Operations Manager - Humanitarian Mine Action (HMA)

The Danish Refugee Council (DRC), one of the world’s leading NGOs, with a focus on responding to displacement, have been registered in Sudan since 2004, delivering life-saving programming in protection, emergency response, shelter, food security and livelihoods, disaster risk reduction, camp management, and humanitarian mine action. DRC has implemented projects in Central Darfur, South Kordofan, Gedaref, Port Sudan, and White Nile. Sudan hosts one of the largest displaced populations in Africa, with over 3.7 million internally displaced people and over 1.1 million refugees from South Sudan, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Central African Republic, Chad, Yemen and Syria. Against a background of political crisis, Sudan faces economic and social turmoil, with sharp increases in food and energy costs, further exacerbated by disease outbreaks and ongoing conflict.

POSITION PROFILE

DRC is currently implementing land release/clearance projects in Sudan, consisting of surveys, EOD, BAC, and building search, as both grants and a commercial contract. The projects are implemented by a local partner with technical oversight by DRC. DRC is also conducting an EORE project in Khartoum, managed by the national EORE Project Manager, and is conducting EORE and NTS in South Kordofan. DRC is actively fundraising to expand the mine action portfolio.

The Operations Manager (OM) is accountable for all aspects of the HMA related work, including projects, technical support and oversight for the local partner. They manage the technical staff to ensure HMA are conducted effectively, safely, and in accordance with standard operating procedures (SOPs).

The OM will develop detailed plans for the implementation of the project activities in close liaison with the national authorities (such as the NMAC and UNMAS), to ensure that operations are adequately staffed with well-qualified personnel, monitor all field activities through regular visits to project sites, and prepare appropriate reports for various audiences. The OM will be responsible for creating and implementing Training Needs Assessments and capacity development plans for DRC’s national HMA staff.

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

Operations Management:

• Ensure the highest possible standards of safety and security are maintained in all operations.
• Plan, monitor and evaluate all aspects of HMA activities.
• Maintain and develop training materials, workplans and other relevant operations documentation and implement changes within the programme accordingly.
• Exercise responsibility for safe storage and handling of explosives, including within warehousing structures.
• Ensure that the prioritization set by the NMAC, and /or UNMAS are taken into consideration in the planning and implementation of operational activities.
• Manage, monitor, and supervise the HMA Team Leaders and TFMs, ensuring that they carry out their duties and responsibilities in accordance with their job descriptions and as tasked.
• Manage, monitor, and supervise the EORE PM, ensuring that duties are carried out in accordance with job description and EORE is planned and conducted to a high technical standard
• Work closely with the local partner organization and support with collecting the required documentation.
• Monitor and analyze productivity achieved and recommend methods and practices to enhance productivity, ensuring cost effective operations to be conducted in the programme.
• Assist support service managers in developing appropriate plans for operational support (e.g. procurement planning).
• Report operational outputs to Humanitarian Disarmament and Peacebuilding in Copenhagen HQ on a monthly basis, based on input from TFMs and PMs.
• Responsible for the internal Quality Control (QC) and Quality Assurance (QA).
• Conduct training needs assessment and implement training plans for DRC HMA operational staff. Support general capacity development of DRC teams.
• Conduct regular QC/QA visits to all teams and ensure the TFMs, Team Leaders and the teams are carrying out drills in accordance with SOPs.
• Keep a record of all training carried out by all employees together with the TFMs/PMs.
• Promote a culture of safety, and safe and effective methods of munitions clearance and disposal.
• Collection and retention of technical information on munitions as well as the maintaining of the information library on such munitions. S/he is under no circumstances to carry out, or permit others to carry out, forensic work or similar to gain insight into weapon functionality.
• Collaborate with the commercial management team to ensure that financial viability of commercial contracts is balanced by operational effectiveness and safety.
• Support the grants management/contracts management team as required with deliverables required by the donor.

External Relations:

• Conduct frequent liaison and negotiation with National Mine Action Center, ensuring that accreditation of operations is achieved and maintained with authorities.
• Support and advise in country management on operational matters, including access and safety issues related to the HMA department.
• Support HDP Manager with continuous risk monitoring and updating of HMA risk framework
• Support HDP Manager with strategic planning and implementation of all HMA projects.
• Support Commercial Contract Manager with contractual reporting
• Contribute to the writing of donor proposals and reports and assist the HDP Manager in donor liaison when required.
• Represent DRC at regular mine action coordination fora, including Mine Action AoR, and with UNMAS, as required
• Develop a professional collaborative relationship with national authorities and other agencies involved in mine action, and related fields of interest.

Other:

• Work directly with the HMA Global Senior Technical Advisor, Global Operations Manager and HDP Regional Coordinator in analyzing lessons learned from the country to support other programmes regionally and globally, and vice versa.

SKILLS AND EXPERIENCES

• Experience and technical competencies: (include years of experience)
• Minimum 5 years’ previous experience in HMA and full understanding of its technical requirements.
• Minimum IMAS EOD 3 qualifications and previous work experience as an Operations Manager.
• Proven management experience gained in a range of settings.
• Experience with accreditation to IMAS standard.
• Proven record of training national staff and ability to train and mentor national counterparts.
• Experience in relationship-building with NMAA
• Experience of working in insecure environments.
• Diplomatic, patient and persistent.
• Good knowledge of Office 365.
• Willingness to embrace and further develop overall objectives such as gender equity, impact monitoring, and cross-sector cooperation.

Desirable

• Arabic highly desirable
• Experience with remote management of HMA operations
• Experience collaborating effectively with local partner organizations

EDUCATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS

• IMAS EOD 3 qualification
• IMAS EOD 3 + (desirable)

LANGUAGES  

• English (fluent)
• Arabic highly desired

ALL EMPLOYEES ARE EXPECTED TO DEMONSTRATE DRC FIVE CORE COMPETENCIES

• Striving for excellence: You focus on achieving results while maintaining efficient processes.
• Collaborating: You engage with relevant stakeholders and encourage constructive feedback.
• Taking the lead: You take ownership of tasks and are open to innovation.
• Communicating: You are clear, concise, and respectful in your communication.
• Demonstrating integrity: You uphold and promote the highest ethical standards and DRC's Code of Conduct.

POSITION DETAILS

• Type of contract: Expatriate
• Contract Length: 4 Months (With possibility of extension, subject to funding and performance)
• Band: E Management
• Reports to: HDP Manager
• Duty station: Port Sudan with frequent travel to operations site in Omdurman
• Start date: As soon as possible
• Closing Date for Application: 01 June 2025

Salary and conditions will be in accordance with Danish Refugee Council’s Terms of Employment for employees on expatriate contracts; please refer to our website for more details. For questions regarding the vacancy, please contact [email protected]

APPLICATION PROCESS

1. Applications must be submitted through the mentioned link on the page by clicking on Apply Button.   
2. All applicants must send a cover letter along with an updated CV (we encourage CV no longer than four pages) in English.
3. Mentioning three referees' details of your present supervisor and HR along with past employment supervisor in the CV.

Note: Applications sent by email will not be considered. In addition, DRC doesn’t charge any fee for any of its recruitment process & believes in equal opportunity in employment regardless.

If you have questions, you can visit our FAQ page. 

For further information about the Danish Refugee Council, please visit our website: www.drc.ngo

Gender Equality: DRC is committed to achieving gender parity in staffing at all levels. In light of this, female candidates are particularly encouraged to apply to bridge the gender gap.

Equal Opportunities: DRC is an equal-opportunity employer. We value diversity and we are committed to creating an inclusive environment based on mutual respect for all employees. We do not discriminate on the basis of age, sex, disability status, religion, ethnic origin, color, race, marital status, or other protected characteristics.   

***FRAUD ALERT***

It has been brought to the attention of the Danish Refugee Council (DRC) that there have been instances of fraudulent job offers, purporting to be from DRC in Sudan. These offers reportedly concern fraudulent employment opportunities to applicants asking for money. DRC would like to stipulate that the organization never charges or accepts any money from job seekers during the recruitment process. DRC recommends that you do not respond to unsolicited offers of employment.