Title:                               Director of Operations

Location:                       Kabul, Afghanistan

Reports to:                    Chief of Party

Contract Period:          April 2022 through January 2023; pending potential USAID project extension

 

PROJECT SUMMARY:

I am accepting applications for Director of Operations on behalf of Roots of Peace (RoP).  RoP works in war-torn countries around the world to remove the remnants of war and restore the land to rebuild peaceful communities for generations to come. The organization’s methodology is rooted in a philosophy of providing market-driven solutions tailored to rural communities in war-torn lands, serving as a catalyst for industry-wide development. This approach has impacted over one million farmers and families. With the help of Roots of Peace, farmers are addressing key challenges to increased income by applying modern technology and farming techniques that result in Afghanistan, Angola, Cambodia, Croatia and Vietnam. 

In Afghanistan, Roots of Peace has facilitated the export of $445 million in fresh and dried fruits, nuts, and spices to new and existing overseas markets, provided training for nearly 200,000 Afghan farmers in a wide variety of horticultural skills, provided more than $5 million in machinery grants and created 14,500 full-time jobs in all areas of farm production and export. Roots of Peace is currently implementing the USAID-funded Agriculture Marketing Program (AMP) and the INL-funded Community Based Agriculture and Rural Development (CBARD) in Afghanistan.

The Agriculture Marketing Program (AMP) is a three-year USAID-funded program that follows on the successes of the ten-year USAID Commercial Horticulture and Agricultural Marketing Program (CHAMP). The program works in all 34 provinces of Afghanistan, focusing on increasing farm production and domestic sales through interventions aimed at farmers and agribusinesses. During the first two years of the program, AMP worked with leading Afghan processing and export firms to increase export volumes and values, introduce new agricultural products to the market, diversify export markets and increase value-added processing. The program's market-based, demand-driven approach focused on supporting private sector growth and sustainability, thereby creating demand for agricultural products that drive job growth in rural areas. Women are incorporated into all areas of program implementation.

In its final fiscal year of implementation, AMP has pivoted to an approach that addresses food security challenges precipitated by the emerging economic and humanitarian situation in Afghanistan. This approach comprises three key strategies:

  1. Connecting Farmers to Domestic Markets
  2. Increasing Value-Add of Agriculture Products, Extending Shelf Life of Products 
  3. Support for Remote Rural Areas

Activities include:

  • Increasing farm productivity and food security through Farmer Field Schools and other activities aimed at building farm capacity.
  • Expanding the number of agricultural products through value addition and product diversification, such as processed jams and sulfur dried apricots.
  • Linking farmers with traders and traders with buyers in domestic markets, such as through domestic food expos and B2B meetings. 
  • Building the capacity of agribusinesses to maximize output and quality for domestic markets.
  • Supporting initiatives such as improved post-harvest handling infrastructure for traders, including packing houses, cold storage, and improved packaging.
  • Addressing important supply chain and trade impediments that restrict the sale of high value agriculture products.
  • Providing opportunities for female-owned food processing and import suppliers through export facilitation and activities aimed at business support.

AMP works primarily with private sector agribusinesses, farm producers and other USAID-funded agricultural programs. Specific attention is given to support the participation of women and youth in AMP activities.

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Director of Operations will provide critical oversight and lead the procurement team for AMP project activities. The function of the position is to both facilitate efficient processes in support of project goals and objectives and to ensure proper oversight and compliance of all AMP procurements in Afghanistan. The Director of Operations will also manage the day-to-day operations and administration, to include, but not limited to operational systems and logistics. The function of the position is to both facilitate efficient processes in support of project goals and objectives and to ensure proper oversight and compliance of all AMP procurements in Afghanistan.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

  • All operations including but not limited to administration, human resources, logistics, procurement, and property.
  • Supervising the Contractor’s day-to-day field presence in the areas of operations (including the project’s facilities such as office space, equipment and project vehicles), administration, logistics, and procurement. 
  • Ensuring continuous operation of the project; handle all human resource issues; supervise the day-to-day implementation of all grants made under the program; and investigate and identify new ways of achieving project efficiencies. 
  • Coordinating with ROP Home Office on all compliance issues, seeking legal and policy guidance on sanctions and other applicable restrictions.
  • While not directly responsible for overseeing activity development, the DOO will be expected to have a good grasp of the local context and programmatic aspects and be prepared to step in as needed to support the COP, DCOP-Programs, Senior Management, and other program staff in activity development and other technical aspects of the project, while staying apprised of the evolution of the local political, legal, and economic situation and on how to continuously adapt the program.

Specifically on Procurement, the Director of Operations will:

Ensure that program implementation is in accordance with USAID regulations and procedures and the specifications determined in the Cooperative Agreement. This will include monitoring grantee worthiness, ensuring that all procurement processes are perceived as transparent by beneficiary communities, assuring fair and transparent procurement processes, and monitoring grant implementation. 

  • Ensure that the most reasonable, fair, expeditious, and appropriate procurement choices were made pursuant to the ROP Procurement Manual and Policies. 
  • Brief management using procurement tracker report on all on-going procurements.

Conduct market research in preparation for local procurement of goods and services for the program.

  • Track and ensure prompt and efficient delivery of goods and services procured by the program
  • Set up and maintain trackers and other tools as needed to ensure sound management of blanket purchase agreements (BPAs)
  • Correspond with vendors to address and resolve invoice discrepancies.

Coordinate procurement actions with AMP technical project staff to ensure timely and satisfactory delivery of goods and services.

  • Planning simplified acquisitions
  • Prepare all pre-solicitation documentation and post-award documentation including acquisition plans evaluation criteria terms and conditions determinations and findings memorandums for record award summaries pre/post-negotiation memorandums award decision documents solicitations requests for information requests for quote requests for proposal source selection support.
  • Perform contract closeout functions
  • Negotiation of prices and contracts with vendors and industries.

Lead the AMP Procurement Team with daily office administrative functions; Oversee bids packages for evaluation committees.

  • Determine accuracy of offers and ensure compliance with ROP/AMP and USAID policies and procedures.
  • Cost and price analysis.
  • Expertise in the application of FAR AIDAR and USAID procurement policy and procedures.
  • Ensure strict compliance to ROP policies
  • Maintain full transparency throughout the bid process.

Research analyze and review applicable AMP and USAID policies guidance and regulations to

  • Provide procurement advice assistance and guidance to customer.
  • Communicate effectively and professional to internal and external customers.

Award of time and material and fixed price purchase orders and contracts.

  • Perform routine repetitive purchasing primarily in the commodity accounts.
  • Other related tasks as required and assigned by the Contracts and Procurement Manager.

Will support Grant and Incentive team as needed.

  • Provide oversight, and support if required, to in-kind grant procurement activities, such as preparation, review, and release of RFPs, compiling proposals and submissions, forming procurement evaluation committees, reviewing purchase order agreements, facilitating progression of procurement process.
  • Review, as required, in-kind grant procurement documentation to ensure compliance with ROP policies.
  • All operations including but not limited to administration, human resources, logistics, procurement, and property.
  • Ensuring that program implementation is in accordance with USAID regulations and procedures and the specifications determined in the Cooperative Agreement. This will include monitoring grantee worthiness, ensuring that all procurement processes are perceived as transparent by beneficiary communities, assuring fair and transparent procurement processes, and monitoring grant implementation. 
  • Ensuring that the most reasonable, fair, expeditious, and appropriate procurement choices were made pursuant to the ROP Procurement Manual and Policies. 
  • Supervising the Contractor’s day-to-day field presence in the areas of operations (including the project’s facilities such as office space, equipment and project vehicles), administration, logistics, and procurement. 
  • Ensuring continuous operation of the project; handle all human resource issues; supervise the day-to-day implementation of all grants made under the program; and investigate and identify new ways of achieving project efficiencies. 
  • Coordinating with ROP Home Office on all compliance issues, seeking legal and policy guidance on sanctions and other applicable restrictions.
  • While not directly responsible for overseeing activity development, the DOO will be expected to have a good grasp of the local context and programmatic aspects, and be prepared to step in as needed to support the COP, DCOP-Programs, Senior Management, and other program staff in activity development and other technical aspects of the project, while staying apprised of the evolution of the local political, legal, and economic situation and on how to continuously adapt the program.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS & QUALIFICATIONS:

  • At least five (5) years of experience working on USAID-funded projects in a related role, preferably with some demonstrated supervisory experience.
  • Extensive procurement experience; minimum 5 years,
  • Relevant experience working in developing countries is required, preferably in a post-conflict or transitional state environment.
  • Multiple country work experience is required.
  • Must be available to travel to, and within Afghanistan, and live in Kabul for duration of contract.

 EVALUATION CRITERIA

  • The candidate should be fluent in USAID’s policies and procedures with regard to human resources and procurement processes, systems, and grants management.
  • Minimum five (5) years of job experience in procurement, 10 years preferred.
  • Management experience.
  • Experience with grants under contract programs.
  • Demonstrated experience and knowledge in establishing systems and overseeing program start up and close-down under limited time constraints.
  • Relevant experience working in Afghanistan or other post-conflict countries undergoing transition is highly desired, but not required.
  • Experience with remote management in insecure and/or transition environments highly desired.
  • Experience working in security challenged environments is highly desired.
  • Complete fluency in written and oral English is required.
  • Bachelors’ degree in related field; Master’s preferred.

LOCATION: 

Throughout the assignment the Director of Operations will reside in Kabul.

REPORTING

Director of Operations will work closely with the Home Office team and report directly to the AMP Chief of Party.

Application Instructions:   Please send CV/`resumes that clearly show you meet all qualifications requirements, and a list of 3 or more referees to recruit@internationalink.net with “Director of Operations” in the subject line. 

                                                    

Deadline for Application:  Applicants currently under review.

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