Senior Operations Manager

Job Posting Organization:
Catholic Relief Services (CRS) is the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. Established to save, protect, and transform lives in need, CRS operates in more than 100 countries worldwide. The organization is committed to improving the lives of the poor and vulnerable, regardless of race, religion, or nationality. CRS's work encompasses various programs, including emergency response, health, agriculture, education, microfinance, and peacebuilding. The agency's mission is driven by a collaborative, mission-oriented culture that welcomes individuals from all faiths and secular traditions who share its values. CRS is dedicated to safeguarding children and vulnerable adults from abuse and exploitation, ensuring that its processes and policies reflect this commitment. The organization prioritizes hiring candidates from the regions in which it operates, and it is committed to safeguarding the rights and dignity of all people, especially children and vulnerable adults, to live free from abuse and harm.

Job Overview:
The Senior Operations Manager is responsible for providing senior, hands-on leadership for supply chain and operations to ensure the timely, compliant, and cost-effective delivery of life-saving assistance under the UN OCHA-funded Mozambique Emergency Response. This role involves overseeing emergency procurement, logistics, warehousing, transport, pipeline tracking, and distributions of essential assistance, including food, WASH, shelter, and non-food items across the regions of Cabo Delgado, Nampula, and Sofala. The Senior Operations Manager collaborates closely with CRS Mozambique teams and diocesan Caritas implementing partners to enhance end-to-end supply chain planning, partner capacity, and performance monitoring. Additionally, the position oversees operations systems, including human resources, facilities, compliance, safeguarding, and internal controls, which support effective delivery. The role also entails managing fiduciary and operational risk, ensuring audit readiness and donor compliance, and leading people management and capacity strengthening to support a high-quality emergency response at scale.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The Senior Operations Manager will lead and coordinate emergency supply chain activities, which include procurement, warehousing, transport, pipeline tracking, and distributions to ensure a timely and high-quality response across multiple field locations. The role requires strengthening end-to-end supply chain planning and execution through the development of procurement plans, inventory and pipeline tracking, distribution planning, and sourcing strategies informed by market assessments and price monitoring. The manager will lead transparent, compliant, and value-for-money procurement and contracting processes, managing supplier and logistics service provider relationships, contracts, documentation, and performance monitoring in accordance with CRS and UN OCHA requirements. Ensuring accountability, transparency, and fiduciary risk mitigation across supply chain operations is crucial, which involves enforcing CRS Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), donor rules, and local regulations while proactively preventing fraud, diversion, and conflicts of interest. The Senior Operations Manager will also strengthen partner and subrecipient supply chain capacity through rapid assessments, hands-on coaching, and follow-up on corrective actions related to procurement, inventory, transport, and distributions. The role includes leading audit readiness and compliance efforts, serving as the focal point for internal and external audits, coordinating responses, and driving corrective actions and continuous process improvement. Coordination with Country Program, regional, and HQ operations, audit, risk, and compliance functions is essential to ensure alignment, consistency, and strengthened internal controls across emergency operations. The manager will also ensure enabling operational environments by maintaining functional offices, warehouses, and guesthouses, ensuring that facilities and services support staff safety, well-being, and program delivery.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates must possess a Bachelor’s degree in business administration, supply chain, logistics, or another relevant field. A minimum of 8 years of work experience in managing support functions such as operations, HR, logistics, or ICT in a humanitarian setup is required, with at least 2 years of supervisory experience. Proven experience in managing operations across multiple projects and donor portfolios up to $5 million is essential. Additionally, candidates should have remote management experience supervising operation managers in field offices, including hard-to-reach locations. Preferred qualifications include a Master’s degree and experience with an NGO, as well as knowledge of multiple public donors’ regulations, including OCHA. Experience working in insecure (conflict) environments is also advantageous.

Educational Background:
The educational background required for this position includes a Bachelor’s degree in business administration, supply chain management, logistics, or a related field. A Master’s degree is preferred, which would enhance the candidate's qualifications and understanding of complex operational environments.

Experience:
The position requires a minimum of 8 years of relevant work experience, particularly in managing support functions such as operations, HR, logistics, or ICT within a humanitarian context. Candidates should have at least 2 years of supervisory experience and a proven track record of managing operations across multiple projects and donor portfolios, with experience in remote management of operations in challenging field locations.

Languages:
The mandatory language requirement for this position is proficiency in English. Knowledge of Portuguese is considered an advantage, as it would facilitate communication and operations within Mozambique.

Additional Notes:
The position is based in Mozambique and involves up to 40% travel within the country, specifically to regions including Cabo Delgado, Nampula, and Sofala, as required. The role includes supervisory responsibilities and is classified under salary grade 1

• CRS offers a comprehensive benefits package for U.S.-based staff, including medical, dental, life insurance, vision, and a generous retirement savings plan. For candidates employed outside the U.S., benefits packages are based on the country of employment. The anticipated duration of the assignment for expatriates is informed by a term limit based on the job type and level, as well as the agency's needs. CRS is committed to safeguarding program participants, community members, staff, and volunteers from all forms of exploitation and abuse, and the successful candidate is expected to adhere to CRS's Code of Conduct.