France: FIDH (International Federation for Human Rights) is seeking to appoint a Director of Operations

FIDH is seeking a motivated and experienced individual to assume the role of Director of Operations.

The Director of Operations manages the Operations Department, which is based within the FIDH International Secretariat in Paris, whose remit is to propose and implement the operational roll-out of the strategic priorities and orientations decided by the FIDH Congress and International Bureau, in support of and/or in concert with its member/partner organisations. The Director of Operations works in close collaboration with the other directors of the FIDH International Secretariat, under the supervision and responsibility of the Executive Management.

The Operations Department comprises a team of over 30 people working within the geographical and thematic desks. These are located at FIDH head office in Paris and in approximately 10 other countries.

Role

To fulfil the role of Director of Operations requires considerable interpersonal and managerial skills within a multi-cultural environment, knowledge of human rights-related themes, capacity to work under pressure and with speed, excellent writing skills and a strong commitment to the human rights movement internationally and locally.

The principal tasks of the Director of Operations involve:

• Guaranteeing consistency between the strategic priorities and orientations defined by Congress and the International Bureau on the one hand and their operational roll-out conducted by the geographical and thematic desks on the other
• Ensuring the relevance of activities conducted for effective results
• Guaranteeing the safety and security of the operations
• Ensuring activities are properly conducted and prioritised by the geographical desks
• Supervising the Assistant Director of Operations and overseeing the heads of geographical desks.

Responsibilities

The Director of Operations guides and supervises the strategy of the desks and steers operational programming in the context of the priorities and orientations defined by the Congress and International Bureau.

• S/he contributes to developing the expertise of the department to ensure greater adaptation to contexts and crises and guides the development strategy of the desks.
• S/he draws up the FIDH Multi-year Action Plan (in association with Executive Management and the International Bureau).
• S/he supervises the teams in the annual planning of the department’s activities.
• S/he validates the operational sections of the FIDH Annual Action Plan and the Annual Report.
• S/he validates specific programme proposals of the desks submitted to donors.
• S/he validates the terms of reference of activities and operational documents.

S/he supervisesand evaluates operations conducted by the geographical desks, engaging with the thematic desks and other departments to this end.

• S/he supervises the correct implementation of programmes and activities by the geographical desks, helps prioritise and adjust the activities in relation to developing contexts and crises.
• S/he stimulates the desks to react/adopt a position in response to crises and changes in context.
• S/he supervises the evaluation of activities (by desk heads).
• S/he deals with implementing the general security policy of operations.

S/he represents the organisation in presenting FIDH operations to external actors and in making known the concerns and recommendations of FIDH member/ partner organisations.

• S/he participates in sensitive and/or strategic assignments and activities.
• S/he interacts with donors in the search for funding and in monitoring programmes.
• S/he conducts strategic advocacy directed at States in support of the teams.
• S/he deals with the media.

S/he supports FIDH governance and contributes to the running of the International Secretariat.

• S/he contributes to preparing meetings of the FIDH Executive Desks/International Bureaus/Congress.
• S/he works with the management team to contribute to the efficient running of the International Secretariat.
• S/he contributes to interaction and strategic exchanges with the Communication and Advocacy departments.

S/he oversees the Assistant Director of Operations and the heads of the geographical desks.

· S/he steers how they organise their work and monitors and evaluates it.

· S/he conducts their annual interviews and puts forward relevant training plans.

· S/he contributes to recruitment plans.

Profile

• At least 3 years professional experience in a similar role (or more than 8 years in the post of head of a desk of an operational or advocacy department in a regional or international NGO)

• Excellent oral and written communication skills in French and English, with a knowledge of other languages considered an advantage

• International career and knowledge of human rights issues

• Considerable interpersonal and representational skills and the capacity to work effectively with a range of interlocutors

• Capacity to pool collective energy and bring individuals together

• Knowledge of the subject of gender equality and its application

Conditions

• Permanent, full-time contract with a start date as soon as possible

• Contract governed by French employment law for a 35-hour working week

• Based at FIDH head office in Paris, France

• Submission deadline for applications: 10 September 2018.

Please submit your application in the form of a CV and covering letter stating your reasons for applying before 10 september, e-mailing them to the following address and indicating the job title in the subject line:

recrutement-dirop-06-18@fidh.org