Overseas Processing Entity (OPE) Vacancies

Overseas Processing Entity (OPE) Director

Church World Service (CWS)

Founded in 1946, Church World Service is a cooperative ministry of 35 Protestant, Orthodox, and Anglican denominations, providing sustainable self-help and development, disaster relief, and refugee assistance in some 80 countries.

Closing date: 31 Jan 2011

Location: Kenya - Nairobi

Summary:

The OPE Director is responsible for the management of the Church World Service/Overseas Processing Entity (CWS/OPE) Nairobi office, which conducts case processing for eligible refugees throughout Sub-Saharan Africa for the US Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP). CWS administers OPE-Nairobi on the basis of a cooperative agreement with the US Department of State, as part of its Immigration and Refugee Program.

In 2011, OPE-Nairobi expects to process cases for approximately 24,000 refugee applicants in 40 countries, largely through the deployment of caseworker teams from Nairobi to refugee camps and other case processing sites throughout sub-Saharan Africa. The OPE Director is responsible for the oversight of a 200-person staff and for working closely with US Government officials and intergovernmental partner agencies to coordinate all aspects of refugee admissions to the US from the region.

Position Requirements:

• Masters Degree in International Relations, Business Management, Public Administration, Migration Studies or another relevant field is preferred
  
  

• Minimum of 3 years management experience with an international organization, preferably focused on refugee case processing or other aspects of refugee resettlement
  
  

• Knowledge of oversees refugee case processing, including the management of electronic data via WRAPS, is highly desirable
  
  

• Demonstrated ability to manage a large and diverse operational program, and to balance the competing needs and demands of different partner agencies
  
  

• Experience ensuring compliance with government-funded projects and knowledge of US federal government contract regulations.
  
  

• Demonstrated ability to analyze budget data and financial reports, and to ensure cost-effective program implementation
  
  

• Experience in managing a large and diverse staff, and the ability to lead teams in a mufti-cultural environment
  
  

• Experience with staff performance management and conflict resolution
  
  

• Proven leadership and decision-making skills
  
  

• Strong verbal and written communication skills
  
  

• Demonstrated organizational skills, as well as strong analytical and problem solving skills.
  
  

• Ability to maintain confidential information.
  
  

• Ability to maintain high performance standards and attention to detail.
  
  

• Ability to conduct oneself in a professional manner and to represent the best interests of OPE-Nairobi and CWS.
  
  

• US Citizenship
  
  

Core Functions and Responsibilities:

1. Representation and External Relations

• Maintain regular communication with US Refugee Coordinators in East and West Africa regarding the status of OPE-Nairobi case processing activities.
  
  

• Maintain collaborative and productive working relationships with USRAP partners, including US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
  
  

• Oversee OPE staff members' communications with counterparts in PRM, CIS, UNHCR and IOM.
  
  

• Conduct periodic work travel to maintain strong relations with partners' regional offices in West, Central and Southern Africa.
  
  

• Serve as point of contact with Kenyan counsel for all legal matters affecting OPE-Nairobi.
  
  

• Maintain regular contact with CWS Africa regional office in Nairobi and other CWS staff
  
  

2.Management and Supervision

• Ensure efficient and cost-effective implementation of the Cooperative Agreement between CWS and the State Department's Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration (PRM) to administer OPE-Nairobi and ensure that case processing targets for Africa are met.
  
  

• Provide leadership and overall management to the OPE-Nairobi work units - Administration, Operations, Data Integrity, Cultural Orientation, and Staff Safety and Security - and directly supervise the five staff members heading these units.
  
  

• Lead senior management team meetings, and ensure effective communication across OPE units and between supervisors and their staffs.
  
  

• Ensure working culture that values attention to detail, innovation in practices, and responsiveness to refugee clients, funders and operational partners.
  
  

• Chair the CWS/OPE Nairobi Safety and Security Management Team and lead responses to security or emergency health crises that may arise, in conjunction with the OPE Staff Security Coordinator, OPE Human Resources Manager and CWS headquarters office
  
  

• Communicate regularly with CWS headquarters in New York, including through regular written reports and updates.
  
  

• Participate in CWS Immigration and Refugee Program (IRP) Leadership team activities, including a monthly conference call.
  
  

3. Program Implementation

• Provide effective leadership to refugee case processing activities, including through identifying strategies to efficiently move cases forward through the OPE process and integrate these into OPE-Nairobi practices.
  
  

• Provide guidance to Operations staff on setting priorities in case processing, including analysis of refugee case pipelines.
  
  

• Identify challenges to achieving case processing targets as they arise and, in conjunction with PRM and other operational partners, identify and implement timely responses.
  
  

• Ensure the timely and effective implementation of case processing guidance, including oversight to the review and revision of standard operating procedures (SOPs).
  
  

• Working with the Data Integrity Coordinator, ensure a high quality of case processing data and accurate and timely reporting, as well as a strong working relationship with the Refugee Processing Center (RPC).
  
  

• Ensure that there is effective coordination between the Operations, Data Integrity and Human Resources units in identifying staff training needs in case processing, and developing training activities that respond to these needs.
  
  

• Participate in monthly conference calls with PRM and CIS on the Africa refugee admissions program.
  
  

• Provide guidance to Cultural Orientation program, including pilot overseas ESL activities, and ensure a strong continuum between overseas and domestic cultural orientation for resettling refugees
  
  

4.Administration and Budget

• Establish budget parameters and, working with the Deputy Director for Administration, lead staff in developing and monitoring unit budgets.
  
  

• Provide leadership to ensure good stewardship of financial resources and OPE assets, including through participation in annual financial audits.
  
  

• Ensure that administrative policies support the accountability, transparency, and efficiency of OPE-Nairobi, and are in compliance with the Cooperative Agreement, relevant OMB Circulars, and PRM and CWS policies.
  
  

• Ensure that OPE-Nairobi has a robust strategy for using information technology to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of its work across the organization.
  
  

• Working with the Human Resources Manager, ensure that OPE-Nairobi employs innovate and effective approaches that ensure high performance and well-being among the staff.
  
  

How to apply

Send Resume to: Church World Service

Office of Human Resources - KWL

P.O. Box 968

Elkhart, IN 46515

or fax to 574/266-0087

or e-mail to cwshr@churchworldservice.org

Reference Code: RW_8CDN24-26