Chief of International Operations

Room to Read seeks to transform the lives of millions of children in developing countries by focusing on literacy and gender equality in education. Working in collaboration with local communities, partner organizations and governments, Room to Read develops literacy skills and a habit of reading among primary school children, and supports girls to complete secondary school with the relevant life skills to succeed in school and beyond.

Room to Read is non-governmental, non-religious and works with many local NGOs and community-based organizations to implement programs. Room to Read has operations in Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Laos, Nepal, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Vietnam, and Zambia - countries with a desperate lack of resources to educate their children. Since inception, Room to Read's worldwide team has impacted over 6 million children by constructing more than 1,500 schools, establishing over 13,000 libraries, publishing more than 700 new children's book titles in 11 local languages, and rewarding over 16,000 girls with long-term, holistic scholarships.

Headquartered in San Francisco, Room to Read has an annual budget of approximately US$44 million, a global staff of over 600, and regional and/or program offices located in New Delhi, Pretoria, Colombo, Dar es Salaam, Dhaka, Ho Chi Minh City, Kathmandu, Lusaka, Phnom Penh, and Vientiane.

Position

The Chief of International Operations (CoIO) is responsible for leadership and management of program operations and information technology teams at the headquarters office in San Francisco as well as regional teams who oversee country programs and operations. Working closely with Regional Directors, this position oversees the annual planning and implementation of Room to Read’s operations worldwide as well as expansion into new geographies. As one of five executive management team members, the CoIO manages $30 million in assets and five direct reports; two international Regional Directors in India and South Africa, and three Global Office work units in the San Francisco office. Reporting directly to the Founder and Chief Executive Officer, the CoIO is a member of the executive management team and has regular interactions with the Board of Directors and Room to Read’s international management team.

Responsibilities

Global Program Operations

• Manages two Regional Directors to ensure day-to-day management and oversight of our global program implementation and operations
• Collaborates with the Chief Program Officer and Programs staff to develop and implement plans to “operationalize” the current five year Strategic Plan 2010 – 2014
• Aggressively leads change and innovation while scaling our operations in existing and new countries
• In coordination with the annual budgeting process and the Chief Financial Officer, manages the development of all international offices’ annual plans through Regional Directors, the Program Operations team and the Chief Program Officer’s team. Sets the annual strategic direction for the country offices
• Manages staff that ensures two-thirds of Room to Read assets are accurately budgeted and monitored against plan
• Works closely with the Chief Financial Officer and Chief Talent Officer to ensure timely roll-out of all HR and Finance initiatives at the regional and country levels
• Manages staff that plans the annual international Country Management Conference for Global Office, Regional and Country senior staff, which serves as a strategic planning opportunity to reinforce strategies, build senior staff capacity and collaborate on important Room to Read issues and initiatives
• Serves as a resource to the regional and country teams for problem-solving, crisis management, policy creation and implementation, capacity building, strategy development and a myriad of other operational needs

Operations, Business Processes and IT

• Manages staff that facilitates Development team information flow to assist in foundation, corporate and individual fundraising efforts
• Enables their IT team’s ability to ensure clear processes and systems are in place that facilitate efficient work management and communication
• Manages staff that works with the Programs team to develop and document best practices in order to share across existing operating entities and roll out in new geographies
• Manage the Information Technology team and spearhead technology development planning to ensure IT processes are aligned with the business and program objectives

New Country and Partnership Responsibilities

• Manages staff that is responsible for new country start ups and initial operations, including feasibility studies, writing detailed country-level reports, identifying local infrastructure resources, staffing and, developing business plans and funding proposals
• Evaluates proposals and recommends potential Room to Read partnerships with other NGOs

Communication, Strategic and External-Facing

• Keeps management team, Board of Directors, and appropriate staff up to date on all program operations and expansion plans
• Participates on management team to develop and implement long-term growth and operational strategies
• Stays informed about research and trends in the area of international education implementation and recommend appropriate program implementation enhancements
• Networks with other non-profits to build relationships and identify potential opportunities
• Represents Room to Read by attending and speaking at various forums and advocating for our work

Qualifications

• A minimum of twelve years of relevant professional experience, with a minimum of 5 years in a senior management capacity
• Professional experience in international development
• Ability and desire to travel internationally, likely 30-40% of the time
• Prior experience living and/or working in a developing country
• Prior success working closely with and building relationships with staff, partnerships, donors and a Board of Directors
• A management style that is outcome-oriented, but flexible which respects the capabilities and independence of staff, while providing them with a clear sense of direction and enabling their success
• Excellent interpersonal skills – a capacity to listen well and inspire trust
• Action-oriented – an ability to move from ideas to action
• An ability to communicate effectively and professionally with a diverse range of people from different environments, sectors, and society
• A masters degree in a related field of study, e.g., MA, MBA or MPA in Nonprofit Management
• Effectiveness in working or volunteering in a non-profit organization that is focused on maintaining high quality work and low overhead
• Proven track record of achieving results
• Prior experience in a fast-paced, growth-oriented global or regional organization
• Ability to juggle multiple priorities simultaneously and take initiative

To be successful as a member of the Room to Read team, you will also:

• Have a passion for our mission and a strong desire to impact a top tier non-profit organization
• Be an innovative and creative thinker that tries new things and inspires others to do so
• Have a very high level of personal and professional integrity and trustworthiness
• Have a strong work ethic and require minimal direction
• Work well independently as well as part of a team
• Thrive in a fast-paced and fun environment

Application Procedure

Room to Read is an Equal Opportunity Employer and encourages candidates of all backgrounds to apply for this position.

To apply, please visit: http://www.refineapp.com/jobPosting/apply/550. If you have trouble with the system, please email your resume and cover letter to executivesearch@koyapartners.com.