The Senior Operations Manager provide senior, hands‑on leadership for supply chain and operations to enable timely, compliant, and cost‑effective delivery of life‑saving assistance under the UN OCHA‑funded Mozambique Emergency Response. S/he oversees emergency procurement, logistics, warehousing, transport, pipeline tracking, and distributions of food, WASH, shelter, and NFI assistance across Cabo Delgado, Nampula, and Sofala. Working closely with CRS Mozambique teams and diocesan Caritas implementing partners, the position strengthens end‑to‑end supply chain planning, partner capacity, and performance monitoring, while overseeing operations systems—including HR, facilities, compliance, safeguarding, and internal controls—that support delivery. The Senior Operations Manager manages fiduciary and operational risk, ensures audit readiness and donor compliance, and leads people management and capacity strengthening to support accountable, high‑quality emergency response at scale.

Roles and Key Responsibilities

Supply Chain Leadership

• Lead and coordinate emergency supply chain activities—including procurement, warehousing, transport, pipeline tracking, and distributions—to enable timely, high‑quality response across multiple field locations.
• Strengthen end‑to‑end supply chain planning and execution through procurement plans, inventory and pipeline tracking, distribution planning, and sourcing strategies informed by market assessments and price monitoring.
• Lead transparent, compliant, and value‑for‑money procurement and contracting processes; manage supplier and logistics service provider relationships, contracts, documentation, and performance monitoring in line with CRS and UN OCHA requirements.
• Ensure accountability, transparency, and fiduciary risk mitigation across supply chain operations by enforcing CRS SOPs, donor rules, and local regulations, and proactively preventing fraud, diversion, and conflicts of interest.
• Strengthen partner and subrecipient supply chain capacity through rapid assessments, hands‑on coaching, strengthened controls, and follow‑up on corrective actions related to procurement, inventory, transport, and distributions.
• Lead audit readiness and compliance efforts, serving as the focal point for internal and external audits, coordinating responses, and driving corrective actions and continuous process improvement.
• Coordinate closely with Country Program, regional, and HQ operations, audit, risk, and compliance functions to ensure alignment, consistency, and strengthened internal controls across emergency operations.
• Ensure enabling operational environments by maintaining functional offices, warehouses, and guesthouses, and ensuring facilities and services support staff safety, well‑being, and program delivery.

Operations Management

• Lead audit readiness and compliance efforts, serving as the focal point for internal and external audits, coordinating responses, and driving corrective actions and continuous process improvement.
• Coordinate closely with Country Program, regional, and HQ operations, audit, risk, and compliance functions to ensure alignment, consistency, and strengthened internal controls across emergency operations.
• Ensure enabling operational environments by maintaining functional offices, warehouses, and guesthouses, and ensuring facilities and services support staff safety, well‑being, and program delivery.

People and Performance Management

• Effectively manage talent and supervise. Manage team dynamics and staff well-being. Supervise and develop supply chain and operations staff through effective performance management, coaching, staff well‑being support, and targeted capacity strengthening for both CRS teams and partners, fostering a learning‑oriented and high‑performance culture.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in business administration, supply chain, logistics, or another relevant field.
• Minimum of 8 years’ work experience in managing support functions; operations, HR, logistics, ICT in a humanitarian set up with at least 2 years supervisory experience.
• Proven experience in managing operations in multiple projects and donor portfolio up to $5M.
• Remote management experience supervising operation managers in field offices including hard to reach locations.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree preferred.
• Experience with an NGO preferred.
• Knowledge of multiple public donors’ regulations, including OCHA, a plus.
• Experience working in an insecure (conflict) environment.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities  

• Good strategic, analytical, systems thinking, and problem-solving skills and ability to make sound judgments and decisions.
• Strong people‑management skills, with the ability to cultivate a positive and learning‑focused workplace,Proficient in MS Office package (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Visio), Web Conferencing Applications, and information.
• Good relations management abilities. Ability to work collaboratively
• Ethical conduct in accordance with recognized professional and organizational codes of ethics
• Proactive, resourceful, solutions-oriented and results-oriented

Required Languages: English, Portuguese advantage.

Travel: Up to 40% travel within Mozambique, including Cabo Delgado, Nampula and Sofala, as required.

Supervisory Responsibilities: Yes

Qualifications

Agency Competencies (for all CRS Staff):

• Personal Accountability – Consistently takes responsibility for one’s own actions.
• Acts with Integrity – Consistently models values aligned with CRS Guiding Principles and mission.  Is considered honest.
• Builds and Maintains Trust – Shows consistency between words and actions.
• Collaborates with Others – Works effectively in intercultural and diverse teams.
• Open to Learn – Seeks out experiences that may change perspective or provide an opportunity to learn new things.

Agency Leadership Competencies:

• Lead Change – Continually looks for ways to improve the agency through a culture of agility, openness, and innovation.
• Develops and Recognizes Others – Builds the capacity of staff to reach their full potential and enhance team and agency performance.
• Strategic Mindset – Understands role in translating, communicating, and implementing agency strategy and team priorities.

What we offer

CRS offers U.S. based staff a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, life insurance, vision, and a generous retirement savings plan.  Benefits packages for successful candidates employed outside the U.S. are based on the country of employment/in-country office where the candidate will perform the role.  CRS´ work culture is a collaborative, mission-driven culture committed to improving the lives of the poor throughout the world.

About Us

Catholic Relief Services is the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. Catholic Relief Services works to save, protect, and transform lives in need in more than 100 countries, without regard to race, religion or nationality.  Catholic Relief Services’ relief and development work is accomplished through programs of emergency response, HIV, health, agriculture, education, microfinance, and peacebuilding.  We welcome as a part of our staff people of all faiths and secular traditions who share our values and our commitment to serving those in need. CRS’ processes and policies reflect our commitment to safeguarding children and vulnerable adults from abuse and exploitation.

CRS welcomes candidates from the countries and regions in which we work. In the event the successful candidate is an expatriate, the anticipated duration of the assignment is informed by a term limit, based on the type and level of the job and the needs of the agency.

CRS is committed to safeguarding program participants, community members, staff and volunteers from all forms of exploitation and abuse.  The successful candidate is expected to sign and adhere to CRS´ Code of Conduct.

CRS talent acquisition procedures reflect our commitment to safeguarding the rights and dignity of all people – especially children and vulnerable adults – to live free from abuse and harm.

Disclaimer:  This job description is not an exhaustive list of the skill, effort, duties, and responsibilities associated with the position. 

CRS is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

General Requirements

CRS offers are contingent on the selected candidate’s ability to legally work where the position is to be performed. Every government has a unique set of work permit eligibility requirements.  All positions requiring residence or frequent travel outside a home country must undergo and clear a pre-employment medical clearance; some work permit processes require clearing a separate government administered medical examination.

CRS prioritizes candidates who are citizens/ permanent residents of the countries where we have CRS offices.