and global humanitarian and environmental standards and best practices.
• Overseeing DRC-contracted works and services.
• Implement standardized monitoring, tracking, and reporting tools for Site Operations responsibilities and ensure consistency and quality of reporting.
• Participate in regular planning meetings to coordinate with other DRC staff regarding scheduled works and initiatives and work closely with sector-specific technical advisors to ensure smooth collaboration between Site Operations and other sectors.
• Contribute to the development of Site Operations components of proposals, donor reports, site reports and technical reports and assessments as required.
• In collaboration with the M&E team, ensure the implementation of site operations activities comply with quality standards and are monitored in accordance with pre-defined objectives and indicators.

Technical Responsibilities:

• • Develop a functional care and maintenance schedule in compliance with European and National Standardization Norms.
  • Prepare and submit technical descriptions/reports and proposed solutions in case of any malfunction or deficiencies noted in site’s networks (electrical, water supply, sewerage, surface run offs etc.) or in structural infrastructures (buildings, prefabricated houses).
  • Review deficiencies noted during corrective maintenance.
  • Ensure that equipment is performing effectively and efficiently.
  • Promotes equipment standardization.
  • Monitors shop qualifications and quality standards for outside contractors.
  • Cost estimations.
  • Makes cost effective review of the maintenance program (job plans optimization).
  • Define the most efficiency and cost-effective maintenance type for site’s networks and infrastructure.
  • Provide technical guidance for the preventive and predicted maintenance programs.
  • In collaboration with the Site Ops Coordinator optimizes maintenance strategies.
  • Provides operational management information by collecting, analyzing, and summarizing operating and engineering data and trends.

Finance and Administration

• • Collaborate regularly with the SMS Team Leader and Site Operations Coordinator to monitor spending and ensure the timely utilization of all assigned budget lines.
  • Ensure full compliance with DRC and donor financial guidelines and policies.

Human Resources

• • Supervise assigned teams and support respectful and positive working relationships, which allow for the effective implementation of all activities.
  • Supervise, if delegated, Site Operations staff (Site Operations Assistants, Handymen)

Logistics and Procurement

• • Assist in establishing and maintaining a basic warehousing system, compliant with DRC regulations, to ensure adequate storage, inventory and tracking of project materials.
  • Collaborate with the Athens-based supply chain team to ensure field records are well managed, fulfill DRC and donor requirements and are always up-to-date for use in donor reports
  • Prepare, submit, and track procurement and logistics requests related to care and maintenance activities in collaboration with the Athens-based procurement and logistics department, including preparation of Purchase Requisition forms and associated technical annexes and descriptions, timely delivery of project materials on site, provide quality checks of goods received and works completed.

Security

• • Maintains safe and healthy work environment by following and enforcing standards and procedures and complying with legal regulations.
  • Comply with DRC safety and security procedures.
  • Ensure that security incidents at a site level are properly reported

Required Qualifications

• Experience in implementing humanitarian or community-based projects and activities with an international or local NGO, UN agency, and similar organization will be highly appreciated.
• Strong organizational skills.
• 1-3 years in medium scale infrastructure, renovation or facility management projects is required
• MS Office suite of tools (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) or relevant software good command user. Ability to use Excel functions will be an advantage.
• Knowledge of AutoCAD will be highly appreciated.
• Proven capacity to adapt to a dynamic and changing operational environment.
• University degree (at least 5 educational years) or Technological Educational Institute (TEI) bachelor’s degree (3-4 educational years) in Mechanical, Architecture, Civil or Electrical Engineering is mandatory.
• Member (registration number) of Technical Chamber of Greece (ΤΕΕ) or Scientific Society of Technological Education Engineers (ΕΕΤΕΜ).
• Fluency in written and spoken English and Greek with excellent analytical and writing skills.
• Strong ability in writing technical descriptions and reports in English language.

Required Skills & Qualities

• Core Competencies of DRC:
  • Striving for excellence
  • Collaboration
  • Taking the lead
  • Communication
  • Demonstrating Integrity
• Ability to work in a multinational and multicultural environment
• Proactivity, with a sound commitment to teamwork and with a spirit of genuine collaboration
• Strong initiative and self-motivated, with a strong commitment to humanitarian principle and high sense of ethics
• Excellent communication skills, as well as patience and politeness, are needed
• Ability to cope with high workload and stress and identify priority activities and assignments, and adjust priorities as required
• Multi-tasking and organizational skills is a must, and a good sense of humor

Terms & Conditions

• The contract will be under the Greek Labor Law (this is a national position)
• All allowances will be provided to the employees (Christmas, Easter, Vacation bonus)
• DRC provides training opportunities to develop and strengthen the quality of its services as well as its staff members’ professional and personal development.
• The position will be based in Attika (Greece) and national terms and conditions apply