BESIK II - Operations Manager

DILI, EAST TIMOR

RURAL WATER SUPPLY, SANITATION & HYGIENE PROGRAM (BESIK) -

Operations Manager

IDSS (Aurecon IDA) is one of Australia 's best known international development consulting companies.  We work with communities, organisations and governments to build local capacity, to advocate for access to resources and for the delivery of basic services. Our experience as a multi-disciplinary business is global. 

IDSS (Aurecon IDA) have been successfully implementing BESIK I and are currently bidding for the BESIK II phase. Both BESIK I and the new BESIK II are Australian Government (AusAID) funded programs to support the lead role of Government of Timor Leste to expand capacity within the rural water supply, sanitation and hygiene sector and working towards MDG targets. BESIK II is due to commence in July 2012, for an initial four years.

Within the BESIK II program, the managing contractor will provide specific services. We are seeking expressions of interest from highly experienced and skilled personnel for the following key role to be based in Dili:

Operations Manager (full time) - AusAID ARF Classification C3 (Please find the job description below)

Candidates should have qualifications in a relevant field, excellent communications skills (including across cultures), sensitivity to gender and social inclusion and experience in working in a complex development environment. Candidates with an understanding of the development context in East Timor and with a proven background of working with AusAID are strongly encouraged to apply.

Conditions for employment, including rate scales and allowances, will be as per the AusAID ARF Guidelines. Personnel employed on the BESIK program must adhere to IDSS child protection, anti-fraud and other key policies.

To apply for this position, please visit our employment portal at www.idss.com.au. A covering letter addressing key selection criteria and a CV should be submitted by the closing date of Sunday 18 March.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Job Description

Operations Manager

 BRIEF EXPLANATION OF ROLE:

Bee, Saneamentu no Ijene iha Komunidade Phase II (BESIK), is funded by the Government of Australia through AusAID to provide assistance to the Government of the Government of Timor-Leste (GoTL) for the development of rural water supply, sanitation and hygiene (RWASH) activities in Timor-Leste. It follows and continues the work of the first phase of BESIK which commenced in 2007 and will finish in June 2012. BESIK 2 is an eight year program. The first four years of the program has been design and valued at around $43m.

BESIK 2 will have a managing contractor (MC). Unlike the arrangements for the first phase of BESIK, the managing contractor for BESIK 2 will not be responsible for strategic or operational direction-setting. This role has been elevated to a Steering Committee (consisting of key government counterpart representative and AusAID) and a Program Director (PD). The MC's role will be to assist with the efficient and effective implementation of plans approved by the BESIK II Steering Committee.

The Operations Manager (OM) will lead the MC team in Timor-Leste. The OM will be located in the program office based at the National Directorate for Water and Sanitation. The OM will be responsible for providing logistical and operational support to the long and short term advisers and for the implementation of activities outlined in BESIK 2 approved Annual Work Plans and tasking notes provided by the Program Director.

The OM will report to the PD. The long and short term advisers will also report to the PD. The OM will provide logistical and operational support and coordinate the activities of the advisors. The OM will coordinate advisor inputs into the implementation of BESIK II activities and preparation of Annual Work Plans, six-monthly progress and financial reports, monitoring and evaluation and other reports as required. The OM will manage an administrative support team. The principle contact with GoTL and non-government counterparts will be through the PD and long term advisers. This will not be a responsibility of the OM.

 Responsible to: Program Director (PD)

Works with: Long and short term advisors and Locally Engaged Staff (LES) on a day to day basis

Duration: Full time for length of contract

Location: Dili, Timor-Leste

AusAID Adviser Remuneration Framework Job Discipline and Level: C3

 KEY OBJECTIVES OF THE POSITION:

·          Ensure the timely provision of services as specified in the BESIK work plan and additional Tasking Notes issued by the PD (on behalf of the Steering Committee). Some of these services will be provided directly by the MC (e.g. secretariat support for the Steering Committee), and others will require the MC to contract advisors, research agencies, NGOs etc.

·          Prepare Annual Work Plan documentation, once agreed through process led by PD and overseen by the Steering Committee.

·          Provide six-monthly progress and financial reports, and additional status updates and financial reports on request.

·          Ensure the implementation of the MC's specific roles in BESIK II's monitoring and evaluation system.

·          Manage the performance of administrative services, e.g. security, utilities, advisor support services (housing, vehicles).

·          Manage the recruitment, mobilisation, demobilisation, logistical support and administration of technical assistance personnel (advisors), administrative support staff, and others as specified in the Annual Work Plan and tasking notes.

·          Ensure that recruitment involves consultation and involvement from PD, AusAID and GoTL, as agreed by the Steering Committee.

·          Where appropriate to their positions, ensure technical assistance personnel and staff have annual work plans that contain explicit capacity building strategies.

·          Manage a financial management system for reporting, managing, disbursing and acquitting funds, audit and procurement. This should be in accordance with the Australian Government Commonwealth Grant and Procurement Guidelines.

·          Manage a human resources management system for all MC personnel.

·          Collaborate, liaise and work closely with Advisors, to ensure effective communication, coordination and results for BESIK II activities.

·          Comply with all program operational, administrative and contractual requirements.

·          Be responsible for OH&S, quality assurance and overall performance of the Contract.

·          Other duties as required by and in agreement with the PD.

 SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

 Required:

·          Experience in program management in a development environment;

·          Experience in human resource and financial management;

·          Experience working with government ministries;

·          Experience in networking and maintaining relationships across a range of stakeholders;

·          Demonstrated experience of working effectively with a team of international consultants; and

·          Excellent oral and written communication skills in a cross-cultural environment.

 Desirable:

·          Proficiency in language other than English - particularly Tetun, Portuguese, Bahasa Indonesian;

·          Work experience in Timor-Leste;

·          Experience working and delivering results in an AusAID-funded project; and

·          Experience working in a public administration environment.

PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES

·          It is essential that the OM can establish effective working relationships with the full range of key stakeholders, including senior government officials, national staff, Program Officers, and staff of development agencies. This requires genuineness of approach and integrity, in order to build mutual respect and trust. The key personal attributes of such a person include:

·          Ability to support a flexible and varied team under conditions in which team members report directly to local senior counterparts;

·          Demonstrated capacity to undertake constructive and effective performance management of contract personnel;

·          Sensitivity to other cultures and the ability to act appropriately in Timorese culture;

·          Flexibility, responsiveness, discipline and patience; and

·          Ability to work according to agreed principles and model the desirable behaviours including cooperation, a focus on the wider goals and able to handle conflict appropriately and constructively.