Programme Operations Lead (1 Post)

Description

Mary’s Meals (MM) is a global movement supported by people from all walks of life and we are focused on one goal – that every child receives a nutritious daily meal in a place of education. We continue to change the lives of over 2 million children who today will receive Mary’s Meals. We offer more than just a job; we offer the opportunity to support our global movement in a dynamic and inclusive environment with a real focus on personal development. Mary’s Meals Kenya (MMK) operates a Primary School Feeding and Early Childhood Development programme in Kenya. Some of our core values are, Confidence in the innate goodness of people, Respecting the dignity of every human being and family life and good stewardship of resources entrusted to us.

In addition to these values, safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults is at the heart of how we work. We desire that all who are part of Mary’s Meals should embed these values, safeguarding and acceptable behaviours that include Simplicity, Service and Stewardship”.

Applications are invited from suitably qualified and experienced candidates for the post:

Programme Operations Lead (1 Post) – Turkana County

We are delighted to be recruiting for a talented Programme Operations Lead to join our team in Lodwar, Turkana County. Reporting to the Head of Programmes, the Programme Operations Lead will provide strategic leadership to the programme Operations team and will be an active member of the Global Operations Forum. The Programme Operations Lead is ensuring robust process for fleet management, supplier management, assets management, warehouse management and facilities management, are in place to support our school feeding programme. The Programme Operations Lead provides key inputs and innovative ideas on how to continuously improve our operations.

The post is key to the successful delivery of the school feeding programme in country and will have regular interaction and strategic alignment with key personnel in the MMI (Mary s Meals International) Programme Delivery & Operations and Development teams and will lead the field-based operations team in order to provide a strong quality assurance in support to the Head of Programmes.

Key duties & responsibilities for the role include:

Work in a highly effective and collaborative manner with our global programme delivery and operations staff to support the Head of Programmes in the following key areas:

Programmatic Excellence

• Lead on implementation of logistics strategies, policies, procedures, tools, continuous improvement, and operational excellence
• Implement monitoring of key performance indicators for all strategic areas of programme operations function.
• Proactively contribute to programmatic planning, risk management and reporting
• Strengthen communication across pillars, sharing best practices and learning, including forming and leading a highly effective operation team
• Deliver capacity building to operations team and promote a strong culture of compliance and highly robust ethics
• Work with procurement team to ensure strong cohesion between Procurement and our Operations function

Fleet Management

• Implement efficient and effective fleet management processes and procedures ensuring adequate controls are in place (e.g., vehicle and fuel usage, spare parts, maintenance costs, disposal, etc.)
• Ensure vehicles are adequately tracked for operational and security purposes
• Review fleet key performance indicators and implement corrective action where required
• Effectively use Fleet Management and Vehicle Tracking Systems to ensure operational controls are met

Warehousing & Construction

• Ensure effective functioning of our warehouses and distribution process with emphasis on optimal stock level management and efficient distribution planning.
• Ensure the warehouse is highly organized, clean, and all transactions are traceable and transparent.
• Support global logistics staff in ensuring strong framework and processes to monitor performance (quality, cost, timeline) in construction projects such as kitchens

Supplier Management

• Lead on the analysis and management of supplier performances in collaboration with Procurement.
• Working with the Procurement team on the development of a long-term strategic overview of procurement activities, reflecting planned and possible expansions in our school feeding programme.
• Actively manage supplier relationships to ensure that MM (Mary’s Meals) receives best value for money.

Facility Management

• Ensure efficient and effective facilities management processes and procedures with adequate controls are in place
• Ensure that agreed work by staff or contractors has been completed satisfactorily and follow-up on any deficiencies
• Use performance management techniques to monitor and demonstrate achievement of agreed service levels and to lead on improvement
• Routinely inspect office buildings and premises, and pro-actively resolve issues as they arise.

Quality Assurance

• Continually review and refine system and process in collaboration with MMI Programme Delivery and Operations Team
• Define and implement detailed programme operations reports and dashboards for various management levels, ensuring regular monitoring and clear actions, learnings and recommendations are identified and acted upon
• Provide support and technical advice on the implementation of Fleet Management digital systems.
• Provide support and technical advice to the audit and risk function

Working with others

• Ensure robust implementation and continual improvement of operational tools that lead to enhanced effectiveness and efficiency of our feeding programmes
• Ensure strong, ongoing training and coaching for all stakeholders of Programme Operations, in close collaboration with our MMI Programme Operations Team
• Regularly benchmark other relevant organisations for best practices and emerging opportunities for optimising effectiveness and efficiency of our programme delivery
• Facilitate information sharing across the Kenya team and our global programmes through the MMI Programme Operations Lead
• Work closely with the Operations team to develop meaningful weekly, monthly, and annual plans, and measure performance against agreed plans.

Other

• Coordinate responses to external audits conducted by MMI Risk & Assurance, liaising with MMI Programme Delivery and Operations as required
• Develop a high-performing, innovative, resilient, and sustainable delivery team through constant coaching, mentoring and role modelling
• Any other duty as assigned from time to time.

The role will require to travel to locations in which Mary’s Meals programmes operate.

Essential Qualifications, Skills, and Experience:

• Strong commitment to Mary’s Meals vision, mission, and values
• Degree qualification, with a relevant post qualification experience
• Proven experience of strong leadership of a function, and in coaching and developing high performing teams and individuals
• Strategic thinker, with experience of developing and delivering strategy in a complex environment
• Proven ability to identify and drive to a goal, and focused on delivering objectives while consistently demonstrating our values
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with ability to establish effective working relationships at all levels
• Experience of monitoring, evaluating, learning, and reporting against agreed strategy and plans
• Strong analytical skills and effective financial management experience
• Strong cultural sensitivity, with an ability to work well with a wide range of people in many different contexts
• Strong experience of liaising with community groups and governments

Desirable Qualifications, Skills, and Experience:

• Experience of international development, knowledge of the place of school feeding, and working in international environments and teams
• Experience working in emergencies
• A postgraduate degree in a relevant subject

Applications stating expected salary and CV (including contacts for three referees) should be e-mailed to [email protected] indicating the position title and applicant’s name in the subject line. All attached files should be saved under the applicant’s name. Deadline for receipt of applications is Monday, 7th March 2022 at 16:30 hours. Only the shortlisted candidates will be contacted via official Mary’s Meals email address.

Mary’s Meals never asks candidates to pay any money or pay for tests at any stage of the interview process. We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, colour, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability, gender, gender identity or expression. We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer.