Operations Manager

Job Description

Scope of Work for Operational Manager

A. Background and Justification

DAI has been contracted by DFID to implement the 5 Year FoodTrade East and Southern Africa (FTESA) Programme. FTESA will be based in Dar es Salaam, and will cover the nine countries of Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda (East Africa) and Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia and Zimbabwe (Southern Africa). FoodTrade ESA will systemically improve the functioning of national and regional staple food market systems; impacting directly on over 400,000 households and consumers through stable markets for staple food products. It will achieve this through the establishment of a Project Management Unit (PMU) to foster catalytic and innovative solutions through the use of two facilitative tools: a Challenge and Development Fund.

FoodTrade ESA uses a market-based approach to working with enterprises to promote the participation of poor men and women in wealth creation and improving the benefits they gain from engaging in staple food trade. As such, FTESA is concerned with the functioning of staple foods markets, and the need to overcome market failures to achieve systematic change that would create opportunities for more smallholder producers to participate in formalized, functioning markets. FTESA uses market-friendly mechanisms to leverage on ‘enterprise contribution’ to development through sharing the risk burden where commercial risk is too high. Foodtrade focuses on innovations in areas such as improved storage, inputs and service markets, information and coordination mechanisms and policy and regulation with the aim to get more people trading in regional staple food markets. FoodTrade ESA’s vision is to unlock trade across borders and across the region to get more food to more people.

B. Scope of Work

The Operations Manager (OM) will report to the Team Leader and will be providing strategic and high level project management support in logistics, administration, procurement and accounts. S/he will work closely with the grant manager and senior monitoring and results manager. The OM will develop a Value for Money (VfM) approach, complying with DAI manuals and ensure efficient use of resources.

C. Main Duties and Responsibilities

• Update the financial systems and procedures for the programme accounts in line with DAI manuals and requests;
• In cooperation with the Team Leader, support the development of a detailed work plan and budget for year one and indicative work plan and budget for the future years of the programme;
• Supervise the utilization of project funds, maintenance of project accounts and submit timely and reliable forecasts;
• Monitor project resources (human resources, equipment, budgets for missions, etc.) to ensure most cost effective utilization;
• Provide senior administrative support to project procurement responsibilities including the management of vendor relationships.
• Prepare consolidated reports on the overall financial progress of the project for DAI and record and reconcile all financial transactions related to FoodTrade ESA and manage office operations;
• Coach colleagues working in FoodTrade on the DAI manuals and procedures;
• Ensure that TAMIS is utilized by all staff for missions, leave, planning, etc.

D. Detailed duties/Specific tasks

D1. Cash Management

• Responsible for the processing of all cash transactions and wire transfer payments.
• Records all financial transactions with vouchers and review the monthly Field Expense Report (FERs).
• Responsible for the transfer of cash from the bank to the office.
• Responsible for ensuring the security of all project funds.
• Responsible for the appropriate keys/combinations to the safes in the office.
• Make recommendations to the Team Leader regarding improvements to the cash safety and disbursement procedures.
• Ensure that project vendors are paid in time.
• Work with Finance and Funds Manager on VAT payment and reporting.
• While processing daily transactions the Accountant should:
• Complete Advance Receipt in the Receipt Book with all necessary information.
• Ensure those proper approval signatures are obtained and that both parties: Payer and Receiver verify the cash amount of the transaction.
• Enter all transaction into the accounting system; identify the proper account codes for each transaction. Check entries for accuracy.
• Reconcile Petty Cash on a weekly basis.

D.2 Salary Calculation and Disbursement

• Ensure that the employee salary list is updated.
• Ensure that salary is disbursed to all employees on schedule.
• During the last week of the month collect all employees’ time sheets, check coding and approval signatories. File DAI Direct-Hire employees’ timesheets. Maintain a labour tracking sheet of all DAI employees on a monthly basis; and e-mail the monthly updates to the home office.
• File all salary information according to outlined filing procedures.
• Keep all salary related information strictly confidential.

D.3 Travel/Missions

• Organize approved domestic and international travel in coordination with the traveller and the home office, as necessary. Coordinate bookings of accommodations and airport transfers for staff going on mission or visiting.
• Administer and manage approved travel advances based on travel advance policy.
• Review and calculate travel advance and distribute travel advance.
• Within five days of return of a traveller, who has received a travel advance, audit the Travel Voucher according to travel advance policy.

D.4 Inventory

• Coordinate to ensure fixed assets lists are consistent and that a yearly inventory of assets is being performed.
• Maintain the appropriate documentation, receipts and customs declaration for all fixed assets purchased.

D.5 Human Resources

• Assist staff in their recruitment needs
• Provide new employee orientations
• Collect necessary documentation and maintain complete and current Master Files for each employee.
• Handle employee complaints
• Ensure that Personnel Policies and Procedures are followed by all employees.
• Track leave for all employees and keep overall excel sheet with summary of leaves taken per staff member.
• Make recommendations to the Team Leader for regarding improvements to the FoodTrade ESA HR Manual.

D.6 Project Logistics

• Supervise project or taxi drivers, cleaner, etc.
• Manage logistics support for all field office employees as well as STTA.
• Assist staff with events planning and logistics if needed.

D.7 Facilities Management

• Maintain relationships with apartment landlords and office building management.
• Responsible for the maintenance and procurement of all computer equipment, office furniture and office supplies.
• Responsible for maintaining proper inventory of all project property.
• Supervise IT service suppliers and liaise with the home office IT specialist, as necessary.

D.8 Legal

• Liaise with Team Leader and HQ legal team for company registration, work permits, vehicle registration and other local legal requirements.

E. Requirements

• Must have 10 years professional experience in operational/strategic management (budgeting, accounting, administration, procurement & logistics);
• Qualification in management, planning tools, accounting, etc. preferable;
• Extensive experience with financial management of DFID donor funded projects;
• Ability to systematically break down complex problems, complete an assessment of options and propose the optimal situation;
• Competent at working with teams and staff/contacts that may be in different locations, e.g. home office staff, local office staff, country offices and STTAs;
• Proficient in relevant computer applications and databases;
• Fluent English;
• Ability to collect and analyse data and produce coherent reports;
• Ability to work with minimum supervision and in a multicultural setting;
  

F. Education: Advanced Degree in Finance, Business, Economics, Management or other related field preferred.

Anticipated Project Start Date: 1 January 2015

Project Duration: Until 30 April 2018

Project Location: Nairobi

About the Organization

DAI is an employee-owned global development company. For 40 years, we have worked on the frontlines of
international development, tackling fundamental social and economic development problems caused by inefficient markets, ineffective governments, and instability. Currently, DAI is delivering results that matter in some 60 countries. Our integrated development solutions turn ideas into impact by bringing together fresh combinations of expertise and innovation across multiple disciplines—crisis mitigation and stability operations, democratic governance and public sector management, agriculture and agribusiness, private sector development and financial services, economics and trade, HIV/AIDS and disease control, water and natural resources management, and energy and climate change. Our clients include international development agencies, international lending institutions, private corporations and philanthropies, and national governments.