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DAI a global development company seeks a Director of Operations for the USAID Southern  Africa Trade and Investment Hub (the Hub) project, a five-year trade and investment facilitation project for Southern Africa, which is in it third year,  is working to increase global competitiveness and intra-regional trade and improve food security in Southern Africa.

 

Job Title: Director of Operations
Location:  South Africa

Project activities include efforts to leverage finance and investment in targeted sectors; support to national and regional bodies to facilitate intra-regional trade of agricultural commodities and economic integration; facilitation of improved private sector export competitiveness in key value chains; and expansion of trade by encouraging increased utilization of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA). The program uses a market systems development approach with a strong forcus on market facilitation and adaptive management principles

Objectives and Duties

The Director of Operations (DOO) will provide overall leadership and oversight for the finance, procurement, travel/logistics, and human resources team. S/he will empower the operations and finance team while providing quality control to ensure robust, flexible, and adaptive operations to support project activities. The DOO must be fluent in compliance matters and help the senior management team ensure the contract is implemented in accordance with contractual requirements, DAI policies, USAID regulations, and local law.

S/he will be responsible for ensuring that staff are familiar with policies and procedures related to finance, procurement, human resources, and take the lead in overseeing the management of the facilities and property. Operations serve a critical role in the delivery of program activities to beneficiaries and partner organizations. In this regard, the Director of Operations will work closely with the DCOP who oversees technical programs while reporting to the Chief of Party.

Five major functions that support programs will fall directly and indirectly under the Director of Operations position:

• Operations and Program Management;
• Financial Management;
• Program & Human Resources Administration;
• Procurement and Grants; and
• ​Client Reporting.

1. Operations Management

• Review key project protocols, processes and guidance, in conjunction with operations, finance, communications, logistics, grant, and monitoring and evaluation (M&E) teams, recommending design improvements and efficiencies where needed.
• Implement schedule of authorities that empowers project staff with more latitude and responsibilities. Maintain and oversee the workflow processes for operations, finance, logistics, and human resources.
• Ensure activity budgets are developed, led by the Senior Finance and Budget Analyst, in cooperation technical teams, maintaining a master collation of activity budgets that details activity priorities and resource needs.Maintain legal standing of DAI PTY LTD in South Africa (and any subsequent subsidiaries opened in Hub countries as needed).
• Liaise with HO Global Operations to ensure Bi-Annual Return of Payment of Provision Tax and Submission of Annual Tax return is completed for DAI PTY LTD.
• Liaise with HO Global Operations to ensure Annual Returns with CIPC is filed.
• Oversee responses to internal and external financial/compliance audits.
• Supervise the day-to-day performance of direct reports, ensuring that they understand their roles, coaching them to succeed and providing them with feedback and technical and administrative support that they require in meeting their performance objectives.

2. Financial Management

The DOO will be responsible for the financial management, including quality controls, cost reporting, and tracking. The DOO will provide recommendations on the overall financial management and performance of the project and work in close collaboration with the home office to monitor costs. In addition, the DOO will empower the Senior Financial Analyst and provide management oversight and quality control of the finance team’s task.

Detailed duties include:

• Regularly participate in calls with the home office and support the maintenance and updating of the project budget and budget pipeline.
• Mitigate project risks and protect the project against fraudulent practices through adherence to the program’s schedule of authorities.
• Ensure strict implementation of a sound internal control system and take appropriate actions against any violation of the system.
• Oversee financial and accounting systems controls and standards, ensure that financial internal controls are sufficient and based on DAI and industry best practices, such that cash management processes are secure, data is valid, and financial reporting is reliable, timely, and accurate.
• Review DAI invoices prior to submission to USAID for accuracy.
• Ensure VAT declation is completed monthly.
• Approve payment requests
• Review and approve financial vouchers.
• Release bank payments and hold bank signatory authority for the program; provide quality control and risk management for finance functions.
• Conduct the following spot checks for sound financial management: monthly outstanding advance check, payable/invoice report for outstanding payments or erroneous entries for vendors; review bank reconciliations through FAS.
• Conduct monthly Non-Billable Review with Senior Financial Budget Analyst and report back to HO.  Provide additional supporting memos as needed and/or appropriate bill throughs.
• Conduct montly pipeline review.

3. Program Administration and Human Resources

The DOO will provide management oversight and quality control for the administrative operations of the project, including supporting human resources, inventory management, and reporting. The DOO will work with the operations team and Senior Management to ensure that operating policies and procedures comply with USAID and DAI standards.

Detailed duties include:

• Establish and maintain personnel policies to ensure compliance with local labor law, tax law, and USAID regulations, requiring consultations with local lawyers as may be necessary.
• Review all necessary legal documents, ensure that the developed documents are in compliance with USAID regulation as well as with DAI at all times.
• Foster, in collaboration with the COP and Senior Management, a working environment of high ethical standards and morale, mutual respect, understanding, trust, and cooperation among all staff members that delivers results and maximizes performance outcomes.
• Review all employment agreements
• Serve as arbitrator and point of contact during labor disputes
• Support HR and Administration Manager to ensure annual review process is completed and compensation is fair and in line with DAI and USAID policies.
• Approve EMP201 and EMP501 declarations and related payments. Ensure backup copies of EMP201 and EMP501 are saved on the P drive and provide to HO Global Operations as needed for DAI PTY LTD audits.
• Support HR and Administration Manager in inventory management, including conducting spot checks.
• Review disposition plans in line with annual workplan.
• Act as the Regional Security Focal Point, ensuring security plan is updated annually and disseminated to staff.  Ensure phone tree is updated.
• Share security alerts with travelers and all staff as appropriate.
• Review and approve annual COIDA filing.
• Support HR and Administration Manager to keep up to date with changing labor laws/acts ensuring these changes are reflected in employment agreements and project policies.
• Review and approve proposed salary offers and/or adjustments, keeping in line with DAI policies and the USAID Local Compensation Plan as prepared by the HR and Administration Manager.

4. Program Procurement and Grants

The DOO will provide management oversight and quality control for the operational and technical procurements as well as grant administration. The DOO will work closely with program leadership and staff to ensure that operating policies and procedures comply with USAID and DAI standards.

Detailed duties include:

• Work with the Procurement and Subcontracts Manager, procurement plan, in line with annual work plan.
• Provide input and support to technical teams on travel, logistics, and quality delivery of country-level initiatives and activities, including trade shows/fairs, trainings, forums, and other high-visibility events.
• Oversee procurement and grants team and provide quality control and risk management for their functions.
• Review/draft all requests to USAID CO for procurement approvals.
• Approve all procurements over SOA threshold.
• Review and approval all requisitions over SOA threshold.
• Review all RFAs and/or APS and liaise with HO for approval.
• Submit all APS to USAID for approval as required by USAID contract.
• Submit all Requests for Grant Approval to USAID as required by USAID contract
• Ensure Enironmental Review Forms are completed and submitted to USAID as required by USAID contract and ensuring environmental compliance of the grant

5. Client Communications and Reporting

• Respond to urgent client requests, including budget scenarios, scope of work development, and other tasks as needed.
• Draft/review USAID contract deliverables – including Quarterly Accrual Report, Quarterly Financial Report, Inventory and Asset Report, Annual Value Added Tax Report.
• Perform other tasks as requested by the COP.
• Review and/or prepare regular and ad hoc requests for reports to USAID, including inventory disposition, local taxes, activity budgets, etc.

Supervisory Responsibilities

The Director of Operations will supervise the Procurement and Subcontracts Manager, Senior Financial Analyst, and Human Resources & Admin  Manager.

Place of Performance and Reporting

The Director of Operations will be based in South Africa and will report to the Chief of Party.

To apply

Send applications, including a cover letter explaining your desire to join the DAI team, CV and three references, to [email protected].

Application Deadline: September 13, 2019