Operations Director

Package Description
Band: F

Contract: 12 month fixed term contract 

Base: London

Any offer of employment with the BBC will be conditional upon you having the right to work in the UK

Job Introduction
 

We are the BBC’s international charity, and we believe in the power of media and communication for good. Working to the BBC’s values and editorial principles, BBC Media Action supports the independent media essential to democracy and development. We inform, connect and inspire change in our audiences – by sharing trusted information and stories that generate debate and discussion and challenge prejudice. BBC Media Action works in 23 countries across Africa, Asia and East and Central Europe, serving some of the most fragile and divided societies in the world. We create and distribute television, radio and digital content in more than 50 languages, reaching more than 118 million people last year.
While we benefit from strong partnerships with the World Service and other parts of the BBC, we rely on the generous support of donors to continue our vital work. We are not funded by the UK TV Licence Fee.
BBC Media Action is registered in England & Wales under charity number 1076235 and company number 3521587.

Main Responsibilities
Strategic Leadership:
•    Serve on the Management Team, providing visionary leadership, contributing to the strategic direction of the charity, and leading the business management functions of the charity including playing a key role in organisational effectiveness and change management.

Finance Business Performance Management:
•    Manage and deliver long-term financial strategy in line with the charity’s goals. Provide effective financial advice that ensures that quality financial decisions are made which drive business performance.
•    Drive excellence in financial performance by providing objective perspectives and making recommendations. Ensure value for money by rigorous pressure on costs.

Risk Management
•    Drive risk-management for the charity, ensuring that appropriate processes and mitigating controls are in place including ownership of all financial and operational risks and mitigation thereof.
•    Manage interactions with  the Finance and Audit Trustee Subcommittee.

Controls and compliance: 
•    Ensure that robust financial controls exist and are operated that meet all regulatory/statutory/legal and professional requirements and demonstrate best practice. 
•    Accountable for all appropriate financial, regulatory,  and legal reporting requirements within the UK and in each location where Media Action works.

Ensure that an appropriate IT strategy is in place and that staff across the charity have access to appropriate equipment, systems and support so that they can deliver effectively.

Service Management: 
•    Ensure the provision of a high level service, identify areas for improvements, implement all audit, risk and compliance requirements. 
•    Accountable for ensuring that all support operations are performed efficiently and effectively and within the standards set by the charity and externally directly through teams and indirectly in country offices
•    Ensure that appropriate office accommodation is provided.

Business Relationships: 
•    Build, engage, and maintain strong and effective relationships with key stakeholders internally and externally, liaise with senior management on pan-BBC projects where appropriate, co-ordinate project involvement across portfolio, planning resources and managing dependencies.
•    Deputise in the absence and on behalf of the CEO with external and internal ambassadorial duties.

Team management
•    Manage direct reports and ensure that good management is in place for central finance, IT, legal and office management functions 
•    Ensure that professional development is in place for finance staff in our country programmes and liaise with the Director of Programmes and other programme staff about performance of country based finance staff
 

Are you the right candidate?
•    Professional accounting/financial qualification (ACA, ACCA, CIMA or equivalent) is essential.
•    Experience of being part of a strategic leadership team and substantial experience as a senior executive organisation in a multi country organisation.
•    Highly developed communication and inter-personal skills including presenting to executive boards, influencing senior executives, inspiring large and small teams, active listening, coaching and mentoring one-on-one and writing compelling text, all through a combination of personal credibility, integrity and professionalism.
•    A proven track record of building and leading successful and highly skilled teams, specialising in the range of operations that support an organisation that operates within a complex environment.
•    A proven track record of developing and driving through efficiencies, and challenging ways of working in a multi-site organisation.
•    A proven track record of initiating and promoting innovation and developing business opportunities.
•    A well-developed understanding of the strategic impact of financial management and control.
•    Experience of overseeing the management of an investment portfolio and the operations of a limited company.
•    Experience of working in a risk management function with a knowledge of how to develop appropriate risk tolerance levels and associated management.
•    Experience of working with financial accounting systems and the ability to understand, interpret, ability to turn data into strategic advice, and communicate complex financial data to a range of audiences.
•    Knowledge of current technology capability and financial systems and a proven track record of successful IT/finance implementation.
•    A well-developed understanding of the importance of key performance metrics in the analysis of an organisation’s success, and experience of developing and maintaining such metrics.
•    A proven track record in designing, developing and sustaining stakeholder relationships across a complex and demanding environment that has resulted in strategic alliances.
•    Experience of working in a multi-country organisation and an appreciation of the value of a diverse geographic focus and all that has to offer.

•    An understanding of the opportunities and challenges of working in the “not for profit” sector is essential, but direct work experience is not.