Head - Operations
Major Duties and Key Responsibilities
Strategic Leadership and Oversight
- Develop and execute the operational strategy in alignment with the overall organizational strategy.
- Lead the design, implementation, and continuous improvement of operational processes and systems.
- Oversee the creation and management of budgets, ensuring alignment with strategic goals and financial sustainability.
- Foster a culture of innovation, continuous improvement, and operational excellence.
Programme and Project Management Systems
- Develop and oversee robust programme and project management systems.
- Monitor and evaluate project progress to ensure alignment with organizational goals.
- Manage project timelines, budgets, and deliverables.
- Implement best practices from WWF International and other global leaders to enhance project management efficiency.
Financial Management
- Oversee financial planning, budgeting, and reporting processes.
- Ensure compliance with local and international financial regulations and standards.
- Manage accounts payable and receivable and coordinate with the finance team to maintain financial health.
- Optimize financial performance through integration of best practices from leading global companies.
Human Resources (HR) Management
- Supervise HR activities including recruitment, training, performance management, and employee relations.
- Develop and enforce HR policies and procedures to foster a positive organizational culture.
- Promote diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives inspired by global HR best practices.
- Oversee talent management, employee engagement, and development programs.
Legal and Compliance
- Ensure compliance with local and international laws and regulations.
- Oversee legal matters including contracts, agreements, and disputes.
- Implement and manage comprehensive compliance programs and risk management processes.
- Ensure adherence to governance standards and best practices.
Information Technology (IT) and Data Management
- Oversee IT operations ensuring systems are secure, reliable, and efficient.
- Implement new technologies to improve operational efficiency and cybersecurity.
- Manage IT support and maintenance activities, leveraging innovative solutions.
- Develop and implement data management strategies to support decision-making and operational efficiency.
- Ensure data protection and compliance with relevant regulations.
Business Process Analysis and Oversight of SOPs
- Conduct business process analysis to identify areas for improvement and optimization.
- Oversee the development, implementation, and maintenance of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
- Ensure due diligence, governance, compliance, quality control, and quality assurance across all operations.
Stakeholder Management
- Create a stakeholder mapping and management strategy.
- Manage key stakeholders, ensuring effective communication and engagement.
- Participate in WWF International practices calls as required.
- Liaise with WWF International and its offices to ensure alignment and collaboration.
Governance and Compliance
- Support the development and implementation of governance frameworks and policies.
- Liaise with the Board of Directors and other stakeholders as needed.
- Ensure adherence to governance standards and best practices from top-tier organizations.
Administration and Office Management
- Oversee administrative functions including office management and logistics.
- Ensure efficient operation of office facilities and services.
- Manage vendor relationships and procurement processes adopting procurement best practices from global leaders.
Event Management
- Provide operational support with the planning and execution of major stakeholder events.
- Support the management and planning of events.
- Provide operational support to WWF personnel, including high-level officials and visiting missions (protocol, liaison, procurement, and security coordination).
Strategy Development and Business Planning
- Develop and implement strategic plans for the operations unit.
- Conduct business planning, risk and mitigation planning, and contingency planning.
- Model scenarios to support decision-making and strategic initiatives.
Sustainability and Environmental Impact
- Integrate sustainability considerations into all operational activities.
- Implement practices to minimize environmental impact and enhance sustainability.
- Monitor and report on sustainability metrics and performance.
Innovation and Technology Integration
- Drive the adoption of innovative technologies to improve operational efficiency.
- Stay abreast of technological advancements and integrate relevant solutions into operations.
Partnership Development
- Develop and manage strategic partnerships to enhance operational capacity and reach.
- Engage with external partners to foster collaboration and support for organizational initiatives.
Crisis Management
- Develop and implement crisis management plans.
- Lead the organization through crisis situations, ensuring continuity of operations and minimal impact.
Reporting and Transparency
- Ensure transparent reporting and communication with stakeholders.
- Develop and implement reporting frameworks to track performance and impact.
Capacity Building
- Build capacity within the operations team and across the organization.
- Develop training and development programs to enhance skills and capabilities.
Shadowing the COO
- Shadow the COO to gain a comprehensive understanding of organizational operations and strategy.
- Manage the COO’s schedule, including planning and coordinating meetings, travel, and other commitments.
- Attend meetings with the COO, providing support and ensuring follow-up on action items.
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Management, Finance, IT, or a related field.
- At least 10 years of experience in operations management, preferably in non-profit or environmental organizations.
- Proven experience in managing multiple departments and cross-functional teams.
- Strong knowledge of financial management, HR practices, IT systems, data management, and legal compliance.
- Excellent leadership, communication, and organizational skills.
- Ability to work in a fast-paced and dynamic environment.
Competencies
Emirates Nature-WWF Focus: Acts as a member of Emirates Nature-WWF, placing higher priority on Emirates Nature-WWF goals than own goals and anticipating the effects of own area’s actions on others to ensure holistic Emirates Nature-WWF outcomes.
External Orientation: Looks outwards ensuring WWF stays relevant, continues to anticipate and adapt to external environmental and global trends.
Delivering Quality Outcomes: Establishes stretch goals, plans, using best judgment and takes responsibility for planning to and delivering on outcomes.
Building Working Relationships: Builds collaborative relationships through the understanding and development of other’s and own ideas.
Communicating Effectively: Uses appropriate means of communication to convey messages, seeks input from others and ensures understanding.
Leading Teams: Develops direction and shared purpose, builds a team through coaching to ensure the accomplishment of goals and high level team performance.
Leading Change: Encourages and seeks out innovative solutions and brings people on a journey constructively and empathetically.
Managing Resources: Makes the right judgments based on financial and resource availability.
Establishing Strategic Direction: Generates options to achieve long-range goals, selects the best strategies for success and delivers on strategic goals.
Skills Required
- Interpersonal skills: building relationships and working collaboratively with colleagues, staff members, and external partners. Should be approachable, empathetic, and have a customer service-oriented mindset.
- Excellent knowledge of administrative policies, procedures and best practices as applicable to the support services. In addition to a deep understanding of non-for-profit policies and procedures, as well as relevant regulations and guidelines, to be able to ensure compliance with these requirements.
- Ability to prioritize the workload in an effective manner; work under pressure within a busy environment and meet tough deadlines.
- Ability to plan and execute complex projects and initiatives, manage timelines and deadlines, and ensure that goals are met.
- Good knowledge of office management practices within a dynamic and highly automated work environment.
- Ability to foster cooperative work relationships within a diverse community that involves multiple internal and external parties.
- Proficiency level of MS Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
- Excellent written and oral communication skills in English and Arabic.
- Ability to convey complex information in a clear and concise manner and be skilled at diplomacy and conflict resolution.
- Good knowledge of budget preparation and fiscal resources management.
- Ability to gather data, conduct research, compile information, and write reports.
- Ability to analyze data and information, identify trends and patterns, and make recommendations based on their findings.
- Strong attention to detail and be able to maintain accurate records and documentation.
- Ability to adapt to changing circumstances and priorities and be comfortable working in a fast-paced environment.
- Ability to identify problems, evaluate options, and develop effective solutions.
- Ability to think strategically, understand EN’s mission and goals, and align the work of the with these objectives.
- Ability to handle confidential information with discretion and maintain the highest level of professionalism at all times.
Working Relationships
Internal - Collaborates with all departments within Emirates Nature-WWF.
External - Engages with external partners, vendors, stakeholders, and WWF International.
- Impact driven
- Balance between proactivity and reactivity
- Plan but not over-plan
- Implement innovatively with a future driven mindset.
- Being courageous
- Embedding MTP with impact at scale
- Embrace decision making process based on adaptive management.
- Ensure all changes in decisions do not move away from original goal and MTP
- Entrepreneurial
- Keeping to the ambition/vision/goal and MTP
- Ensure we are meeting the plan to achieve goals whilst adapting tactical plans along the way
- Working together as a matrix organization to implement strongly
- Be confident
- Believe in success
- Retain high level of ethics
Additional Information
Emirates Nature-WWF is an equal opportunity employer. We welcome diversity in the workplace and offer a flexible and diverse place of employment.
How To Apply
Please send your application consisting of a cover letter explaining why you are the right candidate to work with EN-WWF and your CV with the subject ‘Application for Head – Operations ’ to the attention of Ms Magdalena Tayoun on careers@enwwf.ae before 19th July 2024.