Technical Operations Director

Chemonics International, Inc.•Washington, DC

About The Position

Chemonics seeks a Technical Operations Director for the FEWSNET team. The Technical Operations (TOPs) Director fulfills the functions of a senior administrative officer and operations director for the technical implementation of the project, overseeing strategic operational processes that support excellence in project execution as well as leading administrative operations, including tracking all deliverables, budget management, work planning, logistics, and coordination across multiple teams. The TOPs Director’s duties will involve designing and implementing efficient processes to ensure smooth project operations, maintaining effective communications with project staff, the client, stakeholders, and partners, and working with the home office Project Support Team (PST) to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements. The TOPs Director will be based in Washington, DC and will function as a core part of the senior management team (SMT) reporting to the Chief of Party.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Operations Management, or related field. A Master’s degree is preferred.
Minimum of 10 years of relevant experience required, including 5 years in a senior operational role, preferably within a non-profit or international organization.
Minimum 3 years’ experience managing staff or teams; 5 years preferred.
Demonstrated experience in project management and team leadership.
Proficient in project management tools and software.
Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills.
Strong decision-making abilities and problem-solving skills.
Demonstrated experience in budget development, fiscal management, and procurement processes.

Nice To Haves

Knowledge of international regulations and compliance standards related to food security projects would be advantageous.

Responsibilities

Support the Chief of Party in providing leadership in the compliant management and successful technical implementation of the DST and support the timely completion and tracking of all deliverables
Anticipate project implementation risks and proactively develop strategies, including those that require cross-team or Chemonics corporate-level collaboration, to lessen the impact or to fully mitigate acute risks
Develop and implement strategies to streamline operations systems for effectiveness and efficiency, considering contractual requirements, client demands, team dynamics, and project needs, including working across the team to support the development of guidance and training materials for and supporting consistent and effective implementation of key operational processes undertaken by Washington and field-based project office staff
Lead the operations team in day-to-day administrative operations of the task order in close coordination with the PST
Supervise the Technical Operations Manager
Collaborate with the SMT and PST to develop and implement the annual work plan and associated operational plans and budgets
Oversee and manage the technical operations team, ensuring clear communication around roles and responsibilities and effective delegation of tasks
Oversee technical team recruitment, hiring, transition, onboarding, and termination. Closely liaise with HR and PST to ensure compliance with Chemonics’ HR policies as well as local labor law requirements in each country of operation
Work closely with the DCOP-Field Operations and regional operations managers (ROM) to cascade operations guidance and processes to regional and country offices, including but not limited to recruitment, onboarding, performance evaluations, travel and deliverables tracking
Develop and ensure updating of detailed trackers for all project deliverables and other activities/requirements including, but not limited to: travel, recruitment, onboarding, performance evaluations (PE), and leave
Work closely with the SMT and designated technical staff to ensure effective implementation and tracking of embassy briefings in accordance with contractual requirements
Lead the development and implementation of guidance for efficiently transitioning all project staff to the Google Environment, in compliance with the FEWS NET 8 contract and oversee continued adherence to guidance across full project
Together with the rest of the technical operations team, coordinate project travel, including international travel approval requests, visa support (where needed), developing and communicating clear guidance around travel to project staff, and tracking days allocated for travel in alignment with the budget monitors; and submission and documentation of trip reports
Liaise with, and provide support to, the security sector to ensure security-related procurement is implemented in a cost-effective and compliant manner
Ensure all project staff receive the required IT support by coordinating with Chemonics’ technology department and IT support services and helping identify appropriate solutions for project office staff in collaboration with the PST and ROMs.
Assist the SMT in developing and implementing PE guidance and templates in alignment with project needs and Chemonics’ guidance; ensure appropriate tracking of PEs across all project staff
Liaise with the home office PST to support the management and oversight of project budget and forecasting, including careful tracking of work plan activities with cost implications, especially travel
Ensure compliance with contractual and corporate policies and regulations
Coordinate the organization, management, and operational implementation of the DST’s internal and partner meetings, conferences, and workshops when required. Ensure that the operations team is documenting and storing meeting notes.
Help ensure seamless integration between technical team operations, SMT and PST
Support COP in creating a respectful and supportive workplace environment consistent with DST and Chemonics core values, including the design and implementation of team-building events
Assist SMT and PST in contract management and procurement processes
Mentor and develop supervisees including regular management check-ins, management of a professional development plan, and oversight of workload to ensure timely and growth-oriented feedback when necessary
Other duties as assigned by the COP