Head of Operations

Key Responsibilities and Accountabilities Management and Team Building Oversee all operations functions of Turquoise Mountain Afghanistan, providing strategic direction and leadership to the department. Serve as a country office champion and leader for promoting and instilling Turquoise Mountain’s workplace culture, behaviour, and values, ensuring inter- and intra-departmental cohesion, promoting collaboration, and ensuring timely completion of all activities. Line manage Security Manager, Supply Chain Coordinator, Admin & Logistics Officer, Senior Liaison Officer, and IT Manager, facilitating one-on-one support, strategic guidance, and coordination meetings. Oversee the wider Operations team including assistants, guards, kitchen staff, cleaning staff, and drivers. Ensure fiscal responsibility of all operational processes, procurements, and activities, including budget development, management of operational costs, and reporting. Attend routine meetings with the COO to provide summary updates on TM Afghanistan's operational activities, including challenges and proposed solutions. Oversee external coordination, liaison, and communication, particularly with government counterparts in TM Afghanistan's associated line ministries. Safety & Security Lead the strategic review of TM Afghanistan's Security Management Plan in line with the current security landscape and in accordance with international standards. Oversee the development and implementation of security policies, practices, protocols, and SOPs, ensuring they protect the safety and security of TM staff, premises, and assets. Lead the development of high-quality internal tools and response management plans. Ensure TM adopts a proactive approach to effectively manage emergencies and incidents, ensuring structured protocols are in place. Ensure TM's security protocols are fully compliant with organizational and donor requirements. Maintain, update, and circulate as needed the TM Afghanistan Communication Phone Tree. Oversee coordination with IEA representatives, per agreed protocol with the Country Director. Review coordination protocols with the Country Director and Security Manager on a needs basis. Participate in routine meetings with the COO providing relevant updates, outlining new, emerging, anticipated, and compounded risks, and proposing mitigation strategies. Procurement Review and update the TM Afghanistan Procurement Policy, ensuring it remains compliant with TM global policies, is based on best practices, and is informed by internal lessons learned. Review and update the procurement process authorization matrix and cash thresholds. Respond to audit findings and implement recommendations with the relevant team members as needed. Market Assessment & Supplier Engagement Undertake market surveys for routine procurement requirements by gathering and documenting accurate information on prices, services of suppliers, and other related information. Establish good relationships with new vendors and suppliers. Maintain proactive communication, transparency, and sound working relationships with existing TM suppliers. Procurement Administration & Delivery Oversee TM's framework agreements with selected preferred suppliers to ensure smooth, timely, and cost-effective supplier procurement processes. Oversee large and complex procurements, ensuring compliance with international best practice. Oversee the delivery of all procurement processes ensuring procurement plans are delivered on time. Ensure the execution of internal controls and procedures to deliver efficient and transparent acquisitions and promote stewardship of resources. Fixed Assets & Inventory Oversee the management of TM Afghanistan fixed assets, non-fixed assets, and inventories, ensuring that they are well protected against risks (for example, fire, theft, and misuse by staff), properly recorded, and reviewed on quarterly basis. Liaise with central and local government authorities to ensure TM remains compliant with new rules and regulations issued by the government in relation to assets. Administration & Logistics Review, consolidate, and analyse monthly team activity reports, for example, those in relation to inventory and stock; fuel costs; office running costs; vehicle and building rentals; cleaning and kitchen schedules; and procurement/service providers. Offer strategic guidance on how to strengthen efficiencies across administrative and logistical operations. Oversee coordination and liaison efforts regarding operational and programmatic matters with IEA government offices, associated line ministries, Kabul municipality, and other local authorities, ensuring contact sheets are maintained and updated, and that communication is professional, respectful, compliant, and timely. Schedule meetings between TM senior staff and line ministries as required. Ensure the smooth and safe management of all international visits. Information Technology Oversee the development and execution of IT-related policies, software, and processes to promote systems effectiveness and protect the security and confidentiality of TM data. This list is not exhaustive, and other duties may be required as determined by the needs of the organisation. Key working relationships / cross-working Internal: Operations, Programs, and Finance departments, COO External: IEA, suppliers, community stakeholders Qualifications Professional approach: A genuine collaborator in approach, with natural leadership qualities and an ability to build teams. Ability to coach and mentor team members, empowering others and helping them to be accountable for their areas of expertise. Experience of managing large teams in a frequently changing landscape, bringing a flexible approach while delivering results. Ability to synthesize different information and apply creativity and pragmatism to contribute to solutions. Experience: Experience working in a position of operational leadership in an international non-governmental organisation in Afghanistan. Experience managing large teams with diverse skillsets, including a proven track record of leading and developing teams, promoting individuals’ professional development, and fostering a positive and collaborative working environment. Experience developing and strengthening operational policies, standard operating procedures, systems, and processes for an international non-governmental organisation country office. Experience managing complex security environments and ability to pivot and adapt response mechanisms accordingly. Experience managing procurement, including developing and overseeing the implementation of organisational policies and practices and ensuring transparency and accountability at all stages of the cycle. Experience liaising with external stakeholders, particularly government officials, community representatives, and suppliers, and ability to deliver results through such engagements. Personal Attributes & Skills: Collaborative approach with demonstrable experience of building strong and positive relationships with colleagues and external stakeholders Detail orientated and experienced problem solver Proven management and organisational skills Excellent verbal and written communications skills Ability to negotiate with external stakeholders Ability to give and receive feedback Good listener and responsive to needs of wider team Ability to communicate vision and drive team forward Digital skills and experience: Experienced in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, Teams, SharePoint) Dari (essential), Pashto (desirable), and strong international standard spoken and written English (essential) Kindly submit your CV and Cover Letter as a single PDF document and refrain from attaching certificates or large files. Job Overview Announced date : Nov. 2, 2025 Number of Jobs: 1 Vacancy Number: 1125-01 Salary : As per company salary scale Contract Type : Fixed-term Contract Duration : 12 year Employment Type : Full Time Nationality : Afghan Minimum Education : High School Organization Information About Turquoise Mountain Turquoise Mountain is a non-profit, non-governmental organization specializing in urban regeneration, business development, and education in traditional arts and architecture. We seek to provide education, skills and livelihoods to Afghan men and women. Since 2006 Turquoise Mountain has cleared 45,000 cubic meters of rubbish from the streets, restored or built 150 historic and community buildings, created a primary school and a clinic, and installed water, electricity, and sanitation through the historic traditional craft neighborhood of Murad Khani in the old city of Kabul. It has created the internationally accredited Institute for Afghan Arts & Architecture, training the next generation of craftsmen and women in woodwork, jewelry and gem cutting, calligraphy and miniature painting, and ceramics. Finally, it has sold over US$15,000,000 of Afghan artisan products internationally. Karwan Sarai Project Context: The Shashpul Caravanserai is an evocative example of an earthen caravanserai from an extensive 17th century network, located close to the entrance to the Bamiyan valley, on what has been a hugely important path which was connected Safavid Persia, Mughal South Asia, and Central Asia through Afghanistan during the early modern period. Shashpul Caravanserai was a bustling hub of trade and cultural exchange as well as a safe haven for weary travelers and their animals on one of the most important trade routes in the world. Turquoise Mountain aims to bring back the Shashpul Caravanserai to its ancient glory. Over the next few years, we will restore, preserve, and expand public access to this historical site and bringing economic regeneration to the area. Categories Categories: Management, Procurement, Coordination, Information Management #J-18808-Ljbffr