Operations
Manager
OuTrop (the
Orangutan Tropical Peatland Project)
Position
Description:
OuTrop is looking
for a new Operations Manager to manage its field project in Sabangau, Central
Kalimantan, Indonesia (Borneo). OuTrop’s main field project is based in the
Sabangau Forest located in Central Kalimantan, Indonesia (Borneo) and includes:
three primate behaviour projects (orang-utans, gibbons and red langurs),
biodiversity surveys, camera trapping, forestry research, regeneration research
in our seedling nursery, numerous student and short-term research projects, and
supporting a variety of on-the-ground conservation initiatives implemented by
our local partners.
The successful
candidate will provide overall management support to the Project Directors,
Scientists and other staff, to help ensure the successful delivery of all
Project objectives. You will have overall responsibility for the OuTrop field
research project and all staff, students, volunteers, interns and visitors that
work on the Project. Working together with our Primate Scientist and Accounts
Manager, you will be responsible for daily research team schedules, personnel
management, project financial management, health and safety, all project
facilities and equipment, coordinating with the CIMTROP camp manager and
kitchen staff, and working with the Field Director to help further our
conservation objectives. You will provide an in-country advisory role to the
Communications Manager, write monthly reports for the Board of Directors and
contribute to the development of the OuTrop project both in-situ and to a wider
audience. You need to familiarise yourself with all OuTrop projects, including
accompanying research and volunteer teams in the forest, and maintain regular
communications with the Project Directors and all field team members, plus our
partners and collaborating researchers, as relevant. If you are suitably
qualified, provision of scientific support/advice to non-primate field research
activities may also be required.
We are looking for a
highly organized person, with excellent coordination and team management
skills, and preferably with tropical research experience and a dedication to
wildlife conservation. The candidate needs to be motivated, flexible,
empathetic, patient, amicable (good social and political skills), well
organized, a good communicator, and physically and mentally fit. This role requires the ability to integrate
multiple tasks, responsibilities and staff supervision as it's a transverse
role across the project. Applicants must also have the ability to cope well
under stress and readily master new skills. Previous experience of similar
projects in Indonesia and ability to speak Bahasa Indonesia to conversational
level are strongly preferred. Note that this is a full-time position mainly
based in our field station, and that flexibility is needed to work both at
weekends and frequently during evenings, as needed.
Duties include:
• To
ensure the overall smooth operation of the OuTrop project in Sabangau and
improve wherever possible, working together with the Directors and all Project
members. This encompasses a wide range of responsibilities, some of which
cannot always be anticipated in advance, and so a willingness to accept
flexibility in duties (sometimes at short notice) is required.
• To
assume primary responsibility for managing daily research schedules and Project
personnel, working together with the Primate Scientist, Volunteer Coordinator
and other managerial personnel as appropriate.
• To
be the primary point of contact between the Project Directors and all other
Project personnel (Indonesian and international), plus and our local
counterparts at the University of Palangka Raya to ensure good communications
and relations, that instructions are carried out, tasks are properly
implemented, and problems are identified and resolved in a timely and
profesional manner.
• To
prepare monthly in-country accounts projections, plus pay staff wages and
others bills, and oversee project accounts together with our Accounts Manager.
• To
assist the Project Directors in defining the objectives, strategies,
responsibilities and tasks of the Field Team and its members.
• To
work together with the Project Scientists and other team members to ensure that
all work is carried out according to protocol and that data quality is
maintained and, where possible, improved.
• To
support the Project Directors in implementing OuTrop’s policies and protocols,
particularly regarding health and safety, and in dealing with human resources
issues.
• To
prepare and lead at minimum monthly staff meetings, to assess overall Project
performance, and identify and resolve any performance-related issues. This
includes both group and individual meetings, and may include instigating
disciplinary procedures.
• To
contribute towards the development and ensure the effective implementation of
OuTrop’s Staff and Intern Development Programmes.
• To
manage project logistics and equipment, both in camp and the Project offices in
Palangka Raya. This includes ensuring equipment is properly stored and
inventoried, that equipment is repaired or replaced when broken, that work and
leisure areas are kept tidy and in a state presentable to guests, and that
camp/office infrastructure is maintained and repaired where necessary.
• To
support OuTrop’s Directors and Communications Manager in generally promoting
the Project and furthering our communications, including providing regular
communications materials, assisting the Communications Manager in obtaining
such materials through others, providing advice and feedback on OuTrop/s
communications, and assisting with arrangements for Project visitors/guests.
Qualifications/Experience:
• Essential
personal traits include good social and organisational skills, high motivation,
an attention to detail, flexibility and ability to cope under stress, a focus
on identifying the solutions to problems as well as the problems themselves,
plus the ability to manage and prioritise multiple tasks.
• Personnel
and project management, and team coordination experience essential;
administration and financial management experience preferred.
• Training
in and/or experience with team work development strategies, conflict resolution
and leadership on small projects/organizations essential.
• A
minimum 1 year’s experience in tropical field research projects preferred,
ideally in areas of active OuTrop research.
• Undergraduate
or higher Biology or other relevant university degree an advantage, ideally in
ecology/conservation/primatology.
• Good
computing skills essential (including Access, Excel, Word, etc.)
• Good
spoken and written English essential.
• Previous
experience of working in Indonesia and a minimum conversational level of Bahasa
Indonesia are strongly preferred.
• Possession
of an emergency first aid certificate, or willingness to obtain such a
certificate either before or immediately after appointment, is expected.
• Both
Indonesian and foreign nationals meeting the above criteria will be considered.
OuTrop is an Equal Opportunities employer.
Salary/funding:
• GBP
300/month or the equivalent in IDR for Indonesian applicants.
• Local
stipend of IDR 500,000 to cover basic food and other minor costs in Palangka
Raya.
Support provided for
positions:
• Accommodation
in the research camp in Sabangau and OuTrop office/house in Palangka Raya, plus
food at research camps.
• For
Indonesian applicants, one set of flights and/or other transport from your
place of current residence to Palangka Raya will be provided.
• For
international applicants, one set of international flights up to GBP 700 and
one set of domestic flights from Jakarta to Palangka Raya will be reimbursed
for each 12 month contract period, and all visa-related costs will be covered.
• Health
insurance up to GBP 25/month or the equivalent in IDR.
• Note
that all of the above extends only to the worker and not any accompanying
family members.
Term of Appointment:
1 year, extendable
upon agreement by both parties.
Application
Deadline:
Friday 25th July
2014, with completed reference letters to be received by Friday 1st August
2014. Interviews are expected to be held within the first half of August, with
the successful applicant then starting work in Indonesia as soon as can be
arranged thereafter (anticipated October-November 2014).
Comments:
Please send a
covering letter detailing why you believe you are suitable for the position, an
up-to-date CV to and two completed written references to OuTrop’s Managing
Director, Dr Mark Harrison: mharrison@outrop.com with the job title as the
email subject. Reference letters and CVs may be provided in Bahasa Indonesia or
English, but cover letters must be
written in English.
Website:
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