Operations Manager

Innovative Human Rights NGO Seeks Operations Manager

About Asylum Access

We are human rights advocates who support forcibly displaced individuals and communities as they reclaim their rights, agency, and power.

Our unique combination of legal empowerment, policy advocacy, and global systems change creates conditions in which refugees can live safely, move freely, work legally and go to school. Our work transforms the traditional approach of endless humanitarian handouts into a sustainable solution that honors refugees’ freedom, dignity, and autonomy, and equips them to make choices about their own lives.

Asylum Access’ global team and family of local civil society organizations advocate making human rights a reality for refugees throughout Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Our national organizations are led and staffed primarily by community members in those countries, and there is strong mutual trust and respect between our clients and us. On the international stage, we work with established institutions to shift the global system to better uphold and promote refugees’ human rights. We can help catalyze and lead systemic transformation because, uniquely among NGOs in the refugee response sector, we focus exclusively on rights and governance.

Department Description

The Operations Department at Asylum Access ensures that teams worldwide have the resources, tools, and support they need to effectively realize Asylum Access’s goals and vision. This includes oversight of a wide variety of functional areas, including systems and technology, monitoring and evaluation, planning and learning, human resources, risk management, and structure. In all these areas and in our day-to-day work, we embed Asylum Access’s values in the processes we create and ensure that the Organization is equipped to achieve impact on an individual, community and systemic levels.

Position Description

The Operations Manager is key in building the systems and infrastructure that Asylum Access needs to operate in an equitable, accountable, compliant and sustainable way. Their duties cross many domains, including project management, procurement, risk management, planning and strategy, and monitoring and evaluation. The common thread across these areas is a focus on building systems, processes, and procedures that aidAsylum Access teams to work towards the mission and live out our values. They contribute to longer-term operational strategy and shift priorities as the needs of the organization change.

Key Responsibilities

Planning, Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (20%)

• Oversee Asylum Access’s annual planning process, building processes and templates and supporting teams worldwide to build realistic and resource-informed goals
• Ensure that monitoring and evaluation focal points on each team have the tools they need to evaluate progress against plans
• Supervise the Monitoring and Evaluation Assistant, providing guidance, setting goals, offering accountability and encouraging professional development
• Work with Asylum Access leadership to ensure effective monitoring and evaluation of strategic plan initiatives

Risk Management and Mitigation (20%)

• Oversee the development and implementation of key policies and procedures for risk management and mitigation, including but not limited to safeguarding policies or concepts of engagement and safety and security policies
• Procure and manage key organizational insurance policies
• Serve as an internal contact and manager for matters of organizational compliance, including for registration and organization legal status
• Participate in managing relationships and consultations with legal counsel

Internal Communications (25%)

• Build and aid communication between and among Asylum Access teams worldwide, ensuring that there are opportunities for connection, consultation, and relationship-building

• Develop and execute a lightweight content strategy for Asylum Access’s intranet

• Consult on and draft internal communications on behalf of other departments or areas to ensure key work and progress are communicated across the organization

Project Management (25%)

• Serve as a project manager for organizational initiatives, helping to build plans that move teams from ideation to implementation
• Manage human and fiscal resources efficiently to ensure that projects remain on schedule and within budget
• Build inclusive and equitable project management practices that take into account different experiences and ensure effective consultation and decision making

Operations Management (10%)

• Work closely with the finance team to develop and implement procurement policies and procedures for Asylum Access Headquarters
• Assiston procedure development and implementation for accounts payable

Reports to: Chief Operating Officer

Minimum Qualifications

• Substantial demonstrated experience in PMEL, risk mitigation, operations management, internal communications and/or project management for nonprofits
• Ability to think strategically at the process/project level while keeping the big picture in mind to advance overall project and organizational goals
• Strong verbal and written communication skills and a high-level of comfort communicating across audiences
• Cultural intelligence and ability to work well in a diverse, multicultural team. Exceptional willingness to ensure meaningful participation, inclusion and engagement for all team members
• Strong identification with and interest in Asylum Access’s mission, vision and values
• Comfort with technology and technical tools and ability to explore and learn how to use new tools quickly
• Fluency in English

Preferred Qualifications

• Varied experience across many areas of organizational operations
• Staff management experience
• Project management certification or coursework
• Fluency in Spanish

Hours and Location of Work

The location for this position is flexible, with a strong preference for candidates located in Latin America to facilitate collaboration with teams there. We anticipate that the position will require 40 hours per week.

Compensation

Asylum Access is committed to paying competitive salaries and upholding sustainable equity practices. As a reference, The annual gross salary established for this position in the United States of America is USD 93,500, and in Mexico USD 42,075.

Due to the ways in which salary negotiations perpetuate existing structural inequities, Asylum Access as a practice does not participate in salary negotiations for any candidate.

Application Instructions to Candidates

Please submit a resume and cover letter. In your cover letter, please describe your reasons for applying, relevant qualifications, and how you learned about the position.

Asylum Access is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We value the expertise of those who have experienced displacement, and encourage people with such lived experience to apply.

For more information about our organization, visit www.asylumaccess.org_._