Operations Officer at CABI (Centre for Agriculture and Biosciences International)

THE ROLE:

• The position holder will support the coordination of operational activities for CABI Africa to ensure the efficient and effective delivery of services at the different centres in the region (Kenya, Ghana, Uganda, Zambia).

Key Accountabilities:

• Oversee day-to-day operational activities, ensuring efficient and effective delivery of services across the region.
• Oversee the organisation and coordination of meetings, workshops and conferences
• Provide support in procurement planning and ensuring timely delivery of planned procurements
• Train on and enforce standard operating procedures (SOPs) across all operational activities, identifying areas for
• improvement and recommend changes to enhance efficiency and effectiveness.
• Effectively manage relationships with service providers, negotiating and maintaining service level agreements, fostering strong business partnerships between CABI and its suppliers for mutual benefit.
• Implement a centralized system for filing and contribution of operations’ documents across the Africa Centre, streamlining document management for better efficiency.
• Supervise the acquisition, custody, usage, and maintenance of assets and facilities ensuring optimized resource utilization and minimization of costs.
• Support the preparation of regular reports on operational performance, including metrics, trends, and challenges
• Support the adherence to protocol related requirements across all operational countries
• Provide supervision and guidance to direct reports and support team members, fostering a collaborative and productive work environment
• Complete a broad range of administrative tasks that facilitate the effective flow of information across the organisation.
• Collaborate with other departments to enhance operational processes and overall efficiency.
• Take on other duties as may be assigned.

Education & Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Operations Management, or a related field.
• Minimum 5 years of relevant experience in operations management, administration, or a similar role.
• Experience in a supervisory role is preferred
• A Master's degree in Business Administration is desirable
• Lean Six Sigma Certification is desirable
• Training or certification in project management is beneficial.

KNOWLEDGE FOR LIFE
Knowledge & Skills

• Strong understanding of operational processes, procedures, and best practices.
• Excellent organizational and time-management skills.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Strong attention to detail and accuracy.
• Effective communication and interpersonal skills.
• Knowledge of market dynamics, country regulations and business practices, supplier networks and
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite and financial software.

Personal Characteristics

• Self-motivated, adaptable, well-organized and able to work with minimal supervision
• Ability to prioritize among multiple competing requests;
• Results focus on work planning, execution of tasks, and reporting
• Detail-oriented with a focus on accuracy and quality.
• Flexible and adaptable to changing priorities.
• Creative and Innovative in carrying assigned duties
• Unquestionable Integrity
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a team.
• Ability to manage workload and meet deadlines
• Capacity to build effective relationships with programme stakeholders
• Ability to work with people from diverse nationalities