Operations Director

工作内容

We are looking for a global Operations Director who will implement our strategy at an operational level and coordinate the quality of operations and processes throughout the organization. Sometimes this means rolling up your sleeves and developing a policy or process yourself, other times you will coordinate it with the Global Support Team and the Operations Team. This is an interesting and impactful position where you’re responsible for ensuring that Rikolto has the best working environment and processes in place. You have the power to make Rikolto much more efficient and its personnel – much happier.

Who is Rikolto ?

Healthy and sustainable food, today and in the future: that is what Rikolto is all about. From a fair income for the farmer to affordable, quality food for everyone. We connect citizens, farmers, companies, (knowledge) institutions and governments. Worldwide we are building innovative, inspiring initiatives that meet the global challenges around biodiversity, climate and inequality. In this way we contribute to systemic solutions for food.

Rikolto is an international organization with more than 40 years of experience in the agricultural and food sectors. We have 200 colleagues that set up collaborations between farmers’ organizations and players in the food chain in 18 countries. We form a close network of open and competent people ready to work with anyone who wants to move forward.

Why does this function exist?

Rikolto is building its activities around 4 major themes that require collaboration of our staff at international level. Our teams, located in hubs in Latin-America, Europe, Africa and South-East Asia are working towards shared global goals. The Operations Director ensures all relevant tools, systems and processes are in place to facilitate our work and that they are communicated and used in our teams.

The ultimate goal is to make our work better, in productivity, in quality of work and in work life.

What are your main responsibilities?

Coordinate two teams that strive towards operational excellence

(approx. 10 people):The Global Support Team (support services in communication, fundraising, finance, P&O and ICT) and the Global Operations Team (operational managers of the hubs)

• Co-create the conditions to operate as effective and efficient teams that support the cluster work of Rikolto.
• Inspire, challenge and coach these teams towards high performance
• Define together with the teams the ambitions with respect to operations and services and manage the development and implementation of guidelines and strategies.
• Ensure there is effective information flow and exchange on operational level and finetune and align different support/operational processes

Support the transition at organizational level and enhance global quality

• Co-create a global policy framework for operations (including finances, P&O, fundraising, internal and external Communication, M&E, ICT).
• Provide policies for Rikolto and monitor that they are implemented.
• Ensure the implementation and monitoring of quality management processes (e.g. LEAN-value stream mapping)
• Synchronize processes and systems of different programs
• Co-create mission, strategy, program development, fundraising, communication, …
• Oversee the expectations and resource availability with regard to services and support in the network
• Report on the status of operations in the network

How would we like you to reach your goals ?

In Rikolto the following skills are crucial:

• Team work: We collaborate with other members of formal and informal groups and take ownership for the team result. We communicate in an open and connective way. We develop ourselves and others through team work.

In this job, this means working with the operational and support teams, but also participate in ad hoc teams that try to find a solution for a specific challenge. The pragmatic view and global overview of the Operations Director is often considered an added value to get things moving and finalized.

• Networking: We recognize opportunities and actively build up relationships

Good relationships help you to get a good understanding of the support systems our programme colleagues need to do a great job.

• Entrepreneurship: In a creative way, we take initiatives to improve our own work and the solutions we propose.

Identify bottlenecks, look for solutions, get things done, from A to Z

• Customer focus: For our internal and external customers: we make sure that customers get what or more than they expect. We deliver good quality, in a timely, flexible and well organized manner. Communication is key. Our goal is to have delighted customers.

This is about understanding what our (often internal) customers need. And about delivering. We know what is the goal. Doing everything that helps to reach it in the best possible way. A good dose of empathy is helpful in this.

• Self-leadership: We are aware of our strengths and weaknesses and able to regulate ourselves

Knowing yourself seriously helps. At Rikolto, we appreciate your strengths and try to accompany your further self-development.

This assignment also requires leadership: We translate vision and values into daily practice and communicate about it in an inspiring way. We stimulate people to collaborate, take up responsibility and develop themselves.

This says it all.

Context

• Lead of the Global Support and Operations Teams
• Reports to the CEO
• Job size: 100 %
• Contract: open ended
• Location: can be Leuven or elsewhere
• Occasional travelling may be required.

Our ideal candidate…

• Is results oriented with a constructive hands-on, can-do attitude
• Certainly has experience with operational management, perhaps also with models such as lean, value stream mapping...
• Has a broad interest, is able to see problems from different angles and seek solutions with experts
• Has a general financial knowledge
• Likes to work with teams in a complex environment
• Has strong analytical, project management skills
• Must be highly motivating, show leadership and be able to handle stress and changing environment
• Must speak English in such a way that a non-English speaker can even understand. Understanding French and Spanish is an added value but no must.
• Must be a natural team player and connecting communicator.
• Young, or older, but very dynamic and enterprising.

Want to see the full job description ?

Check Rikolto.org/Jobs

Interested? Curious?

If you want to apply, please send your motivation letter with cv to Lieselotte.geyssens@rikolto.org. Deadline for application: February 6th, 2022

If you have questions, we are also available to book a Teams call.