Senior Operations Manager

Job Title: Senior Operations Manager, South East Asia and the Pacific Department (Parental Leave Cover)

Location: Melbourne is preferred, but flexible for remote working across Australia.

Reporting to: South East Asia and the Pacific Department Director

Direct Reports: 2x Programme Support Officers, 1x Programme and Operations Assistant and operations consultants when required.

Duration: Fixed-term contract for 11 months (October 2025 to September 2026), (the role is to provide parental leave cover), Full-time

Salary: AUD$113,729.90 gross per annum plus superannuation

Conciliation Resources

Conciliation Resources is an independent international organisation working with people in conflict to prevent violence, resolve conflicts and promote peaceful societies. We provide practical support to help people affected by violent conflict achieve lasting peace. We draw on our shared experiences to improve peacebuilding policies and practice worldwide. We work with partner organisations and individuals (officials, civic actors and politicians) supporting processes of change, including through supporting key actors in regions effected by conflict to explore options for progress through dialogue, analysis and access to new thinking. We also work with civil society groups to become more effective in advocating for rights, encouraging debate and achieving policy change. We have worked in the South East Asia and the Pacific (SEAP) regions since 1994 and currently have four programmes: A regional Pacific Programme, a Fiji Programme, a Papua New Guinea Programme and a Philippines Programme.

We work with partner organisations and individuals to create an environment in which long-term change is possible, supporting key actors in the conflicts (officials, civic actors and politicians) to explore options for progress through dialogue, analysis and access to new thinking; engaging with hardliners and enabling broad participation, including marginalised groups. We help civil society groups become more effective in advocating for rights, encouraging debate and achieving policy change, which will contribute to potential reconciliation.

Job purpose

Conciliation Resources is headquartered in London, with a branch office in Melbourne, and registered in Australia as Conciliation Resources Australia (CRA). The SEAP Department also has personnel and office spaces in the Philippines and Fiji. It is also currently in the process of registering in the Philippines.

The Senior Operations Manager is responsible for the delivery of the following operational functions for the SEAP Department: Conciliation Resources Australia entity statutory obligations, governance, office management, human resources, department fundraising, staff safety and safeguarding, programme support and compliance. The role is responsible for developing and maintaining SEAP Department processes and systems required for these operational functions.

The Senior Operations Manager provides project, administrative and logistical support as necessary. They play a key role in liaising and supporting across programme teams, consultants and suppliers, ensuring they have what they need and proper guidance to get work done. The Senior Operations Manager works closely with the London-based CR Core and Operations team, particularly the COO, Safety and Compliance team, MEL, Gender and the Fundraising team.

Reporting to the SEAP Department Director, the Senior Operations Manager will represent the Operations team on the SEAP Department Leaders Team and contribute to SEAP department strategy and management.

Person specification

Essential knowledge, skills and experience

• Significant organisation and team management experience to a senior level, including managing multiple project and programme manager level positions at the same time.
• Experience managing organisation operations functions, including: finance, human resources, and/or safety compliance.
• Experience developing, implementing and adapting organisation policies, including human resources, finance and/or safety compliance.
• Strong organisational skills including planning, developing, implementing and maintaining administrative systems.
• Experience of developing or adapting organisational policies and processes to meet local compliance
• Ability to coordinate and execute project planning
• Strong understanding of organisational budgeting and finances
• Experience of line management and team management.
• Initiative, enthusiasm and a problem-solving approach to new challenges.
• Able to explain, advocate and express facts and ideas in a convincing manner, and negotiate with individuals and groups internally and externally.
• Excellent working knowledge of Microsoft Office software packages, databases, email, internet.
• Experience of working in a multicultural environment.
• Experience working with vulnerable individuals, particularly in a conflict context.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English.
• Willingness to work irregular hours occasionally and to undertake some travel.
• Experience of hostile environment awareness training or willingness to undertake hostile environment awareness training.
• Some knowledge of and interest in peacebuilding/ humanitarian/ development sector safety and security and safeguarding issues.
• Appreciation of issues of confidentiality, and cross-cultural and political sensitivity.

Desirable knowledge, skills and experience

• Experience overseeing and performing basic IT administration
• Experience overseeing and performing basic HR administration
• Experience in fundraising in the non-government sector
• Experience in developing and delivering systems for audit or quality assurance;
• Experience of safeguarding training or willingness to undertake safeguarding training.

How to apply

How to Apply

The Job description is attached to this advertisement. Please do not send your CV or Resume at this stage.

Please download the Application form and Application Statement and submit them via email to aurecruitment@c-r.org before the closing date.

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