Chief Operating Officer

Village Health Works (VHW) is a 501(c)(3) organization operating in Burundi, East Africa. Founded in 2006, VHW’s mission is to build a healthier and more just, peaceful and prosperous society by providing quality health care in a dignified environment while addressing the root causes and social determinants of diseases, neglect and violence. Accordingly, we have integrated in our health care programs, education, agriculture, economic and community development.

With close to 200 full time and over 200 half time employees in Burundi, and a small staff in the US, VHW continues to grow and expand its infrastructure in Burundi, including the new construction of a 120 bed hospital, a teacher training program and a school (Pre-K to 12) that will be home to an education model based on critical thinking.

Position Overview

Village Health Works is looking for a Chief Operating Officer (COO) who is highly professional and shares our passion and dedication to achieve our mission. The COO will be based in Burundi, and will report to VHW’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO). The COO will be one of the senior VHW staff members and will be responsible for managing all Burundi programs from a programmatic and operational perspective. The COO will serve as a lead for relationships with key in country officials and partners. In addition, the COO will collaborate closely with the US-based teams, especially in the areas of finance, development, communications and operations. The COO represents VHW’s interests and works to further its mission and vision.

Responsibilities

Program Development and Implementation

• Work with program managers to define program priorities, plans and long-term strategy. These program plans will be guided by VHW’s mission and vision and written in close collaboration with the CEO and with the senior leadership team.
• Manage and modify, as necessary, program implementation based on the needs of the community we serve.
• Manage in-country programs with the highest quality standards and with a focus on documenting and communicating results.
• Oversee and manage donor reporting, drawing from a highly credible monitoring and evaluation system for overall program and specific project results.

Financial Management

• Working together with VHW CFO, Controller, internal auditors, and project managers to ensure absolute financial compliance with international laws, donor requirements and VHW procedures.
• Identify potential shortfalls and strategize with the organization’s senior management as necessary to ensure the programs’ financial sustainability.

Staff Management and Development

• Develop and manage a team of diverse staff members (expatriate, national and third-country nationals) and partners, modeling through strong leadership abilities the kind of multi-stakeholder cooperation that VHW aims to promote widely.
• Participate in the recruitment and selection of staff, providing information on in-country living and working conditions.
• Strengthen the capacity of in-country staff and partners.
• Work closely with other senior leadership team members to ensure compliance with VHW Code of Conduct Manual policies, internal regulation policies, and procedures.

Organizational Representation

• Serve VHW’s mission and vision in a highly professional manner.
• Develop and maintain proactive, positive and professional relationships with all of our stakeholders including the communities we serve, partner organizations, donors, government officials and local committees.
• Work with staff to generate positive and quality media coverage of program events and issues related to VHW mission.
• Maintain regular reporting to the NYC office on key country, program, security and staff issues.
• Work closely with senior management team to lead activities on the ground meant to build VHW’s visibility and presence in-country, including leading tours of the VHW site and catchment area in Burundi, organizing and leading donor trips and cultivating potential partnerships in-country and beyond.

Qualifications

The COO will be thoroughly committed to VHW’s mission. All candidates should have proven leadership, supervisory and relationship management experience. Concrete demonstrable experience and other qualifications include:

• Advanced degree, with a minimum of five years of senior management experience in busy, culturally diverse and international institutions whose missions are similar to that of VHW; track record of effectively leading an outcome-based organization/department and staff; ability to point to specific examples of having developed and operationalized strategies that have taken an organization to the next stage of growth.
• Experience living and working in sub-Saharan Africa; sound knowledge of the conflict dynamics of the Great Lakes region, specifically in Burundi.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in both English and French; a persuasive and passionate communicator with excellent interpersonal and multidisciplinary project skills.
• Commitment to staff development, quality programs and data-driven program evaluation; experience in capturing results and overseeing reporting, monitoring and evaluation systems.
• Solid relationship and team-building skills; ability to interface with external constituents, including medical and educational professionals, board members, donors, and business executives.
• Willingness to travel both within Burundi and internationally.
• Passion, idealism, integrity, positive attitude, mission-driven, self-directed, and deriving satisfaction from helping others to succeed.
• A problem-solving approach to challenging situations.
• Ability to multi-task while leading complex and cross cultural team members.
• Ability to respond to frequently shifting needs with flexibility while maintaining a positive approach and sense of humor.
• Excellent analytical skills and the ability to transfer data and ideas into a logical evaluative format.
• Willingness to make an initial commitment of at least two years, and available to start immediately.
• Ability to handle confidential materials and matters with discretion.
• Excellent references

Compensation: Commensurate with experience; competitive benefit package provided.

HOW TO APPLY:

Applicants should submit a resume, a two-page cover letter and three references to jobs@villagehealthworks.org.

Applications will be considered until the post is filled. Only selected applicants will be contacted for interviews. Those applicants will be informed whether or not their application will move forward after the interview. We will be unable to respond to candidates who are not called for interview. The job posting will be removed from the VHW website when the post has been filled.

VHW considers all applicants on the basis of merit without regard to race, sex, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status or disability. VHW is an equal opportunity employer. If you have any further questions, please email us at: info@villagehealthworks.org