Operations Manager
full-time
About Refugee-Led Research Hub (RLRH) The Refugee-Led Research Hub (RLRH) supports individuals with lived experience of displacement to become leaders in fields related to human rights, forced migration, humanitarian response and development, politics, and law, among other areas. We do so by delivering academic and professional development programming to a global cohort of students who have been affected by displacementas refugees, asylum seekers, IDPs, stateless, and beyondsupporting access to graduate degrees and advanced career opportunities. RLRH also creates opportunities for researchers with displacement backgrounds to lead primary and secondary research studies, from start to finish. RLRH’s team is composed of colleagues who are deeply committed to advancing refugee leadership, the majority of whom have lived experience of displacement. Our network of staff, researchers, students, and other affiliates is made up of 1,400+ individuals across 80+ countries. RLRH has five active offices: our first was established in Nairobi in 2020, we have had an office at the University of Oxford since 2021, and we have since developed physical hubs in Kakuma refugee camp (Kenya), Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia), Kampala (Uganda), and in the Oxfordshire community (UK). From October 2025 RLRH is funded to serve as a technical partner for the Mastercard Foundation’s Scholars Program network, advancing an ambitious global agenda to support displacement-affected learners to access 1,000+ graduate-level scholarships at partner universities around the world. RLRH provides expert guidance and implements specialised programmes to help these learners enter university, thrive on course, and pursue meaningful and enduring careers on completion of their degrees. A complementary, refugee-led research agenda designed by RLRH colleagues produces insights to help Scholars Program partner universities and other stakeholders accelerate positive, long-lasting systems change. Job Description About the Operations and Strategy Pillar The Operations and Strategy Pillar provides the organisational infrastructure that enables RLRH to deliver high-quality programmes and advance its mission at scale. Working across finance, operations, people, organisational systems, planning, governance, and institutional partnerships, the Pillar ensures colleagues have the support and systems required to deliver meaningful work across multiple countries, institutional contexts, and funding streams. As a globally distributed organisation operating across the University of Oxford, the British Institute in Eastern Africa (BIEA), and a growing network of international offices, RLRH works within a complex operating environment that requires careful coordination, strong financial stewardship, and adaptable ways of working. The Operations and Strategy Pillar helps bring these different contexts together, building consistent organisational approaches while responding to local operational needs. Beyond supporting day-to-day operations, the Pillar plays a central role in shaping how RLRH works and develops as an organisation. Through the continuous improvement of policies, systems, and ways of working that strengthen organisational effectiveness, improve organisational decision-making, support compliance, and enables the organisation to respond to new opportunities and challenges RLRH is entering a significant period of growth, with new regional hubs, expanding programmes, and a diversifying portfolio of funding and institutional partnerships. The Operations and Strategy Pillar helps turn this ambition into reality, building the foundations for sustainable growth while ensuring RLRH remains resilient, effective , and true to its mission. Overview of the Role As RLRH continues to expand globally, the Operations Manager will report to and work in close partnership with the Director of Operations and Strategy to provide operational leadership across the organisation's finance and operational support functions, ensuring systems, processes, and resources effectively enable the delivery of RLRH's programmes. As an organisation hosted by the University of Oxford and operating through international host institutions, RLRH works within established finance and grants management structures rather than operating as an independent finance function. The Operations Manager will also work closely with the Oxford Department of International Development (ODID) finance team, Research Support, Post-Award, and other professional services across the University of Oxford, as well as colleagues within partner host institutions such as BIEA in Kenya and Ideas Academy in Malaysia. While these partnered teams provide institutional operations and financial administration oversight, this role is responsible for coordinating RLRH’s internal financial planning, operations management, grant oversight, and organisational systems, ensuring financial and operational processes effectively support programme delivery, organisational priorities, sustainable growth, and compliance with institutional and donor requirements. The role has responsibility for providing line management to the Finance Officer and Administrative Assistant based at the University of Oxford. The postholder will oversee finance, administration, procurement, travel, contracts, and operational support activities, ensuring these services operate efficiently,and maintain compliance, Success in the role will depend not only on strong technical and operational expertise, but also on the ability to navigate complex institutional environments, build trusted relationships, and ensure colleagues have the systems, guidance and operational support they need to deliver RLRH's programmes and mission successfully. Responsibilities Financial Systems, Analysis, and Reporting (25%) Lead the preparation of regular financial reports and analyses to support organisational decision-making by providing RLRH senior leadership with clear oversight of financial performance, available resources, grant expenditure, financial risks, and opportunities. Coordinate the preparation, consolidation, and review of project budgets, financial forecasts, and expenditure reports across multiple funding streams. Maintain oversight over organisational financial commitments and advise on financial viability of new contracts and supplier agreements based on available and eligible grant balances. Manage cashflow forecasting and liquidity, ensuring RLRH can meet its ambitious global commitments and calling attention to fundraising risks. Lead the continuous development and improvement of financial systems, reporting tools, and workflows, ensuring information from host institutions and accounting systems is integrated effectively to support accurate financial management and reporting. Financial Controls and Expenditure Tracking (20%) Provide oversight and quality assurance to the RLRH Finance Officer to ensure transaction-level tagging is accurate. Establish, implement, and monitor financial standards for how RLRH tracks expenses, ensuring alignment with Oxford, BIEA, and other emergent institutional compliance requirements. Coordinate and support internal and external audits, ensuring appropriate records, documentation, and controls are maintained. Build effective working relationships with host institutions to ensure compliance with responsibilities set out in collaboration agreements and financial reporting requirements. Work closely with the RLRH Finance Officer and Departmental Finance team to ensure month-end financial transactions, including journals and cost transfers, are completed accurately and in a timely manner, with expenditure correctly allocated to the appropriate funding streams, projects and cost centres. Operational Policy, Governance, and Training (15%) Lead the development, implementation, and improvement of RLRH-specific financial and operational policies, SOPs, and guidance within the frameworks established by host institutions. Work with relevant institutional teams to ensure RLRH procedures complement and consistently apply wider organisational processes, while also meeting donor requirements and responding to RLRH's operational needs. Strengthen financial capability across RLRH by providing training and guidance on budgeting, monitoring, expenditure, and financial procedures. Identify and implement opportunities to improve operational processes, reduce administrative burden, and embed scalable ways of working across RLRH. Donor Management and Compliance (15%) Lead the preparation of budgets and financial information for funding proposals, renewals, and organisational growth initiatives, working closely with senior leadership, programme teams, and host institutions. Maintain detailed knowledge of donor budgets and expenditure restrictions ensuring organisational spending remains compliant with approved budgets and funder requirements. Support the development of collaboration agreements and MOUs with host institutions and programme partners, ensuring appropriate financial and operational arrangements are in place for programme delivery. Act as the principal operations and finance liaison for funders working closely with the University Post-Award focal point to coordinate financial reporting, budget amendments, funder approvals, and other grant management requirements. Review donor financial reports prepared by the Finance Officer and lead re-budgeting exercises as per organisational priorities and donor requirements and deadlines (e.g. quarterly, bi-annually, annually). Provide strategic financial advice and guidance to programme teams on budgeting, expenditure, donor requirements and financial planning throughout the grant lifecycle. Organisational Planning and Budgeting (15%) Lead the delivery of RLRH’s annual budgeting and budget revisions, working closely with the Director of Operations and Strategy, senior leadership and the MEL team. Develop and maintain a multi-dimensional budgeting framework that supports organisational planning, resource allocation and budget management across departments, donors, programmes, and cost categories. Work closely with the Department Finance Manager to coordinate the quarterly forecasting process, reviewing financial performance against budget, and updating forecasts. Work closely with senior leadership and programme leads to ensure organisational planning is rooted in financial reality and that data collection informs future budget allocations. People Management and Team Support (10%) Provide day-today leadership, coaching, workload planning, and quality assurance to the Finance Officer and Administrative Assistant, fostering their professional growth and technical proficiency. Maintain a dotted-line relationship with the East Africa Operations Coordinator, the SEA Programme Manager, and other future hubs to ensure regional financial workflows support global RLRH standards. Selection criteria Essential Educated to a degree-level in finance, accounting, business, economics, or a related subject, or equivalent relevant professional experience. Significant professional experience in finance and/or operations within the charity sector, higher education, international development, research or another complex multi-stakeholder environment. Experience developing, improving or overseeing financial systems, processes and reporting tools, including working with multiple financial platforms and institutional stakeholders. Strong analytical skills and advanced proficiency in spreadsheets and financial data analysis, with the ability to interpret and communicate complex financial information effectively. Expertise in complex multi-dimensional budgeting (by donor/programme) and managing the financial complexities of large-scale grants (e.g., Mastercard Foundation). Proven ability to set standards, audit regional teams, and develop SOPs that balance rigor with the needs of international development contexts. Proven experience managing donor-funded grants and ensuring compliance with funder requirements. Experience leading, managing, and developing finance/administrative staff in a high-growth environment. Experience preparing and reviewing grant budgets, supporting funding proposals, and contributing to donor financial reporting processes. Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to manage up to executive leadership and liaise effectively with University administrators. Experience using a range of digital systems to support finance and operations, including accounting software, budgeting and reporting tools, collaboration platforms (e.g. Slack), HR, or CRM systems. Experience working across teams, organisations, and institutional environments and managing competing requirements and priorities. Demonstrated commitment to working inclusively and effectively within diverse, multicultural, and international teams. Desirable Familiarity with University of Oxford financial procedures and higher education administration. Experience working in financial operations in Low and Middle Income Countries (LMIC), East Africa, and/or with fiscal sponsors like the BIEA. Professional accounting qualification (e.g., ACCA, CIMA) or equivalent. Knowledge of international development, higher education, research, migration, refugee studies, or related sectors. Fluency in another language spoken by RLRH learners and affiliates, for example, Arabic, Farsi, French, or Swahili.