Iraq: Director of Operations - Iraq

Position: Director of Operations

Sulaimaniyah, Kurdistan, Iraq

Transform the lives of the most marginalized and vulnerable communities and be at the forefront of social change.

Heartland Alliance International (HAI):HAI is a subsidiary of Heartland Alliance based out of Chicago. It has been working in Iraq for than 10 years and its current portfolio of projects support advancing human rights through the provision of legal, psychological and advocacy services to survivors of human rights abuses.

Heartland Alliance International is currently seeking a Director of Operations for its high-performing Iraq program, comprising more than 40 staff and an operating budget of more than $8 million. The Operations Director will be responsible for data entry, accounts payable, payroll, grant report entry, managing the organization’s employee services, helping and creating organizational and program budgets in collaboration with the Country Director and Director of Finance & Administration, and other duties as assigned.

The ideal candidate is a driven and passionate professional looking to work alongside an inspiring, dynamic team of leading human rights workers. The candidate will have exceptional finance, accounts management and administrative skills and embrace a collaborative, team approach to the work they do. This person has experience working in operations and finance and accounting, and is eager to contribute to innovative human rights projects that support some of the most vulnerable people in Iraq and the Iraqi Kurdistan Region (IKR). The candidate must also have experience in dealing with a diverse group of stakeholders representing government, civil society, international organizations, community and political leaders, and others.

Reporting to the Country Director, the Operations Director is a member of the Senior Management Team comprised of the Country Director, Deputy Country Director, and Director of Finance & Administration. The Operations Director’s primary responsibility is ensuring organizational effectiveness by providing leadership for the organization's financial functions.
Working with the management team, the position also contributes to the development and implementation of organizational strategies, policies and practices. This position will also interact closely with HAI Headquarter staff in Chicago, including its international team, the Regional Director for the MENA Region, and Finance and Accounting Services.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBLIITIES:

• Improve the operational systems, processes, and policies in support of organizations’ mission. Key areas of focus are: better management reporting, information flow and management, business process and organizational planning.
• Manage and increase the effectiveness and efficiency of Support Services (finance and accounting; employee services; human resources, and logistics), through improvements to each function, as well as coordination and communication between support and business functions.
• Play a significant role in long-term planning, including an initiative geared toward operational excellence.
• Oversee all financial management, planning, systems and controls.
• Management of agency budget in coordination with the Country Director.
• Development of individual program budgets in collaboration with the Country Director.
• Ensuring timely and accurate Invoicing of funding sources, including calculation of completed units of service.
• Oversee payroll management, including accurate forecasting and tabulation of accrued employee benefits.
• Oversee disbursement of checks HAI, Iraq expenses.
• Establish operational efficiencies and ensure documentation and organization of fiscal documents within grant and HAI HQ requirements.
• Regular and ongoing communication with Country Director, providing counsel and vision for fiscal planning.
• Supervise and coach Director of Finance & Administration and Senior Accountant to build capacity with national staff.

Financial Management

• Direct annual budgeting and planning process for the organization's annual budget with Country Director
• Develop and manage annual operating budget
• Oversee monthly and quarterly assessments and forecasts of organization's financial performance against budget, financial and operational goals. Oversee short and long-term financial and project manager reporting
• Manage day-to-day processing of accounts receivable and payable using QuickBooks, producing reports as requested.
• Reconcile monthly activity, generating year-end reports, and fulfilling HQ and grant reporting requirements
• Collaborate with Country Director to create annual organizational budget and monitoring monthly cash flow.
• Manage partner contracts (subawards), partner reimbursement requests, and monthly and annual financial reporting within required deadlines.
• Maintain archival and administrative files.
• Oversee payroll administration and employee benefits and organizational insurance.
• Ensure that accounting department requests are resolved and communicated in a timely manner to internal and external parties.
• Develop long-range forecasts and maintain long-range financial plans.
• Develop, maintain and monitor all fundraising and accounting systems and procedures capturing all pledges, billings and receipts.
• Identify, design and implement improvements to revenue transaction systems
• Prepare annual audit and liaise with HQ and outside vendors.

Organizational Effectiveness

• Manage functions.
• Increase the effectiveness and efficiency of support services through improvements to each function (HR, IT, Finance), as well as coordination and communication between functions.
• Drive initiatives in the management team and organizationally that contribute to long-term operational excellence.
• Providing consulting services on matters related to finance and accounting, fundraising, and business structure and growth.

Organizational Leadership

• Contribute to short and long-term organizational planning and strategy as a member of the management team

Risk Management

• Establish risk management protocol regarding finance and accounting, employee services, and security.
• Serve as primary liaison to legal counsel in addressing legal issues regarding copyright, antitrust, governing instruments, partnerships, licensing etc., in collaboration with Country Director.
• Oversee organizational insurance policies.

Qualifications

• Commitment to international human rights.
• At least 3 years of experience in financial management, with an additional 3 years bookkeeping experience, preferably with a complex international NGO.
• Strong background and work experience in finance.
• Budget development and oversight experience.
• Ability to look at situations from several points of view and articulate clearly issues related to finance and accounting.
• Proficient in QuickBooks.
• Excellent computer skills and proficient in Microsoft products.
• Excellent communication skills both verbal and written.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and a collaborative management style.
• Excels at operating in a fast pace, community environment.
• Excellent people manager, open to direction.

Language:English fluency; knowledge ofKurdish and/or Arabic a plus

Personal Competencies:Collaborative spirit and ability to work independently as well as in a team; commitment to knowledge sharing and teamwork; positive attitude and ability to see through challenges to find solutions; strong interpersonal skills and an ability to clearly communicate, including complex concepts into layperson language; ability to delegate responsibilities effectively and coach and mentor junior staff; high comfort level working in a diverse environment with a demonstrated commitment to high professional ethical standards.

To learn more about this position and to apply, please visit:

http://chk.tbe.taleo.net/chk03/ats/careers/requisition.jsp?org=HEARTLANDALLIANCE&cws=1&rid=2714 OR http://www.heartlandalliance.org/whoweare/careers/

*Please note that we do not consider resumes sent by email, fax or postal mail.