Haiti Chief Operations Officer

WORK FOR AN AWARD-WINNING NON-PROFIT SOCIAL ENTERPRISE IN HAITI.

POSITION OPENING: Chief Operations Officer – Haiti
Industry: Non-profit/International Development Function: Management and Oversight Reports To: CEO Employer: Build Change Job Title: Chief Operations Officer – Haiti Job Location: Greater Port-au-Prince, Haiti Start Date: Immediate
Term: 1 year with possibility of extension Salary: Competitive, with medical insurance benefits and housing in Haiti

Organization Description Build Change (www.buildchange.org) is an international non-profit social enterprise that designs earthquake-resistant houses in developing countries and trains builders, homeowners, engineers and government officials to build them. Build Change’s designs are affordable, culturally appropriate, and use materials and techniques that will continue to be used after our intervention is finished. Build Change works with the public and private sector to leave in place long-term change in construction practice. So far, Build Change has improved the design and/or construction of over 18,000 houses worldwide and trained 12,000 people.

Build Change has been operating in Haiti since July 2010, where its team of Haitian construction professionals has trained over 1,400 builders, 2,440 homeowners, and 100 engineers in safe construction techniques. Build Change has also partnered with the Ministry of Public Works and NGO community to develop earthquake-resistant design and construction guidelines for new buildings and retrofits. Build Change is now provide hands-on technical assistance to homeowners and on-the-job training for builders during construction. Build Change is providing training, engineering design, and construction supervision services to other relief agencies and materials testing services.

Build Change is a US-based 501(c)3 non-profit social enterprise in operation since 2004. Build Change has won grants from Echoing Green, Draper Richards Foundation, Mulago Foundation and Ashoka-Lemelson and was named a 2008 Laureate in the Equality Category for Technology Benefiting Humanity by the San Jose Tech Museum of Innovation Tech Awards. Recently, Build Change’s founder won the 2011 Lemelson-MIT Award for Sustainability and was named a US Social Entrepreneur of the Year by the Schwab Foundation. Build Change’s work has been featured on ABC News World News Tonight, BBC Website, National Public Radio All Things Considered, the New York Times, ELLE Magazine and Bloomberg BusinessWeek.

The Opportunity: Reporting to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), COO-Haiti is responsible for leading and managing a comprehensive array of services and programs for Build Change in Haiti. The COO will manage a team of at least six senior expat and Haitian managers who in turn supervise a team of 80 Haitian national construction personnel and support staff. S/he will be responsible for all program planning, organizing, operating and staffing. S/he will review on an ongoing basis services being offered and develop new programs as needs emerge. S/he will be responsible for all activities relating to program execution, licensure and registration, personnel, finance, and contracts for the Build Change Haiti office. The COO-Haiti will inform the CEO, and ultimately the board of directors, of all program issues and accomplishments.

For the position of COO-Haiti, Build Change is seeking an entrepreneurial and energetic individual with a proven track record in building organizational capacity and delivering program impacts on budget and schedule. Build Change is seeking a seasoned management professional who can play multiple roles in a dynamic, changing environment with multiple stakeholders.

 

Key Responsibilities: • LEADERSHIP: Provide effective and inspiring leadership, as well as stewardship, of Build Change’s Haiti program by being actively involved in all programs and services. Implement and lead a continuous quality improvement process throughout the program and service areas, focusing on systems and processes for improvement. Promote regular and ongoing opportunities for all staff to give feedback on program management.
• PROGRAM MANAGEMENT: Deliver on scope, schedule and budget for all Build Change Haiti programs • RECRUITING and TEAM BUILDING: Lead a high performing team of technical managers to the next level by developing and implementing recruitment, training, and retention strategies. • PROCESSES and SYSTEMS: Fully document and improve Build Change’s program implementation and monitoring and evaluation systems, for use in future programs, and create a results-driven culture with clearly documented impacts • BUILD CHANGE MODEL: Fully document, expand and extend the Build Change model for implementing post-disaster reconstruction technical assistance programs to include financing partnerships • STRATEGY: Provide programmatic leadership and input for all strategic planning processes with CEO and staff • STAKEHOLDER RELATIONS: Represent Build Change in discussions with project partners, and build relationships with stakeholder groups, such as the Haiti government ministries, cluster agencies, private construction sector businesses • BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT: Work in partnership with Director of Business Development to market Build Change’s engineering services and training programs to other agencies and potential partners • FUND DEVELOPMENT: Write and win grants and/or contracts to expand Build Change’s Haiti program • ETHICS: Ensure that all programs and administration functions operate consistently and ethically within the mission and values of Build Change.
• BUDGET and FINANCIAL VIABILITY: Prepare and submit program and annual operating budgets to the CEO for review and approval, manage effectively within this budget, and report accurately and timely on progress made and challenges encountered. Ensure the continued financial viability of Build Change in Haiti through sound fiscal management.
• HR and ADMINISTRATION: Oversee the finalizing of organizational regulations and procedures for Haiti, such as security and emergency policies, employee manuals and benefits packages. Ensure financial and procurement systems are audit-compliant.

Qualifications: • Minimum 10 years professional experience overall, with a minimum of five years of senior leadership experience supervising seasoned technical, program and administrative staff operating multiple programs • Proven record of delivering program impacts on time and on budget • Can point to tangible examples of reporting and program measurement and evaluation • Strong relationship builder and communicator with experience leading diverse work teams, developing organization-wide strategy for program excellence, engaging community partners, and partnering with a CEO and board of directors; ability to build relationships in a complex environment, reach consensus quickly and solve problems • Work experience in an elite management setting, preferably in engineering or construction, or some kind of successful entrepreneurial experience such as starting a field program in a developing country, leading a large event, or starting a business • Project management skillset that includes ownership over milestones, work plans, reporting, using computer tools such as Excel and PowerPoint • Background in civil engineering or related field, and understanding of earthquake and hurricane-resistant design and construction principles • Successful record of implementing post-earthquake housing reconstruction and financing or similar programs in a similar context • Demonstrates integrity, strives for excellence in her/his work • Passion for Build Change’s mission and ability to promote and communicate the philosophy, mission and values of Build Change to external and internal stakeholders • Excellent, professional writing, presentation, and communication skills • Willingness and physical ability to live and work in a post-disaster setting, which often requires work in excess of 40 hours per week under difficult conditions • No ego, drama, or pessimism; the successful candidate will be flexible, humble, patient, and have a good sense of humor.
• Fluent English with working knowledge of French and Creole strong pluses.

How to apply:

To Apply Email cover letter and resume to recruiting@buildchange.org with Subject Line: COO-Haiti. Applications will be reviewed as they are received; positions will remain open until filled. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. Qualified women, Haitian citizens, members of the Haitian diaspora, and candidates with French and Creole language skills are strongly encouraged to apply.