Regional Head of Support Services

OVERALL OBJECTIVES
The position as Regional Head of Support Service (HoS) is responsible for and oversees that DRC operations in Horn of Africa and Yemen operate in accordance with national legislation and DRC operational standards and that DRC’s accountability obligations are carried out and in full compliance with DRC Accountability and Quality Management System in the areas of Administration, Human Resources, Finances, Information Technology, and Procurement & Logistics.

In a complex operational environment as the Somalia region a robust but also flexible and responsive financial and administrative support structure is crucial for effective and sound programme implementation and to that effect the Regional HoS will be expected to act as a pro-active facilitator in improving of structures, systems and routines that allows DRC operations to constantly improve in programme quality and delivery.

This require a visionary person with extensive operational experience; who understands the crucial linkages between support functions and programme; is able to lead and adopt a pro-active and participatory approach to management and, not least, willing an able to go the extra mile to support the field operations working in highly stressful and difficult work environments.

The position is part of the Regional Senior Management Team (SMT) and has the direct managerial oversight over the regional support service teams in Finance; Administration; HR; IT; Logistics and Procurement. A close working relationship will be maintained with the regional senior management; DRC Country and Programme directors (CDs/PDs) in Kenya; Somalia; Yemen and Ethiopia and finance and support staff in the respective FO’s.

BACKGROUND
The Danish Refugee Council (DRC) has been providing relief and development services in the Horn of Africa since 1997. Using a protection of human rights framework, DRC has mainly focused on Somalis who are displaced by conflict. Programmes include protection, livelihoods, food and NFI distribution, water and sanitation, and advocacy amongst others. There are 5 main programme offices in Somalia, 1 in Yemen, 2 in Kenya; 2 in Ethiopia and 1 regional office in Nairobi. There are also non operational region wide initiatives, focusing on advocacy and capacity building, which are supported from the Nairobi regional office. Currently there are about 400 DRC staff in the region and a combined annual programme portfolio amounting to USD32 million.

The last two years have seen some growth in programme size, but primarily there has been a growth in the number of support and management functions demanded and required by the programme offices, in order to maintain quality and accountability.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
Overall:
• Initiate optimisation of procedures and workflows within financial and administrative procedures.
• Participate in the facilitation and implementation of structural changes in and of the administration of the operation.

Finance:
• Ensure capability of providing qualified and timely assistance on all necessary financial areas of the operation.
• Act as advisor towards SMT and CDs/PDs to ensure that they have the tools to fulfil their budget responsibilities.
• Overall responsible for planning, budgeting and controlling expenditures related to the shared operational costs of the operation.
• Responsible for maintaining and applying a cost allocation key for shared operational costs towards donor budgets.
• Ensure that monthly accounts are timely submitted to Head Quarter.
• Coordinate in close co-operation with relevant staff, financial reporting to donors and submit these in a timely manner to the Grants Manager/HQ.
• Participate in the preparation of budgets for new project proposals in close collaboration with SMT, CDs/PDs, and Grants Manager
• Draft and up-date Financial and Administrative Handbook and other relevant manuals/guidelines
• Responsible for cash flow at DRC field offices (FO’s).
• Facilitate communication about budgetary changes between CDs/PDs and Head Quarter.
• Ensure that payments and actions are in accordance with the legislation as well as donor and Head Quarter requirements.

HR and Administration:
• Ensure increased focus on Human Resource Development, including capacity building of local staff and constant delegation of responsibilities
• Ensure relevant training for both local and expatriate staff on financial and administrative issues
• Update and sharing general financial and administrative procedures, relevant policy issues, relations and events to the SMT and relevant staff members

IT:
• Supervise and monitor the IT and communication systems of the RO and make sure that the IT-services and equipment matches the needs at any time.

Procurement:
• Ensure development of and constant improvement and standardization of procurement and logistics systems, procedures, guidelines etc, which can lead to more efficient management of procurement and logistics in line with DRC rules and guidelines
• Ensure that DRC guidelines on procurement and logistics are implemented within the operation.

Any other duties as handed down from the Regional Director Horn of Africa.

REPORTING ARRANGEMENTS
The position is supervised by the DRC Regional Director for DRC Horn of Africa and Yemen operation.

The Regional HoS is a member of the Regional Senior Management Team (SMT) and supervises the following positions:
• Regional Administration & HR manager
• Regional Finance Manager (who again oversees two regional finance controller teams)
• Regional IT Officer
• Regional Logistics & Procurement Manager

EXTERNAL RELATIONS
The HoS has frequent contact with donor representatives, governmental/administrative bodies on administrative, financial and taxation issues.

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE
• Relevant education in finance/management/HR/administration.
• Proven substantial professional management background within finance, HR and administration.
• Experience within management of substantial procurement and IT.
• Minimum 5 years relevant experience, preferably in an international NGO
• Fluency (written and spoken) in English.
• Previous DRC experience an advantage but not paramount.
• Ability to develop clear goals and identify priority activities and assignments.
• Demonstrated skills in planning, budgetary control, and monitoring performance.
• Demonstrated IT skills. Knowledge of Navision an advantage
• Ability to work in a deadline driven environment and undertake a proactive approach.
• Strong communication and inter-personal skills, demonstrated ability to work in a multi-cultural team.
• Experience in facilitating Human Resource Development, trainings and workshops.

We encourage all qualified candidates to apply, irrespective of age, nationality, race, gender or age.

CONDITIONS
Availability: January 2011.

Duty station: DRC Regional Office in Nairobi, Kenya with frequent travel to DRC Field Operations in Ethiopia, Somalia and Yemen. Nairobi is a family duty station.
Nairobi is a family-duty-station. Some of the field offices where expatriate DRC staff visit are in areas classified by the UN as phase 4.

Contract: 1 year renewable contract.
Salary and other conditions in accordance with the Danish Refugee Council’s Terms of Employment for Global Expatriates (available at www.drc.dk under Vacancies). This position is graded as B4.

FURTHER INFORMATION
You are welcome to contact Regional Director Peter Klansoe on email: pklc@drc.dk for further information on the programme and the position.

Please note that applications are not to be sent to Mr Klansoe; we only receive applications via our online-application system on www.drc.dk under Vacancies/Current Vacancies/Regional Head of Support Services - Kenya. Applications sent directly to Mr. Klansoe WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED.

For general information about the Danish Refugee Council, please consult www.drc.dk.

COMMITMENTS
DRC has a Humanitarian Accountability Framework, outlining its global accountability committments. All staff are required to contribute to the achievement of this framework (http://www.drc.dk/HAF.4265.0.html).

We only receive applications via our online-application system on www.drc.dk under Vacancies/Current Vacancies/Regional Head of Support Services - Kenya.

Please forward the application and CV, in English and marked “Regional Head of Support Services - Kenya”, no later than 6. November, 2010.

PROBLEMS WITH ON-LINE APPLICATION?
Please contact Anne Oxholm, job@drc.dk, if you experience problems with your on-line application.