Manager, Organizational Development & Administrative Support

Manager, Organizational Development & Administrative Support

Position Title: Manager, Organizational Development and Administrative Support

Location: South Africa or Ghana

Department: Africa

Reports to (supervisor): Senior Director Global Development, Government Relations and Organizational Development

Organization Overview:

Founded in 1968, Special Olympics is a global movement to end discrimination against people with intellectual disabilities. We foster acceptance of all people through the power of sport and programming in education, health, and leadership. With nearly four million athletes and Unified Sports® partners and one million coaches and volunteers in more than 170 countries, Special Olympics delivers more than 30 Olympic-type sports and nearly 50,000 games and competitions every year. Learn more at SpecialOlympics.org.

Position Summary:

The Manager of Organizational Development and Administrative Support at Special Olympics Africa Region is responsible for overseeing regional organizational development functions, including accreditation, grants management, board and national director support, and program development to ensure sustainable and well-governed programs. Additionally, the role provides administrative support to senior leadership, coordinates regional events, manages staff calendars and meeting documentation, and supports planning and language translation efforts. Required qualifications include a degree in organizational development or business administration, experience in multicultural organizations, bilingual proficiency in French and English, excellent communication, analytical and project management skills, and the ability to lead teams creatively and innovatively.

Primary Responsibilities:

The position is central to enhancing regional operations and local program development, ensuring the organization's programs are sustainable, well-governed, and aligned with its mission.

Organizational Development Responsibilities:

The primary goal in Organizational Development (OD) is to maintain viable and impactful programs that align with Special Olympics' vision. Key duties include:

1. Managing regional OD functions such as accreditation, compliance, and census activities.
2. Overseeing grants management by conducting needs assessments, providing technical support during proposals, tracking implementation, reporting, and managing the regional grants database.
3. Supporting local program development through board management, including updating member databases, tracking training needs, monitoring board rotations, and reporting major changes to senior leadership.
4. Assisting National Directors/CEOs by maintaining updated lists, tracking training needs, monitoring turnover, and informing senior leadership of any changes.
5. Managing and monitoring single-year action plans and progress towards global and regional goals, providing quarterly updates.
6. Handling the regional Programs' snapshots and supporting other OD functions as assigned by senior leadership.

Administrative Support Duties:

The role also includes providing administrative support primarily to the President and Managing Director (PMD) and other senior leaders as required. Responsibilities encompass:

1. Leading logistics for the regional annual leadership conference and other events in collaboration with senior leadership.
2. Monitoring updates to the regional staff team calendar.
3. Acting as secretary during staff meetings.
4. Collaborating with the regional planning officer to track quarterly submissions of annual planning tools and ensure deadlines are met.
5. Providing language translation support as needed.

Qualifications, Skills, and Competencies:

Candidates for this position should possess:

1. A degree in organizational development, business administration, or an equivalent field.
2. A bachelor's degree or equivalent professional experience plus Three to Five years of relevant work experience. Experience and/or coursework in the area of organizational development, business administration or an equivalent field is a plus.
3. Proven experience working in multicultural, global or regional fast-paced organizations.
4. Advanced bilingual proficiency in French and English.
5. Excellent written and oral communication abilities.
6. Basic database management and project management skills.
7. Proficient analytical skills.
8. Demonstrated ability to self-lead and lead teams.
9. Creativity and innovation in problem-solving.

This comprehensive description highlights the pivotal role the Manager of Organizational Development and Administrative Support plays in advancing the mission and operational effectiveness of Special Olympics Africa Region.