Director of Planning and Strategic Operations

Job Description

This position may be based in other IRC office locations and/or remote. The Awards Management Unit is responsible for building, maintaining, and strengthening relationships with public and institutional donors and position IRC as a partner of choice for delivering programs for our clients. This means working to expand IRC’s portfolio and diversify our relationships, as well as supporting the successful and compliant management and implementation of awards.

Job Overview/Summary:

The Director will support the Senior Vice President (SVP) for AMU in developing a strategic, focused, effective, collaborative and outcomes-oriented departmental leadership team and culture. This person will be a thought partner for the SVP and the AMU leadership team, helping to analyse and solve complex problems, challenging existing paradigms, and ensuring that we are focusing our energy and time on the most important issues. They manage the strategic operations and admin support team and ensure streamlined activities within the department are based on the priorities of the SVP and, provide high-level project management, communication and consultation support to the department as well as developing, directing and executing special projects as commissioned by the SVP and the AMU Leaders team.

Key Responsibilities:

Planning and coordination

· Support SVP to strengthen collaboration, prioritization and execution within AMU and IRC teams, serving as a key partner, relationship builder and leader within AMU and across the wider organization.

· Maintain an active overview of the work of the department, tracking priority issues and ensuring effective and coordinated support to and engagement by AMU leadership.

· Direct and manage effective and lean coordinating mechanisms to support improved prioritization, delivery and communication through leading and developing the strategic operations and admin support team.

· Partner with the President’s Office Delivery Unit and peers in other departments to identify priority actions for AMU and ensure timely and effective follow-through.

· Oversee the planning and management of departmental meetings, both regular and ad hoc, including agenda development and ensuring effective facilitation and follow-up.

· Advise the AMU leadership on priorities, opportunities and challenges, and provide support to ensure that AMU Leaders’ time is apportioned appropriately across key strategic goals.

· Ensure that AMU processes are aligned with the organization, and that the Unitis participating appropriately and effectively in organization-wide efforts.

Governance and project management

· Ensure effective governance of relevant strategic and cross-functional projects and initiatives, working in collaboration with AMU Strategic Project Manager to ensure that problems and decisions are identified and resolved in a timely manner.

· Ensure effective project management across AMU through the development of Project Management Office function, in collaboration with AMU Strategic Project Manager.

· Independently plan and manage select key projects from inception to completion - these will typically be projects which are highly cross-functional or which are particularly sensitive.

· Provide team leadership and support to the Strategic Operations and Planning team.

Communications and engagement

· Develop and oversee the implementation of an internal communications strategy for AMU.

· Ensure timely and effective internal communications between the SVP (and other senior leaders) and both AMU staff and other departments, and ensure consistency and quality of wider departmental communications.

· Draft reports, briefing documents, talking points and presentations for internal and external audiences at the request of the SVP.

Financial management and analysis

· Work with Finance to develop AMU annual budget

· Manage AMU budget on a monthly basis, tracking budgets vs actuals and identify potential savings

· Support development of business cases for the annual budget rounds

· Oversee and coordinate data and analysis functions within AMU.

Key Working Relationships:

Other Internal and/or external contacts: AMU Leaders, AMU SMT, Leadership Board, Strategy Unit, Communications, President’s Office (including Delivery Unit), CRRD and ER.

Direct line management: several colleagues at the Analyst and/or Manager level (will vary depending on the composition of the Unit)

Job Requirements:

Work / Educational Experience:

· Bachelor's degree or equivalent

· 8-10 years of relevant work experience, at least three of which in a strategy or project management role, with gradually increasing responsibilities and a track record of high performance.

Demonstrated Skills and Competencies:

· Proven experience across key strategic functions, including finance, data, systems and delivery

· Proven experience of effectively influencing at senior management level in complex organization

· Ability to deliver high quality work on schedule

· Excellent written and verbal communication skills

· Ability to anticipate and assess situations accurately and recommend/implement effective courses of action required.

· Strong team leadership and management skills.

· Ability to communicate effectively with internal and external stakeholders with tact and diplomacy, both orally and in writing, including working with all staff levels and diverse personalities.

· Exceptional discretion and confidentiality in dealing with sensitive material.

· A flexible work attitude and a calm manner, able to function effectively under pressure.

· Ability to proactively identify challenges and develop creative solution, in close collaboration with key stakeholders.

· Excellent judgment, tact, initiative, creativity, critical thinking, problem solving, organizational skills, and self-motivation.

· Demonstrable interest in and familiarity with international politics, humanitarian and development policies and related subjects.

Working Environment:

· Standard office working environment

· Some international travel

· This role may require working remotely full or part time and part time remote employees may be required to share workspace

The IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in IRC Way - Standards for Professional Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, and Accountability. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Anti Workplace Harassment, Fiscal Integrity, and Anti-Retaliation.

IRC et les employés de IRC doivent adhérer aux valeurs et principes contenus dans le IRC WAY (normes de conduite professionnelle). Ce sont l’Intégrité, le Service, et la Responsabilité. En conformité avec ces valeurs, IRC opère et fait respecter les politiques sur la protection des bénéficiaires contre l’exploitation et les abus, la protection de l’enfant, le harcèlement sur les lieux de travail, l’intégrité financière, et les représailles.

Qualifications