Exciting Career Opportunity

Join BRAC International and be part of a global movement dedicated to eradicating extreme poverty. We are looking for a motivated national professional to join our Africa Regional Office in Nairobi, Kenya. This role is critical in overseeing and managing daily operations, ensuring the efficiency and productivity of our office, and contributing to our organizational mission.

We're seeking a strategic and driven Operations Manager to lead our operations team and streamline the functions of procurement, IT, and administration. You will optimize policies and procedures to enhance productivity while ensuring a safe, secure, and well-managed work environment. Your leadership will be key in implementing effective procurement processes, managing assets, ensuring IT infrastructure reliability, and maintaining workplace safety and security.

The Operations Manager will collaborate closely with senior management to develop and execute annual strategic plans and budgets. This role requires an adaptive and agile individual who is decisive, proactive, and capable of leading from the front while building an inclusive and collaborative culture.

The ideal candidate is detail-oriented, with a proven track record in operational management, excellent communication skills, and the ability to manage multiple priorities effectively.

If you're passionate about making an impact, apply today and join us in transforming lives across continents!

About BRAC

BRAC is an international development organization founded in Bangladesh in 1972 that partners with over 100 million people living with inequality and poverty globally to create sustainable opportunities to realize potential. BRAC’s community-led, holistic approach is reflected in its unique integrated development model, which brings together social development, social enterprises and humanitarian response for lasting, systemic change. BRAC first expanded its operations outside of Bangladesh in 2002 and now operates in sixteen countries in Asia and Africa. Stichting BRAC International, a non-profit foundation formed in the Netherlands in 2009, governs all BRAC’s entities outside Bangladesh with an objective to engage in charitable and social welfare activities in any country of the world.

The Operations Manager is responsible for overseeing and managing the daily operations to ensure efficiency and productivity of the Africa Regional Office. The incumbent will have oversight of three key units namely, procurement, IT & Administration. S/he will have a mandate to optimize operations policies & procedures to ensure operational efficiency, including procurement, Information Technology, asset management, safety and security and implementing policies and procedures to enhance overall productivity while maintaining a safe and secure work environment.

The incumbent will also work closely with senior management at the Africa Regional Office to establish the Annual strategic plans and budgets and execution plans.  The role requires an adaptive & agile individual who is also driven and decisive with a proven track record of leading from the front to deliver high value business performance whilst building an inclusive and collaborative culture.

Procurement

• Review, implement and manage end to end procurement processes to ensure all purchases are made in line BRAC procurement policies and guidelines.
• Oversee the pre-qualification and onboarding of vendors, ensure due diligence, adherence to quality standards and cost effectiveness.
• Maintain strong relationship with suppliers and vendors to negotiate contracts, manage performance and ensure service delivery is as per the agreed terms and conditions
• Regularly review and update procurement processes, ensuring compliance with internal controls, policies and industry best practices.
• Conduct market research to identify new vendors and cost-effective products, services in areas where BRAC does not have a prequalified list of vendors.
• Provide training to regional office employees on the existing policies and procedures and continuously provide guidance to all employees to ensure compliance to policy and industry best practices.
• Coordinate all Regional Office related procurement plans and ensure efficient planning and periodic review of the procurement plans,
• From time to time support event management and planning e.g. workshops including supporting travel management.

Asset Management

• Review and implement asset management procedures to monitor, track and report on the lifecycle of all assets.
• Review and implement inventory management procedures to monitor, track and report on office supplies and stationery
• Coordinate regular audit of assets and ensure accurate asset tagging, documentation and inventory management is in place.
• Manage asset disposal in accordance with organizational policy, donor regulations and regulatory requirements.
• Implement and maintain asset management systems to provide real-time asset tracking and reporting.

Safety and security

• In collaboration with the Safety and Security advisor, enforce comprehensive safety and security policies, including workplace safety, emergency preparedness and response plans for the Africa Regional Office.
• Conduct regular risk assessment and implement measures to mitigate identified risks to employees, visitors, organization assets and reputation.
• Monitor compliance with safety regulations and ensure effective safeguarding of premises , staff and assets is maintained.
• Coordinate, report, manage safety incidents and follow – up actions by ensuring detailed records of incidents are monitored and closed.

IT Management for ARO

• In close collaboration with IT support service providers, oversee IT infrastructure management including hardware, software, network and communication systems, to ensure reliability, security and efficiency.
• Coordinate with IT support service provider and internal IT team in ensuring IT system upgrades, troubleshooting and maintenance of IT equipment is done.
• In collaboration with the IT team, implement IT policies related to data security, access controls and back up of employee data is maintained.
• Ensure IT equipment and tools for employees at the Africa Regional office is well maintained
• Coordinate with the IT team to ensure that IT licenses for the Africa Regional Office users are renewed and properly functioning.

Office Management

• Manage all office operations, including facility management, administrative support and Office supply management
• Through the administration officer, oversee all travel and logistics planning for the ARO
• Oversee maintenance and repairs to ensure the office environment is safe, clean and conducive to work in.
• Provide oversight in coordination of meetings, conferences and events including bookings, equipment set up, catering and other arrangements
• Implement cost effective measures for managing utilities, office supplies and other resources.
• Act as primary point of contact for all operations related enquiries and issues from Head Office and Country Offices.
• Ensure that cost allocation of all Operations expenses is allocated periodically to hosted entities in liaison with finance,
• Periodically, engage all hosted entities to gather feedback on support areas

Staff Supervision

• Lead and manage the operations team, providing clear direction, guidance and performance expectations
• Foster a positive work environment that encourages teamwork, collaboration and professional expectations
• Conduct regular performance reviews, provide constructive feedback and support team members to build capacity and skills
• Develop staffing plans for operations team, participate in hiring processes, onboarding of new employees and ensure adequate coverage while on leave
• Promote OneBRAC culture and continuous improvement in operational processes.

Others (Safeguarding)

• Read, understand, practice, promote and endorse the issues of safeguarding policy among team members and ensure the implementation of safeguarding standards in every course of action
• 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, encourage others to do so.

• Bachelor's degree in Development studies/English/Business Administration or other relevant field . CIPS qualification is desirable
• 7 years of experience in Operations Management, Administration Support and Procurement from any reputed organization preferably in a multinational company or NGO.
• At least 2 years’ experience managing an operations department with oversight of procurement and IT functions
• Professional qualifications e.g. PMP, CIPS will be an added advantage
• Organized, detail – oriented with the ability to work independently and meet deadlines with minimum supervision
• Ability to prioritize and multitask in a fast paced environment
• Ability to interface smoothly and effectively among variety of high level internal and external staff and stakeholders
•  Proactive and independent with excellent interpersonal and negotiation skills

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.