Country Operations Manager
ECO Fuel FZE
Total years of experience :41 years, 9 Months
Lead the daily operations for a start-up in Somalia, delivering ground fuels for the United Nations (UN) and African Union Mission to Somalia (AMISOM) across a multi-site operation. Coordinate logistic, security, and safety protocols to maintain a high standard of functionality. Engage with and build relations with Senior officers and Somali government members, UN members, and AMISOM.
Key Accomplishments:
• Oversee and control multi-sites within country for equipment valued at $6M+ per site.
• Produced and implemented all Standard Operating Procedures countrywide and tailored to each site
o SOPs included: Emergency Response, Security, Fuel Spillage, Fire Prevention and Health and Safety
• Maintain the safe movement and control of all personnel around a hostile environment and in line with company policies and industry best practices.
• Setup and control all reporting systems to ensure full inventory control and accountability for fuel.
o Reduced fraud and opportunities for fraudulent activity.
• Led improvements in working behaviour and the adoption of best practices throughout the company by instigating feedback sessions on new processes and engaging personnel to respond to doubts and fears.
• Implemented a comprehensive procurement system in order to eliminate unnecessary purchases / spend on counterfeit goods; secured 3 quotes for each item and verified its authenticity
• Established bulk buying for regular use items, resulting in lower prices and subsequent cuts in fuel usage, wear and tear and maintenance on vehicles
• Stopped sites using importers for the majority of their foods, allowing cheaper purchase of local fresh produce, saving tens of thousands of dollars each month and improving quality of food served
• Led better use of transport resources through a comprehensive plan, using a single vehicle for multiple tasks and enabling a reduction in hire fleet
• Established a preventative maintenance schedule from scratch reducing spend from $20-25k p/m to less than $5k p/m
• Held Development Days to aid the growth of supervisors / managers, created a management team with increased awareness of other functions and facilitated the development of their individual decision making and consulting abilities
• Devised an annual reporting system which enabled the identification of improvement areas for both staff and business
• Successfully created a management pyramid structure, developing local national employees to become future leaders; number of local national managers and supervisors has increased by 30% over last 12 months alone
• Wrote and implemented comprehensive Finance & Administration Policies & Procedures in collaboration with those who would be operating the new systems, incorporating safeguards to prevent pilfering / fraud
• Recognised for exceptional performance in Afghanistan by being transferred to Iraq to action the same kind of revolutionary changes and improvements there
• Responsible for the robust site security and operational life support management of multiple remote accommodation sites in Iraq and Afghanistan each with up to 250 people per location
• Producing and implementing SOP’s, establishing new business practices and creating accompanying policies including business continuity and emergency evacuation plans
• Working effectively within a hostile environment to ensure the ongoing security and safety of all company personnel and visitors and the provision of first line medical support including arrangement of onward movement where necessary
• Liaising productively with governmental ministries and law enforcement depts. including US Embassy, ISAF and Defence Logistics Agency
• Holding control of and accountability for all civilian transport and for company logistics function (including inventory), ensuring successful delivery / movement of millions of litres of military fuel across area of operations on a weekly basis
• Inspecting and controlling upload / download of fuel tankers to military sites and storage facilities throughout Afghanistan
• Managing the ongoing maintenance, accounting for and auditing of all company assets in country
• Producing and implementing training timetables for staff in first aid, weapons familiarisation, security and in specialist areas such as finance, administration and accounting
• Maintaining company standards on dress, behaviour and conduct, reporting directly to CEO on any failures to comply before taking required formal disciplinary action
• Conducting comprehensive investigations into arising losses whether stolen or destroyed in insurgent attacks
• Accountable for border control at UK and Juxtaposed ports both sea and air, conducting operations and investigation into immigrant management in the UK and Europe
• Fulfilling operational management and team leader duties for highly successful European Operations Rapid Response Team for Immigration Operations in both the UK and Northern France
• Responsible for initial recognition and comparison of person to presented documents in order to identify forgeries, for leading searches of freight and for control of the radiation scanner
• Applying investigative procedures to corroborate information and documentation, conducting interviews and liaising with other UK and European agencies in order to determine the identity of individuals
• Delivering refusal decisions based on referrals from Immigration Officers and communicating them appropriately
• Produced risk assessments on operational deployments in conjunction with the trade unions before briefing to senior management
• Conducted investigations to collaborate stories of arrested personnel, using the intelligence gathered to conduct future targeted operations
• Controlling a six figure budget encompassing vehicle, equipment and expense claims
• Mentoring new officers during probationary period, developing their leadership and management capabilities before reviewing performance and delivering guidance on future improvement
- Working at senior management level providing advice on administration and training, management of facilities and completing operational tours of Northern Ireland, Bosnia and Iraq
Financial Management:
• Managing the operation of a large cash office, employing a civilian and military workforce of 32 personnel, and administering the personal pay accounts of 1500+ military personnel, including overseas deployments
• Maintaining and auditing the public monies accounts (annual turnover of over £7 million p.a.) and the non-public monies accounts (annual turnover of over £2 million p.a.)
• Implementing and reviewing financial safeguards
HR Management:
• Administering staff, incl. their training and development, liaising professionally with higher management and promoting a clear Equal Opportunities focus for a diverse range of cultures and personnel (20, 000+)
• Managing the interview and selection process for specific finance / admin posts and overseeing the daily performance of circa 32 staff, both military and civilian, on a daily basis
• Ensuring staff training and performance reports are completed and up to date, sourcing training where required and ensuring training budgets are adhered to
• Instigating numerous social and team building functions to improve team moral and staff retention
• Providing direction and guidance to juniors / peers to aid in their personnel development
Facilities Management:
• Responsible for the day-to-day maintenance of buildings and plant, overseeing the organisation of reactive and planned maintenance to premises and building services, ensuring the minimum of disruption to customer services
• Ensuring the compliance of all current legislation and enforcing Health and Safety policies in addition to carrying out Risk / COSHH assessments and implementing changes where necessary
• Accountable for day to day security for buildings, plant and all office machinery and for the design and implementation of appropriate evacuation and emergency procedures
Other:
• Conducting 6 month attachment with the New Zealand Army, coordinating training for their middle management course
• Employed as a combat survival instructor teaching personnel conduct after capture, resisting interrogation and survival in extreme conditions
• Security team leader, managing provision of safety and security to a military officer, conducting meetings across the area of operations in Iraq and proving route selection for move of the Divisional Support Group
• Holding command and control of a quick reaction force in Iraq, supporting deployed troops engaged in kinetic operations with the enemy and bolstering security at static locations
• Conducting special duties in Northern Ireland, embedded with the local community to gather intelligence, subsequently used in the planning of operations