Operations and Risk Manager

**_JOB TITLE: _**_Operations and Risk Manager - Asia Pacific_

**_ TEAM: _**_Asia Pacific_

**_ REPORTS TO: _**_Head of Programs, Asia-Pacific_

**_ LOCATION: _**_Sydney or Bangkok_
- Adam Smith International (ASI) is a global advisory company that works locally to transform lives by making economies stronger, societies more stable, and governments more effective. ASI is headquartered in London, and our Asia Pacific regional office in Sydney was established in 2012, to lead multi-donor business growth and project delivery across the region. In 2024 we are currently operating in 15 Asia-Pacific countries._
- The Operations and Risk and Risk Manager plays a critical role in ensuring that operations run smoothly, and risks are effectively managed across all ASI's country operations in the region. This is a key leadership position, reporting to the Head of Program, Asia Pacific Region. This role ensures the development and implementation of robust operational systems, compliance frameworks, and risk management strategies. This position is key to maintaining the efficiency of operations, upholding duty-of-care standards, and ensuring the safety and well-being of all staff. The role also supports the effective execution of high-impact projects in collaboration with country teams._

**KEY RELATIONSHIPS**

**Internal**:

- ** Head of Program, APAC**: line reporting and collaboration to identify operational priorities, agree work plans and escalation of critical issues.
- ** Senior Management Team (APAC)**: Collaboration on strategic operational initiatives.
- ** Program Managers/Program Directors (APAC)**:Close interaction to ensure operational consistency and risk mitigation across projects.
- ** Finance, Risk, LEC and Security Teams**: Collaboration and coordination to implement new systems and processes and identify improvements to operational efficiency and compliance.

**External**:

- ** Clients (Donors and Governments)**: Collaborate to ensure compliance and address operational challenges.
- ** Local Legal and Compliance Partners**: Ensure that local laws are adhered to in each country of operation.
- ** Security and Health & Safety Providers**: Ensure robust duty-of-care frameworks are maintained.

**KEY TASKS**
- ** Operational Leadership**
- Develop, document and provide training on new operational processes, including standardisation, where appropriate, of program operations manuals and other program delivery frameworks.
- Provide support to Program Managers for the smooth execution of operational tasks.
- Monitor and improve compliance for teams to the operational processes and procedures.
- Maintain operational task trackers and coordinate regional operations meetings with key internal stakeholders

**2. Risk Management**
- Maintain a comprehensive risk management framework tailored to the challenges faced in the region, including quarterly reporting to SMT for escalation to ASI Risk Register.
- Monitor, mitigate and address key operational and programme risks, escalating issues as necessary.
- Lead the implementation of duty-of-care measures, ensuring health, safety, and security protocols are followed in all offices.

**3. Safeguarding**
- Coordinate the delivery of safeguarding training to program personnel, including subcontractors and downstream partners as required

**4. Compliance & Legal Oversight**
- Ensure compliance with local legal and regulatory requirements in all countries, including tax, labour laws, and corporate governance.
- Collaborate with the internal audit team to address compliance issues and mitigate risks.
- Develop, manage and report against a regional compliance checklist/matrix.
- Identify and implement required changes to ensure ongoing compliance with Australian Commonwealth and DFAT requirements.

**5. Financial & Resource Management**
- Work closely with the Head of Programs and Regional Finance Lead to ensure strong portfolio financial management, including meeting client billing deadlines.
- Work closely with Program Managers and finance teams to ensure efficient funds transfers to country offices and timely certification of client invoices to reduce payment processing time.

**6. Programme Support**
- Support the delivery of major programmes by ensuring that operational challenges are addressed in a timely manner.
- Provide operational and risk-related advice to project managers and teams.
- Collaborate closely with Finance and People & Talent teams to ensure new processes, policy revisions or system changes, in particular the OS, support compliant and efficient program delivery.

**7. Crisis Management & Business Continuity**
- Support the response to operational crises, ensuring that the company recovers quickly and maintains project delivery momentum

**SELECTION CRITERIA**

**Minimum Qualification**:
A degree in a relevant field, such as operations management, risk management, business administration, change management or international development.

**Experience*