Chief Operating Officer 181 views0 applications

ob Title: Chief Operating Officer (COO)

Location: Kigutu, Burundi

VHW Organization Description:

Village Health Works (VHW) was founded in 2006 in partnership with the Burundian local community. Its mission is to provide quality, compassionate health care in a dignified environment while also addressing the root causes of illness, poverty, violence, and neglect. VHW has developed a holistic model that aims to improve local livelihoods and restore dignity and hope. For the past 12 years of its operation, VHW has focused first on treating and preventing illness through primary health care services. With the goal of addressing the root causes of poor health, poverty and violence, it has also integrated education, sustainable agriculture, and economic development programs into its clinical programs. VHW has built an extensive campus in a rural area of Kigutu that is nestled amongst lush mountains and overlooks beautiful Lake Tanganyika, the second deepest lake in the world. With close to 500 full- and part-time employees in Burundi, as well as a small team in the United States, VHW delivers a wide-array of programs in a catchment area of 200,000 people within two provinces of Rumonge and Bururi.

Looking forward, VHW is investing in two new initiatives that will extend its impact across Burundi and serve as a model for the country and region. VHW is currently constructing the Kigutu Hospital and Women’s Health Pavilion, a 150-bed surgical and teaching hospital, which is expected to be completed before the end of 2019. Additionally, VHW is establishing the Kigutu International Academy, a grade 7-12 boarding school that will produce a new generation of entrepreneurial leaders for Burundi and its partner organization, the Teacher Leadership Institute, that will provide innovative professional development for educators from across the country.

Position Description:

VHW seeks an experienced professional to lead operations in Kigutu. The Chief Operating Officer will be responsible for managing day to day operations in this rapidly growing organization, including overseeing administrative activities, programme delivery and capital projects. The ideal candidate should have experience in programme planning; building systems and procedures across an organization; developing accountability frameworks and measures; and building and managing teams to achieve outstanding results. VHW seeks candidates with work experience in challenging contexts in Africa, who possess an entrepreneurial mind-set, constantly strive for operational excellence and show a deep commitment to the mission and values of VHW.

Specific Responsibilities:

1. Develop and implement systems and processes across functional areas to meet the organization’s rapid growth objectives.
2. Provide timely, accurate and complete reports on operating results across the organization.
3. Drive day to day implementation of all capital projects.
4. Spearhead the development, communication and implementation of effective growth strategies across the organization.
5. Attract, recruit, and retain highly talented and professional new team members who strongly believe in and honor the mission of VHW.
6. Develop robust mentoring program as a cornerstone to career development.
7. Motivate and lead a high-performing management team.
8. Act as lead “client-care officer” through direct contact with every client and partner.
9. Foster a success-oriented, accountable environment.
10. Support technical programs results based on clear priorities and management practices.

Requirements:

• Minimum 10 years of management and operations experience in complex and challenging settings, including in Africa
• Masters’ Degree in Business Administration or other relevant degree
• Experience managing capital or construction projects
• In-depth knowledge of key organizational functions, such as Human Resources, Finance and Programmes
• Hands on experience in strategic planning and programme development
• Experience with data analysis and the use of KPIs
• Familiarity with IT infrastructure
• Outstanding organizational and time management skills
• Excellent interpersonal and leadership skills
• Outstanding communication and presentation skills
• Problem-solving mindset
• Fluency in English is a requirement, French and/or Kirundi are a plus

Competencies:

1. Leadership
2. Strategic Thinking
3. Results Driven
4. Organizational Acumen
5. Decision Making
6. Team Player
7. Communication

Benefits:

Competitive salary, commensurate with experience.