Head of Operations (Directeur des Operations)

Catholic Relief Services · Mary

CRS Mali Program Overview

Catholic Relief Services (CRS) has been working in Mali since 1999, supporting communities and local partners to respond to crises and lead their own development amid insecurity, climate shocks, displacement, and economic fragility. CRS Mali manages an FY26 portfolio of approximately $54 million and employs 116 staff. From its Bamako office, it implements programs across the country in health and nutrition, emergency response and recovery, and peacebuilding.

CRS Mali manages one of the country’s largest health portfolios, including the Global Fund Grant Cycle 7 malaria grant for 2025–2026, with a signed value of approximately $71.5 million, and the U.S. Department of State-funded REACH Malaria project, whose cumulative Mali budget is approximately $17.3 million through FY27. Through these programs, CRS supports insecticide-treated net distribution, seasonal malaria chemoprevention, malaria case management, maternal, newborn, and child health services, and strengthened health information, laboratory, supervision, and supply-chain systems.

In 2025, CRS Mali reached approximately 7.6 million people across its portfolio. Partnership is at the core of this work. CRS collaborates closely with Government of Mali ministries and programs, including the National Malaria Control Program, Caritas, and other local civil society organizations, while strengthening local leadership and partner capacity

Job Summary

As a member of the Country Program’s (CP) Senior Management Team (SMT), the Head of Operations is responsible for providing leadership and management of the operational functions - Finance, Human Resources (HR), Supply Chain Management (SCM), Administration, Information and Communication Technology, Security and Audit - in support of the CRS mission to serve the poor and vulnerable. You will promote stewardship of resources, ensure principled compliance, proactively manage risk, prevent fraud, and lead (continuous) operational improvements including from a Climate Action lens. As part of the SMT you will proactively manage and mitigate security risks.

Roles and Key Responsibilities:

Contribute to the CP strategic planning and programming on needed investments in operations capacity – systems, processes and staffing – that meet CRS’ standards, donor requirements, and local regulations and support high-quality programming. Represent CRS, as needed.
Plan, integrate, coordinate, and monitor day-to-day operations to ensure all support services are delivered with high-quality in an efficient manner. Address issues where operations support needs to be adapted for complex programming. Oversee the piloting of new operations initiatives that require the setting of new standards and systems
Oversee financial processes in accordance with policies and ensure proactive service delivery, advice, and support to managers, staff, and subrecipients in relation to the project cycle (Design, Start-up, Implementation, Close-out). Ensure efficiency and compliance with CRS’ policies and procedures, Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), donors’ rules and regulations, and legal requirements. Ensure effective and appropriate use of CRS’s finance and supply chain management systems and other technical solutions.
Collaborate with programming leads to ensure appropriate project expenditures in line with financial plans and proper stewardship of material sources. Promote effective use of CRS’ Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system for budget management and general oversight. Anticipate, identify and address challenges that affect the proper stewardship, risk, and optimal utilization of program assets and resources (financial, human, and material).
Promote safeguarding at the CP level. Ensure quality implementation of CRS safeguarding policy and principles across operations at both CRS and partner level. With support from technical advisors, ensure capacity building efforts and technical guidance to CRS staff and partners, in line with CRS principles and standards, donor guidelines, and industry best practices.
Oversee Health, Safety, and Security management. Ensure all staff understand and adhere to CRS staff safety and security trainings, policies and plans and ensure the updating of such plans.
Lead the operational aspects of a CP’s Climate Action strategy with support from the SMT including: implement action plans and monitor progress, prioritize entry points and investments for operational efficiency and the reduction of Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions and waste.
Effectively manage and supervise talent. Manage team dynamics and staff well-being. Provide coaching, strategically tailor individual development plans, and complete performance management for direct reports. Monitor and assess performance to ensure adequate capacity for successful support of high quality programming. Contribute to staffing plans and recruitment process of senior staff.
With the Country Representative, oversee the preparation of annual budget plans and grant/project budgets to ensure they reflect maximum operational efficiency and budgetary compliance and mitigate risks. Set and provide technical oversight of internal processes for approving expenses, monitoring spending, and making budget adjustments in line with operational and programmatic needs and with donor requirements.
Ensure the program is adequately staffed to meet CP needs and HR systems, policies and practices support a high-performance culture, staff development and retention. Ensure quality personnel administration and a work environment that truly reflects the agency’s guiding principles.
Oversee compliance with agency and donor requirements and local laws and regulations through periodic systems checks, review and assessment of CP’s operations policies and procedures. Act as lead contact and responder to issues that emerge from internal and external audits and provide recommendations and guidance to implement improvements.
Create and maintain the proper conditions for learning. Establish a safe environment for the sharing of ideas, solutions, and difficulties and the capacity to detect, analyze and respond quickly to small deficiencies. Provide capacity strengthening guidance for project teams and partners, which includes cross-departmental learning.

Basic Qualifications:

Bachelor's degree in International Development, Business Administration, Finance or relevant field required.
Minimum of 5-8 years work experience in a management position with progressive responsibilities with at least 2 years supervisory experience. Experience with an international NGO and experience outside country of origin preferred.
Additional experience may substitute for some education; additional education may substitute for some experience.

Preferred Qualifications:

Knowledge of multiple public donors’ regulations, including DOS, highly preferred.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

Understanding of financial systems, including budgeting and budget/expense analysis experience.
Knowledge of procurement and office administration/management issues.
Ability to represent the agency at high levels.
Knowledge of Oracle ERP or similar financial reporting software.
Staff management experience and abilities that are conducive to a learning environment.
Proficient in MS Office package (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Visio), Web Conferencing Applications, and information and budget management systems.
Excellent strategic, analytical, systems thinking, and problem-solving skills, with capacity to see the big picture and ability to make sound judgment and decisions.
Strong relations management abilities. Ability to work collaboratively.
Team leadership abilities.
Ethical conduct in accordance with recognized professional and organizational codes of ethics.
Proactive, resourceful, solutions-oriented and results-oriented.

Required Languages: Excellent oral and written communication skills in English and French

Travel: Must be willing and able to travel up to 20 %.

Supervisory Responsibilities: Yes

Catholic Relief Services is the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. Catholic Relief Services works to save, protect, and transform lives in need in more than 100 countries, without regard to race, religion or nationality. Catholic Relief Services’ relief and development work is accomplished through programs of emergency response, HIV, health, agriculture, education, microfinance, and peacebuilding. We welcome as a part of our staff people of all faiths and secular traditions who share our values and our commitment to serving those in need. CRS’ processes and policies reflect our commitment to safeguarding children and vulnerable adults from abuse and exploitation.

CRS welcomes candidates from the countries and regions in which we work. In the event the successful candidate is an expatriate, the anticipated duration of the assignment is informed by a term limit, based on the type and level of the job and the needs of the agency.

CRS is committed to safeguarding program participants, community members, staff and volunteers from all forms of exploitation and abuse. The successful candidate is expected to sign and adhere to CRS´ Code of Conduct.

CRS talent acquisition procedures reflect our commitment to safeguarding the rights and dignity of all people - especially children and vulnerable adults - to live free from abuse and harm.

Disclaimer: This job description is not an exhaustive list of the skill, effort, duties, and responsibilities associated with the position.

CRS is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

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