Job Description
Position : Operations Director
Reports to : Direct: Country Director; Matrix: Regional Financial Controller
Position Managed : Finance Manager, Grant & Budget Manager, General Affairs Manager,
Senior HR Manager, IT Coordinator, Safety & Security Senior Coordinator
Location : Bogor
Country Program : Wildlife Conservation Society-Indonesia Program (WCS-IP)
Position Type : Full-Time
Scope / Capacity : Country
Coordination with : Executive Director – Global Finance & Operations, Global Payroll,
Office of General Counsel, Regional Business Manager, Regional Grants
Manager, Regional Procurement Coordinator, Regional Finance Manager,
Deputy Country Director, Head of Departments and Staff of WCS-IP,
external stakeholders as required (BDO, tax consultants, auditors, donors etc.)
Objective
Under the overall guidance and supervision of WCS-IP Country Director, with close coordination to WCS-IP Deputy Country Director, the Operations Director (OD) will be the strategic leader fronting the operations arm. The OD is responsible for ensuring that financial & operational implementation of WCS-IP are delivered to the highest standards in order to fully support programmatic achievements, donor requirements, Government of Indonesia regulations and WCS global requirements. In additional, the OD will be a thought leader to reform the HR function, and provide strategic oversight and support to General Affairs, Information Technology (IT) and Safety & Security units. These divisions and units are crucial components for more effective and efficient operations if WCS-IP. This role is a combination of operational excellence with strategic foresight, fostering a culture of collaboration, accountability, and continuous improvement.
Core Functions/Responsibilities
Strategic Leadership & Operational Oversight
- Serve as a key member of the Country Leadership Team, supporting the Country Director on all operational, administrative, and compliance matters.
- Drive cross-functional coordination between the Programmatic function and Finance, HR, IT, Safety & Security, and Administration units to ensure integrated, agile, and compliant operations.
- Lead strategic initiatives to strengthen operational efficiency, improve cost-effectiveness, and enhance internal controls across the country program and landscape offices.
- Oversee the respective Unit Managers (Finance, Grant and Budget, General Affairs, and HR) in developing and maintaining proper management capacity in the country program, support the recruitment and training of operations/supporting department staff as needed, understand WCS grant management processes, systems, tools, and donor compliance requirements, relevant to their role.
Analyze capacity-building needs and provide capacity building and training to country program staff on financial management, budgeting, grant management as required. Exercise and maintain a stimulating work culture and always strive to identify ways to boost staff productivity.
General Operational (Finance, Administration) Supervision
- Provide general direction & supervision to the Finance, Grant, and Administration teams. Operations Director will monitor the day to day financial, personnel, administrative, procurement, logistic for the head office and local offices, to ensure WCS-IP conforms to Indonesian laws and regulations, as well as WCS’s global requirements as a US-registered 501(c)3 organization in general.
- Direct & oversee financial and grant management, reporting and administration functions for WCS-IP, and address issues as they arise, to ensure WCS-IP financial management and accounting procedures meet best practice standards, following those of WCS’s global operations manual and WCS-IP’s donors, and consulting with WCS global as needed to ensure this.
- Assess, improve, and maintain the financial, personnel and administration systems for WCS-IP, including head office (Bogor) and local project offices, to ensure its efficient functioning and to meet WCS and donor requirements for transparent and rigorous procedures that meet international standards. Undertake regular reviews of internal control procedures, report any identified internal control weaknesses, and suggest remedial actions whenever necessary to Country Director.
- Mitigate fiduciary risks to WCS-IP through provisions for stronger accounting evidence, audit trails and procedures to validate contracts and outputs, and through stronger financial management processes undertaken between technical project and program management functions and the financial and administrative functions.
- Oversee the General Affairs Manager and the administrative officers in the management of country head-office, including lease/rent arrangements, assets and property insurance, security, official transport, travels & other common office services; implementation of asset, equipment and supplies procurement in a cost-effective manner, and that supplies, and equipment are inventoried, issued, and used in accordance with established procedures.
- Maintain & implement the operations management system to ensure the efficient use of resources. These may include, but are not be limited to, Standard Operations Procedure (SOP) and ensure development and implementation of project-level equivalents; as well as General Affairs related matters, i.e., asset management; procurement, inventory, financial & budget management, and oversight systems.
Grant Management
- Oversee the Grants and Budget team, to ensure financial efficiency in all aspects of operations; including the preparation of program/project budget proposals, and annual budgeting; grants/budget maintenance and including preparation of budget adjustments according to established procedures; contractors and sub-awardees meet financial reporting requirements and comply to all donor and government regulations.
- Lead the development of a database all active grants, with technical and financial reporting deadlines, and ensuring that reporting deadlines are met (including alerting relevant budget holders in advance of their deadline/s), including support to the development of the annual budget, and setting appropriate levels of authority for program managers, in consultation with and support to the Regional Grants Manager.
- Drive the implementation of budget management system within WCS IP, ensure budget-to-actual information is regularly provided to program managers and ensure that the annual budget is regularly updated as new grants are received,
- Liaise with program managers and the WCS-IP Finance & Grants/Budget Management team to ensure that technical and financial reports are completed and submitted on time according to WCS Global Finance standards and donor regulations
- Review preparation of monthly reports of expenditure against budgets for internal use, including monitoring of expenditure against project activity budgets as well as WCS project, grant/fund, and account code, by the 12th day of the following month.
- Provide strategic oversight and regular follow-up meetings with Senior Managers to determine the effectiveness, enhancement or mitigation of workplans as required.
Program development, Donor Relations
- Work with WCS-IP in developing grant proposals and contracts and coordinating the review and approval process with WCS’s Headquarters: Program Development/Global Resources, and OGC. Review grant agreements with a strong ability to foresee legal implications and provide advice to WCS Senior Management and Regional Management teams as appropriate.
- Coordinate with Country Director to lead the annual fiscal-budget preparation and the internal program work-plans or strategy development, as well as facilitating WCS IP internal program implementation design and strategy, to ensure inclusion of all financial information and appropriate levels of management, accounting, and administrative and related office costs are built in.
- To represent WCS to various stakeholders including the general public, NGOs, Government, and donors as required and auditors (internal, donor or government auditors).
General Affairs
- Oversee office administration, logistics, procurement, and asset management for both the head office and field sites.
- Supervise General Affairs Manager to ensure efficient procurement and contracting activities that meet WCS and donor requirements.
- Ensure optimal use of office facilities, insurance, and transport arrangements in a way that is cost effective and compliant with WCS and donor policies.
- Lead periodic reviews of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and ensure their consistent implementation across all sites.
Secondary Responsibilities
Human Resources
- Develop and implement a strategy to foster a high performing, values driven organizational culture and a workforce strategy that enhances employee engagement, well-being and retention in a way that supports WCS-IP’s mission and strategic goals.
- Provide strategic oversight over all HR operations, including recruitment, onboarding, performance management, professional development, and offboarding. Ensure HR operations are aligned with WCS Global HR policies, Indonesian labor laws, and best practice standards.
- Partner with the Regional HRBP and Country HR Manager to ensure effective workforce planning, recruitment, performance management, compensation and benefits as well as effective employee relations.
- Ensure fair, inclusive, and transparent HR practices that reflect WCS’s values and commitment to diversity and equity.
IT
- Provide oversight of IT operations to ensure data integrity, system reliability, and cybersecurity compliance working together with the IT Coordinator and Continental IT Manager.
- Support the implementation and maintenance of IT initiatives such as digital tools and systems that enhance operational efficiency (e.g., HRIS, Finance platforms, communication systems).
- Coordinate with Global IT to ensure seamless integration and alignment of systems and policies.
Safety & Security
- Oversee the development, implementation, and regular review of WCS Indonesia’s Safety & Security protocols and policies.
- Work closely with the Global and Regional Safety & Security Managers to ensure risk assessments, travel security, and emergency preparedness are up to date and effectively communicated on a timely basis.
- Ensure security awareness training for staff and adequate incident response mechanisms are implemented.
Minimum Requirements and Job Skills
- Minimum 10 years of progressively responsible experience in operations, finance and grants management, or HR and administration roles, with at least 5 years in a leadership capacity managing multidisciplinary teams.
- Degree or Master’s in Business Administration, Finance, Management, International Policy or related field
- Demonstrated ability to provide strategic direction and organizational oversight across diverse operational functions
- Good understanding of financial planning, grants management, donor compliance, and internal controls.
- Proven ability to interpret financial data for strategic decision making, identifying and mitigation operational, financial and fiduciary risks.
- Strong ability to communicate complex operational and financial information clearly to non-specialist audiences.
- Proven experience in managing complex, multi-donor programs and ensuring compliance with international NGO, donor, and government regulations.
- Demonstrated success in organizational restructuring, policy implementation, or systems improvement initiatives.
- Strong grasp of people management, including workforce planning, talent development, and employee relations.
- Strong understanding of Indonesian labor law, taxation, procurement, and NGO regulations.
- Excellent command in both English and Bahasa Indonesia, both written and spoken.
- Proactive and solutions-oriented, with the capacity to lead change in complex, evolving environments.
- Comfortable managing ambiguity and competing priorities.
Preferred Requirements
- Experience working in an international NGO, conservation, or development organization is highly desirable.
- Professional certification in Finance, HR, or Project/Operations Management (e.g., CPA, SHRM, PMP) is an advantage.
WCS is an equal opportunity employer, and the organization complies with all employment and labor laws and regulations that prohibit discrimination in hiring and ensures that candidates from all backgrounds are fairly and consistently considered during the recruitment process. We are dedicated to hiring and engaging a diverse workforce. We are committed to cultivating an inclusive work environment and look for future team members who share that same value. The organization provides equal employment opportunities for all qualified candidates. The organization does not discriminate for employment based on gender, race/ethnicity, religion, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, citizenship status, caste, genetic information or any other covered status or characteristic protected by laws and regulations/and similar categories.
It is everyone’s responsibility to ensure that we do not tolerate discrimination or harassment based upon a person’s membership in one of these protected categories in areas such as recruitment, selection, job assignment, supervision, training, promotions, job grading, transfers, termination, compensation, benefits, educational opportunities, WCS sponsored recreational activities and facilities.
The organization complies with the spirit and intent of relevant local laws and WCS’s employment policies.
Please send a Cover Letter and CV in English to idrecruitment@wcs.org stating in the subject line “Operations Director_(name)” at the latest on November 28, 2025.
No correspondence as only short-listed candidates will be notified.