Chief Operations Officer The Chief Operations Officer (COO) leads FSD's global operational portfolio and is responsible for turning institutional strategy into safe, compliant, and effective delivery. The role provides senior leadership for programme performance, business development, donor stewardship, operational risk management, and field support across FSD's country programmes. Under FSD's current structure, the COO is the principal executive responsible for operational planning, oversight, and delivery.
Practical reality note: This position is based in Geneva and requires applicants to be fully prepared for the realities of living and working in a high‑cost international city, including potential constraints on partner employment and the wider practicalities of family relocation. The role also entails regular international travel, significant operational pressure and therefore requires a high degree of flexibility and readiness to meet these demands.
Core Responsibilities
Lead operational strategy, portfolio planning, and country programme development in line with FSD's mandate, risk appetite, and approved institutional strategy.
Oversee the full programme cycle across FSD operations: context analysis, programme design, proposal development, contract negotiation, start‑up, implementation oversight, adaptation, reporting, review, and close‑out.
Lead institutional donor engagement for operational matters, including proposal quality, contractual compliance, visibility obligations, and coordination with government and multilateral donors.
Direct operational performance management across country programmes, ensuring delivery against objectives, budget, timeline, quality, safety, and compliance requirements.
Maintain oversight of operational risk, duty of care, health and safety, security management, technical SOP compliance, escalating critical risks to the CEO as required.
Ensure programmes comply with applicable law, donor conditions, FSD policy, international standards, and relevant national regulations.
Provide executive support to, and monitoring of, country leadership on programme structure, staffing, technical capacity, assets, procurement planning, and operational readiness.
Functions and Activities
Line‑manage or functionally supervise relevant HQ operations staff and provide clear leadership, coaching, and performance oversight to country management on operational matters.
Work in close partnership with the CFO on budgeting, financial forecasting, cost recovery, grant controls, audit readiness, and resource allocation.
Contribute to institutional governance, risk management, internal control, quality assurance, and policy development, including support to board papers, audits, and senior management review processes.
Represent FSD externally with donors, partners, authorities, and sector networks, contributing to organisational positioning on mine action, explosive ordnance risk reduction, and related recovery or resilience programming.
Support innovation, learning, and continuous improvement across FSD operations, including new methods, technologies, partnerships, and evidence‑based programme design.
Requirements and Competencies
Advanced university degree or equivalent senior professional experience in a relevant field such as humanitarian action, international relations, engineering, security studies, public policy, risk management, or a related discipline.
Extensive senior leadership experience in complex and/or international operations, humanitarian response, stabilisation, post‑conflict recovery, or similarly high‑risk field environments (minimum 10 years). Knowledge of the mine action sector desirable.
Strong track record in institutional donor relations, proposal leadership, and management of large grants and contracts with institutional/government/UN/donors.
Experience in commercial development/humanitarian/peace and security contracting and management an advantage.
Demonstrated experience in risk management, compliance, quality assurance, and leading multidisciplinary teams across multiple country contexts.
Excellent drafting, negotiation, and communication skills in English (core operating language); French desirable and other languages an advantage.
Sound judgement, discretion, cultural intelligence, and the ability to combine strategic thinking with close operational follow‑through. Exposure to or experience within diplomatic channels and programming advantageous.
Job Details
Work location:
1202 Genève (GE)
Workload:
100%
Employment start:
Immediately
Employment duration:
Permanent
Work experience:
More than 3 years
Education:
Bachelor’s degree from a university or equivalent
English:
Oral – Very good; Written – Very good
#J-18808-Ljbffr
Practical reality note: This position is based in Geneva and requires applicants to be fully prepared for the realities of living and working in a high‑cost international city, including potential constraints on partner employment and the wider practicalities of family relocation. The role also entails regular international travel, significant operational pressure and therefore requires a high degree of flexibility and readiness to meet these demands.
Core Responsibilities
Lead operational strategy, portfolio planning, and country programme development in line with FSD's mandate, risk appetite, and approved institutional strategy.
Oversee the full programme cycle across FSD operations: context analysis, programme design, proposal development, contract negotiation, start‑up, implementation oversight, adaptation, reporting, review, and close‑out.
Lead institutional donor engagement for operational matters, including proposal quality, contractual compliance, visibility obligations, and coordination with government and multilateral donors.
Direct operational performance management across country programmes, ensuring delivery against objectives, budget, timeline, quality, safety, and compliance requirements.
Maintain oversight of operational risk, duty of care, health and safety, security management, technical SOP compliance, escalating critical risks to the CEO as required.
Ensure programmes comply with applicable law, donor conditions, FSD policy, international standards, and relevant national regulations.
Provide executive support to, and monitoring of, country leadership on programme structure, staffing, technical capacity, assets, procurement planning, and operational readiness.
Functions and Activities
Line‑manage or functionally supervise relevant HQ operations staff and provide clear leadership, coaching, and performance oversight to country management on operational matters.
Work in close partnership with the CFO on budgeting, financial forecasting, cost recovery, grant controls, audit readiness, and resource allocation.
Contribute to institutional governance, risk management, internal control, quality assurance, and policy development, including support to board papers, audits, and senior management review processes.
Represent FSD externally with donors, partners, authorities, and sector networks, contributing to organisational positioning on mine action, explosive ordnance risk reduction, and related recovery or resilience programming.
Support innovation, learning, and continuous improvement across FSD operations, including new methods, technologies, partnerships, and evidence‑based programme design.
Requirements and Competencies
Advanced university degree or equivalent senior professional experience in a relevant field such as humanitarian action, international relations, engineering, security studies, public policy, risk management, or a related discipline.
Extensive senior leadership experience in complex and/or international operations, humanitarian response, stabilisation, post‑conflict recovery, or similarly high‑risk field environments (minimum 10 years). Knowledge of the mine action sector desirable.
Strong track record in institutional donor relations, proposal leadership, and management of large grants and contracts with institutional/government/UN/donors.
Experience in commercial development/humanitarian/peace and security contracting and management an advantage.
Demonstrated experience in risk management, compliance, quality assurance, and leading multidisciplinary teams across multiple country contexts.
Excellent drafting, negotiation, and communication skills in English (core operating language); French desirable and other languages an advantage.
Sound judgement, discretion, cultural intelligence, and the ability to combine strategic thinking with close operational follow‑through. Exposure to or experience within diplomatic channels and programming advantageous.
Job Details
Work location:
1202 Genève (GE)
Workload:
100%
Employment start:
Immediately
Employment duration:
Permanent
Work experience:
More than 3 years
Education:
Bachelor’s degree from a university or equivalent
English:
Oral – Very good; Written – Very good
#J-18808-Ljbffr
Chief Operations Officer Arbeitgeber: FONDATION SUISSE DE DEMINAGE (FSD)
Die Fondation Suisse de Deminage (FSD) ist ein hervorragender Arbeitgeber, der seinen Mitarbeitern die Möglichkeit bietet, in einem dynamischen internationalen Umfeld zu arbeiten und einen bedeutenden Beitrag zur Sicherheit und humanitären Hilfe zu leisten. Mit einem starken Fokus auf Mitarbeiterentwicklung, einer unterstützenden Unternehmenskultur und attraktiven Benefits fördert FSD das Wachstum und die berufliche Weiterentwicklung seiner Angestellten, während die Lage in Genf den Zugang zu einem vielfältigen kulturellen Angebot und einem hohen Lebensstandard ermöglicht.
Kontaktdaten:
FONDATION SUISSE DE DEMINAGE (FSD) Recruiting-Team
