Since 1981, Land O’Lakes International Development division has applied an integrated approach to international economic development that capitalizes on our company’s 90 years as a leading farm-to-market agribusiness. We use our practical experience and in-depth knowledge to facilitate market-driven business solutions that generate economic growth, improve health and nutrition, and alleviate poverty.
Position Purpose:
The Programs Operations Manager is responsible for service-oriented backstopping of international development programs in agriculture and private enterprise development, administered by Land O’Lakes International Development Division. As part of the Program Operations provides implementation support to all donor-funded contracts and agreements (“programs”) overseas. Program Operations is responsible for supporting multi-country teams across time zones to ensure that programs meet or exceed results targets, are implemented on-time and within budget, and meet donor and Land O’Lakes policy and regulatory requirements.
Program Managers occasionally travel to projects in countries in Africa, Asia, or the Americas to provide managerial support for extended periods. The project portfolio is evolving toward greater private-sector involvement, focus on enterprise development in developing countries, and impact investing.
The position collaborates closely with other members of the program operations department, Regional Program Directors and Chiefs of Party as well as US-based interdepartmental teams (i.e., Finance, Human Resources, Contracts & Compliance, Monitoring & Evaluation, Practice Management, Finance, and Business Development) to ensure programs are successfully executed. This position will promote the professional development of program specialists, assigned to work alongside the program manager to backstop projects. This position will serve as program operations manager for several projects, contribute to increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of Program Operations portfolio management and supporting systems and processes, and participate in new business development and select cross departmental initiatives. The Manager will have an opportunity to foster small enterprises, especially in agriculture, that links private and public funding in a donor context.
Leadership and Supervision
- Develop and provide guidance to 2-3 Program Operations Specialists:
- Provide coaching, mentoring and feedback;
- Evaluate performance and participate in succession planning;
- Facilitate and encourage training programs to ensure Program Operations staff has the knowledge, skills and abilities to achieve results according to IDD policies and processes as well as donor regulations.
- Ensure efficient and robust program support through effective portfolio management.
- In collaboration with the Senior Operations Manager(s) of the department, establish, manage and communicate clear roles, responsibilities and accountabilities for the effective start-up, implementation and close-out of all donor-funded programs.
- Encourage a positive and collaborative team environment, encouraging open lines of communications among members of global teams with US and country-based staff.
- Coordinate support from US-based interdepartmental team work to facilitate achievement of program management metrics (program results, best talent, growth, best cost and best customer).
- Participate in departmental or divisional initiatives
- Stay current on trends and major themes in international development, project management and US government funding by participating in appropriate professional organizations and external professional networks.
Development of Policies, Processes, Procedures and Workflows
- Continually participate in the review of departmental systems, processes and workflows and bring forward continuous improvement initiatives to improve operational efficiency and effectiveness while mitigating risk to programs and the organization.
- Equitably and efficiently delegate/share program support responsibilities to ensure adequate support to programs to achieve results in accordance with deliverables, budgets and donor requirements.
- Work with the Operations Director, Global Security, Program Directors, and Senior -Managers to ensure appropriate security plans and protocols are in-place and implemented in each programs.
Project Management
- Provide direct program operations management support to approximately 3-5 individual programs.
- Support to facilitate the successful start-up, implementation and close-down of Land O’Lakes International Development field programs.
- Maintain a calendar of program deliverables such as; quarterly and annual reports, logistical and monetization reports, annual work plans, final reports, accruals and pipeline analyses, and coordinate reviewers’ responses and ensure timely submission to donors.
- Review monthly Project Executive Summary reports and provide monthly financial oversight.
- Support the development and submission of the Performance Monitoring and Evaluation Plans as per donor requirements.
- In collaboration with Chiefs of Party, coordinate monthly program review meetings as well as liaise with prime and subcontractors’ administrative and program support personnel based in the US.
- Monitor progress against project output and provide feedback and action steps to the relevant Director, Programs and Director, Operations to help ensure projects achieve objectives, and facilitate resolution of project issues.
- Coordinate, review and assist in submitting Quarterly Reports, Logistical and Monetization Reports, Accrual Reports, and Match Reports.
- Work with the project management team to regularly communicate project successes through stories, website postings, updating past performance reports, flyers and corporate capability statements.
New Business Development
- Serve on proposal and application development teams to capture new business and projects.
- Assist in proposal development and/or review, as requested.
- Collaborate with new business department to share feedback on lessons learned during implementation that may strengthen program design and operations
Required Experience/Knowledge (to be able to perform this job):
- Master’s degree in International Development, Political Science, Business, Finance, Economics, Agriculture or related studies.
- Minimum of five years of management and/or program support experience on US Government-funded contract(s) or agreement(s).
- Minimum of five years of demonstrated experience, success and high ethical standards in leading, supervising, coaching and developing others to achieve results.
- Demonstrated experience and knowledge of project management systems, tools and processes applied in a multi-country setting.
- Strong collaboration and facilitation skills to establish and maintain good working relationships with global colleagues and partners, especially in developing countries.
- Prior experience and knowledge of USAID, USDA, or Gates Foundation, DFID and/or other donor organizations rules, regulations and procedures.
- Advanced skills and experience with MS Office Products with the ability to learn additional software packages.
- Superior communication abilities; can present facts and ideas clearly, professionally and concisely (both oral and written communication).
- Ability to work effectively and professionally in past-paced, ever-changing, multicultural, and multi-language team environment.
- Willingness and ability to travel to remote international locations if needed (up to 25%).
Preferred Experience/Knowledge:
- Master’s Degree in Agriculture, Business Administration, International Development or related field.
- Professional proficiency in French or Arabic or other language.
- Experience working in high-risk environments
- At least three years field-based experience overseeing USAID- or other donor-funded agriculture or economic growth project(s), including at least one as an overseas-based manager, team lead or Chief of Party.
- Business analysis and quantitative analysis skills; financial modeling a plus
- Proficiency with project and knowledge management software systems.
- Completed training in donor-regulations and management related to international development
- Experience with public-private partnerships (PPPs), enterprise development, and impact investing a plus
- Overseas work experience that includes a posting in a country in Africa, Asia, or the Americas (not-US).
EOE M/F/Vets/Disabled. Land O’Lakes, Inc. enforces a policy of maintaining a drug-free workforce, including pre-employment substance abuse testing.
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