United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: Operations Officer (9 months maternity cover)

Operations Officer (maternity cover)

The Democratic Progress Institute (DPI) is seeking a highly motivated, well organised and proactive individual to join its London-based team as part-time Operations Officer (maternity cover).

This is an exciting opportunity to gain professional experience and first-hand insights into the day-to-day running of a dynamic NGO working to promote peace and democratic progress internationally. Working as part of a friendly and dedicated team, the successful candidate will have access to professional networking opportunities and in-house career development guidance.

The DPI Operations Officer works closely with the Deputy Director to ensure the smooth running of the organisation, through effective office management and liaison with service providers and suppliers, and by ensuring that appropriate internal processes and systems are in place.

Supporting the Deputy Director in maintaining DPI’s internal HR records, policies and procedures, the Operations Officer also assists with the successful implementation of a staff development and well-being scheme.

About DPI

DPI is an independent non-governmental organisation, established in 2011 in consultation with a group of international experts of conflict resolution and democratic advancement. Combining research and expertise-sharing with practical approaches such as roundtable meetings and Comparative Study Visits, DPI seeks to broaden bases of public support for peace and democracy building.

Our areas of focus include governance models in conflict societies and transitional societies; freedom of expression and association; cultural and language rights; political participation and representation; women’s role in conflict resolution; the role of the media in democratic reform; access to justice and transitional justice including truth and reconciliation commissions.

Key Responsibilities

Office Management & Internal Processes

· Maintains an inventory for office supplies and services and work with relevant volunteers and staff to schedule pick-ups/deliveries, etc.

· Implements and monitors office policies/procedures and best practices

· Regularly evaluates suppliers and other contracts such as IT support, telephone, electrical and other vendors

· Acts as the first ‘authoritative’ point of contact in the office, dealing with general enquiries and redirecting them as appropriate

· Maintains DPI’s petty cash system, in close coordination with the Finance Officer

· Develops and maintains DPI’s contacts management database (Salesforce)

· Oversees and ensures the implementation of DPI’s recycling policies and procedures

· Provides in-house IT support, and acts first point of contact with external IT service provider

· Manages DPI’s website, including coordination with external consultants and website managers

Human Resources Support

· Supports line-managers in recruitment of new staff members, if and as required

· Oversees the induction process and office set up of new staff members

· Develops and maintains the DPI Staff Handbook

· Manages and tracks the annual leave and Bank Holiday entitlement of all staff, and keeps an accurate record of staff members’ sickness and compassionate leave

· Works with the Deputy Director to implement DPI’s staff development and well-being scheme

· Coordinates the logistics around staff retreats, social activities and celebrations

Staff & Intern Management

· Manages the Operations Intern

· Acts as first point of contact for DPI’s internship programme in dealings with external parties

· Maintains the intern reception rota and manages the intern lunch reimbursement.

· Acts as first point of contact for interns when line-manages are unavailable or when a different channel of communication is required

Person Specification

Essential

• Excellent organisational and time-management skills

• High levels of professionalism, with a keen eye for detail and accuracy

• Strong interpersonal skills, a sense of team-spirit, and an ability to work in a multicultural setting

• Ability to work in a proactive and flexible manner, taking own initiatives to solve problems whilst paying careful attention to instructions

• Fluency in English and a high standard of written and spoken communication skills

• Strong IT skills, including the full Microsoft Office package

• Familiarity with contacts management databases

• Good numeracy skills

• Willingness to work in a high pressured environment, juggling multiple priorities and meeting tight deadlines

• Ability to maintain confidentiality when dealing with sensitive information

• Willingness to learn and develop skill-sets

Desirable

· Understanding of the NGO sector, including some of the typical challenges faced by a small NGO

· Familiarity with topics related to human rights, conflict resolution, governance models, international politics and/or similar fields

· Experience working in a multicultural setting

· Knowledge of Salesforce CRM