Operations Manager - Gaza Response
Description
About Mercy Corps
Mercy Corps is powered by the belief that a better world is possible. To do this, we know our teams do their best work when they are diverse and every team member feels that they belong. We welcome diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be stronger and have long term impact.
The Program
Since 1986, Mercy Corps has helped Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza access critical services and become more economically self-sufficient, focusing its interventions on WASH, community crisis resilience, economic opportunities, and cash programming. With funding from BHA and ECHO Mercy Corps has been able to work together with communities in the West Bank and Gaza to respond to these needs. The escalation of conflict that began on October 7, 2023, has sharply exacerbated the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the region. Mercy Corps is actively working to respond to the crisis and restart our humanitarian programs in Gaza where team members are committed to significantly ramping up much-needed lifesaving aid as soon as it is safe.
The Position
The Operations Manager—Gaza Response is a key person within the Gaza Emergency Response team, and wider Palestine country program, who ensures resources are planned and utilized effectively for Gaza response support. The Operations Manager—Gaza response plays a key role in the overall Gaza response operations activities spread across multiple geographical locations under the guidance of the Gaza Response Director and Operations Director—Palestine West Bank/Gaza (WBG).
As a member of the country operations management team, the Operations Manager of Gaza response shares the overall responsibility for directing and coordinating the Gaza response operations under the direct supervision of the Gaza Response Director and the Operations Director—Palestine WBG.
Responsibilities
The key responsibilities of the Operations Manager - Gaza Response include, but are not limited to, strategic oversight, development and implementation of policies and procedures and resource management.
STRATEGIC OVERSIGHT
Strategic oversight, direction and advice on all aspects of Mercy Corps operations management, aiming at the achievement of the following results:
● Responsible for updating and implementing the supply chain strategy for the Gaza response. Coordinate closely with the Gaza Response team to anticipate programmatic needs and establish effective supply chain solutions.
● Thoughtfully contribute to the development and implementation of the overarching Gaza Response strategy, ensuring alignment with Mercy Corps’ mission and management guidelines.
● Consistently analyze the operating environment in Gaza, access points for aid, and impact on Mercy Corps’ operations. Provide recommendations on adjusting operations accordingly based on contextual changes.
● Advise on operations strategies, policies and plans affecting operations, program deliverables and staffing related to the Gaza response.
● Proactively researching and exploring solutions for the access of Mercy Corps’ relief items to Gaza.
● Promote continuous organizational learning culture with the empowerment of individuals and teams with the identification of learning needs. Create learning opportunities and ensure access to available learning resources, where applicable.
● Support proposal and budget development related to operations activities.
SUPPLY CHAIN AND RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
Effective and efficient resources management in Gaza response with the achievement of the following results:
● Exercising oversight over procurement processes and logistics ensuring compliance with Mercy Corps procurement policies and procedures as well donor rules and regulations.
● Responsible for the end-to-end oversight of the supply chain for relief items into Gaza, including procurement, customs, transport, and warehousing. Oversight on maintenance of proper custody of Mercy Corps assets, warehouse inventory and general inventory related to Gaza response.
● Responsible for the provision of high quality and timely procurement and other program support. Provide contract administration for emergency related service and purchase contracts.
● Ensure the establishment of Master Agreements for core programmatic activities, in collaboration with the MC Palestine Procurement team. Manage the resultant supply chain partnerships, Master Agreements and service contracts as required.
● Provide support as required to the Mercy Corps team inside Gaza related to local procurements as well as in the supervision of general facilities and office management, asset, fleet and warehouse management inside Gaza.
● Ensure effective management of administrative / logistics resources and reporting in a systematic, transparent and efficient manner during the Gaza response.
LIAISON AND COORDINATION:
- Liaise and manage the coordination with external stakeholders related to the access of goods, including but not limited to: Suppliers, WFP Logistics Cluster, UNOPS/UN2720, UN Access Support Unit and the Egyptian Red Crescent Society.
- Represents Mercy Corps as required in coordination with the country management team. The Operations Manager - Gaza response will have certain representation at the discretion of the Gaza response Director and Operations Director - Palestine WBG. The level of representation may vary depending on the country's context (i.e. Local Logistics Cluster, NGO Working Groups, Consortium Partnerships etc.)
- Represent the Mercy Corps Gaza response Team externally as required.
- Provides Management information for effective decision-making as required.
SECURITY
- Ensure compliance with security procedures and policies as determined by Gaza response leadership.
- Proactively ensure that team members operate in a secure environment and are aware of policies.
Supervisory Responsibility
Emergency Operations team members in Palestine WBG, Jordan and Egypt
Accountability
Reports Directly To: Operations Director and the Gaza Response Director.
Works Directly with the Deputy Country Director for programs, the Regional Management Team, the Operations Manager for WBJ, the Operations Director for Gaza, and the Global Supply Chain Operations Team.
Accountability to Participants and Stakeholders
Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our program participants, community partners, other stakeholders, and to international standards guiding international relief and development work. We are committed to actively engaging communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.
Minimum Qualification & Transferable Skills
- BA/BS degree in a relevant field.
- Minimum of 5 years management experience in a corporate or an INGO sector, including experience in operational support including Gaza response.
- Sound knowledge of administrative and logistics procedures is highly desired.
- Proven supervisory ability and/or technical skills combined with leadership.
- Strong interpersonal skills and ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with colleagues in a diversified multi-cultural and multi-ethnic working environment.
- Skills in managing, organizing, planning and implementing assigned tasks under pressure of frequent and tight schedules.
- Strong ability to apply good judgment and decision making skills in difficult and complex working environments.
- Demonstrated analytical and problem solving skills in handling management and coordination issues at country program level.
- Effective verbal and written communication, organizational, prioritization and Microsoft Office applications.
- Excellent oral and written English skills required.
- Ability to work effectively with an ethnically diverse team in a sensitive environment.
Success Factors
The successful Operations Manager - Gaza response will be good at problem solving and have the ability to work out methods to deliver successful programs while demonstrating excellent stewardship of donor funds and compliance with Mercy Corps and donor regulations. They will maintain strong cooperative relationships with other departments and interact effectively with international and national personnel both in a managerial as well as training capacity, while demonstrating the ability to multitask, meet deadlines and process information in support of changing program activities. They will be able to live and work closely with a diverse team of individuals in a highly intense and fluid work and security environment and be willing to travel regularly to Mercy Corps field offices and project sites. The most successful Mercy Corps staff members have a strong commitment to teamwork and accountability, thrive in evolving and changing environments and make effective written and verbal communication a priority in all situations.
This position requires obtaining medical clearance through the successful completion of a medical assessment by an external third party prior to deployment and following any medical evacuation if applicable. If you are not medically cleared and Mercy Corps cannot reasonably accommodate a medical condition if required, you may not be able to deploy for/return to this position
Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions
The position is based in Ramallah and it requires up to 40% travel to support country programs, which may include travel to insecure locations where freedom of movement is limited and areas where amenities are limited. Housing for this role is in individual housing, staff will have access to good medical services, and the living situation is of a moderate standard.
Ongoing Learning
In support of our belief that learning organizations are more effective, efficient and relevant to the communities we serve, we empower all team members to dedicate 5% of their time to learning activities that further their personal and/or professional growth and development
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Achieving our mission begins with how we build our team and work together. Through our commitment to enriching our organization with people of different origins, beliefs, backgrounds, and ways of thinking, we are better able to leverage the collective power of our teams and solve the world's most complex challenges. We strive for a culture of trust and respect, where everyone contributes their perspectives and authentic selves, reaches their potential as individuals and teams, and collaborates to do the best work of their lives.
We recognize that diversity and inclusion is a journey, and we are committed to learning, listening and evolving to become more diverse, equitable and inclusive than we are today.