Director of Operations

About the role

GASWASH is an anticipated five-year USAID-funded contract that aims to expand gender-transformative sustainable access to basic safe drinking water, basic sanitation coverage, and increase uptake of key hygiene behaviours to improve health and household resilience in accordance with USAID/South Sudan’s Strategic Framework. GASWASH will develop a systematic partnership with Water and Sanitation Directorates under state line ministries, state, county and local government administrations, communities, civil society organizations, other private sectors and beneficiaries in order to execute interventions that meet the four objectives below:

1. Sub-national WASH coordination and management strengthened;
2. Inclusive, resilient, WASH service delivery expanded and strengthened;
3. Private sector participation in service delivery fostered, and
4. Key hygiene behaviors adopted by individuals, households and communities and harmful gender norms addressed.

Interventions will occur in the following 13 counties in South Sudan: Budi, Kapoeta North, Akobo, Uror, Pibor, Duk, Ulang, Baliet, Leer, Panyijar, Mayendit, Wau and Jur River. GASWASH activities will be tailored to the needs and specific circumstances of each county in achieving the objectives.

About the Role:

Contingent upon donor funding and based in Juba, the Deputy Chief of Party/Director of Operations will be based in Juba and have overall management responsibility for the program’s operations. The Deputy Chief of Party/Director of Operations will play a key role in supporting the Chief of Party (COP) in managing day-to-day field presence in the areas of operations, including the overall management of Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR)-compliant procurement and Automated Directives System (ADS)-compliant grants.

It is expected that the Director of Operations will have a good grasp of the programmatic aspects of the project and must be prepared to step in as needed to support the COP and other project staff staying apprised of the evolution of the local political, legal, security, and socioeconomic situation to support the continuous adaptation and improvement of the project.

Roles and responsibilities

• Directing operations spans managing the solicitation, evaluation, and award of subawards (grants and subcontracts) in compliance with the relevant regulations (FAR and ADS); managing facilities (office and expatriate housing management); managing inventory of non-expendable property and equipment (furniture and information, communication, and technology (ICT) equipment, etc.); managing project vehicles and logistics, including security management; overseeing administration (human resources management); and working with the COP and Finance staff to update budget versus actual reporting by CLIN and forecasting prime and subaward costs (operations, subcontracts, and grants), and accounting and financial reporting.
• The Deputy Chief of Party/Director of Operations will assess, determine, and monitor sub-awardee responsibility and worthiness; ensure that all procurement processes are perceived as transparent by beneficiary communities, assuring fair and transparent procurement, regularly review both the procurement and financial management of each sub-award under implementation to support activity award monitoring and troubleshoot and find solutions if post-award performance issues arise.
• The Deputy Chief of Party/Director of Operations is expected to have a good grasp of the programmatic aspects of the project and must be prepared to step in as needed to support the COP and other project staff staying apprised of the evolution of the local political, legal, security, and socioeconomic situation to support the continuous adaptation and improvement of the project.

About you

Qualification and Experience Required:

• At least five (5) years of experience working on donor-funded projects in a related role, preferably with some demonstrated supervisory experience, working in complex, high-speed and challenging field operations in developing countries.
• A minimum of two (2) years supervisory experience including supervision of short- and long-term expatriate and host country national staff.
• Experience working in a conflict or transitional state environment. Experience working in South Sudan is highly desired.
• Deep understanding of USAID-funded cost-plus fixed fee and cost-plus incentive fee type contracts.
• Demonstrated understanding of USAID’s policies and procedures with regards to financial management, financial reporting, procurement processes, systems, and grants and subaward management.
• Experience managing a contract involving grants under contract mechanism, including developing and managing the award of in-kind, small, simplified, fixed amount award, and other types of cash and in-kind grants under contract.
• Demonstrated experience and knowledge in establishing systems and overseeing program start-up under limited time constraints as well as program close-out.
• Experience with remote management in security-challenged environments.
• Demonstrated interpersonal skills, strong analytical and problem-solving skills;
• English language fluency (oral and written) is required.
• Previous experience in East and/or Sub-Saharan Africa. South Sudan experience strongly preferred

About us

You’ll be working with Crown Agents which is a high impact social enterprise passionate about transforming the future for millions of people. Since our creation in 1833 we have worked across the globe to improve public services and drive economic growth. Our expertise is finding new solutions to difficult problems for clients in the areas of health, governance, economic growth, humanitarian action and supply chain services. We work with and train leaders at local, national and international level to achieve lasting change drawing on our insight and experience.

Crown Agents is committed to diversity and will promote diversity for all candidates at all times as well as a business culture that reflects that belief. Crown Agents will treat everyone equally irrespective of race, religion, colour, sex, age, national origin, disability or sexual orientation, and places an obligation upon all staff to respect and act in accordance with the policy. Crown Agents shall not discriminate unlawfully when deciding which candidates are selected for interview, or in any terms of employment, and will ensure that each candidate is assessed only in accordance with their merits, qualifications and abilities to perform the role. Crown Agents is committed to being an organisation enhanced by diversity and encourages applications from anyone who shares our values and commitment to improving the lives of communities affected by poverty or conflict.

About what’s on offer

Crown Agents offers a competitive benefits package.