Norwegian Refugee Council Regional Head of Finance Job in Nairobi, Kenya

Norwegian Refugee Council
 

Regional Head of Finance – Region Horn of Africa
 

Ref. nr.: 3169164182
 

Job location: Nairobi
 

The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) is a non-governmental, humanitarian organization with 60 years of experience in helping to create a safer and more dignified life for refugees and internally displaced people. 

 

NRC advocates for the rights of displaced populations and offers assistance within the shelter, education, emergency food security, legal assistance, and water,sanitation and hygiene sectors.

The Norwegian Refugee Council has approximately 5000 committed and competent employees involved in projects across four continents. 

In addition, NRC runs one of the world’s largest standby rosters -NORCAP, with 650 professionals, ready to be deployed on 72 hours notice when a crisis occurs

NRC’s Horn of Africa operation comprises of large-scale multi-country humanitarian and early recovery interventions spread across eight countries (Kenya, Somalia, Ethiopia, Djibouti, and Yemen), and most recently Eritrea, Uganda and South Sudan.

NRC’s overall strategy in the region is to ensure a greater number of vulnerable people in hard to reach areas get access to humanitarian assistance, become resilient to future disasters and find durable solution.

The regional office is based in Nairobi and works with country programmes to ensure standardisation of programmatic and operational approaches, promote multi country programming and ensuring quality and coordination.

The role of the Head of Regional Finance Unit (HRFU) is to deliver strategic analysis and direction to NRC’s management. 

It is also to strengthen regional finance management capability to provide maximum support to humanitarian assistance delivery.

The main focus of the position is to further implement financial systems and tools that safeguard and bolster organisational accountability; ensure consistency in resource allocation and utilization, in compliance with NRC and donor regulations and procedures; and enhance the capacity of NRC finance and programme staff to integrate financial dimension into project planning and delivery.

Job description

• Financial compliance monitoring and control


• Strategic development and planning of NRC HOASSY financial structure in relation to CO needs and HO requirements


• Technical development and support to NRC Country Offices


• Capacity building and training of NRC staff in the HOASSY region


• Management and coordination of financial support resources to NRC Country Offices


• Active contribution to the overall work of the Support Functions Team


• Ensure that adequate financial management routines and systems are in place.


• Ensure that NRC’s budgeting, accounting practices and standards are adhered to, timely and in accordance with requirements from NRC, donors, auditors and authorities.


• Coordinate the system for the development and monitoring of the regional grants.


• Maintain overall budget control in the region. Advise the Regional Support Director spending and deficit analysis.


• Provide guidance to regional leadership on strategic development of NRC’s financial structure in the HOASSY region to ensure effective support to NRC country offices.


• Maintain regional financial forecasting tool and systems.


• Create assessment tools and coordination/communication protocols to enhance the interaction of Finance with other NRC departments, including Programme, Logistics, HR and Admin.


• Act as the regional focal point for NRC Global Finance at Head Office in Oslo.


• Manage the regional grants, including administration, regular follow-up with the country offices, monitoring of exchange rates and compliance to donor rules and regulations.


• Review and develop operational finance tools.


• Review the findings of finance controller visits along with key audit documentation to inform and tailor support change plans for country offices.


• Develop a tool for mapping country offices’ finance structure (strengths and weaknesses) and develop change plans that ensure country offices’ finance units throughout the HOASSY are adequately structured and trained to comply with financial rules and regulations.


• Manage the members of the regional finance unit in line with the unit’s ToRs to ensure that the unit is accountable for results.


• Coordinate financial support resources to country offices, including through the line management and deployment of the Roving Finance Manager.


• Liaise with country offices’ Heads of Support and Finance Managers to ensure effective and constructive communication between the regional financial unit and country offices.


• Create synergies between country offices with regard to financial management.


• Carry out other duties upon request by line manager.


• Plan for the annual closure of accounts and responsible for coordinating audits within the region.

Qualifications

• Relevant university degree, preferably business administration/financial management


• Experience of developing financial reporting and management systems and creating user-friendly financial tools


• Minimum 7 years finance management experience in a large organisation/business, preferably from the humanitarian sector


• Documented responsibilities for/successful implementation of staff development/capacity building/coaching programmes


• Understanding of financial management issues in complex emergencies and crisis contexts


• Solid experience of work with Windows based computer software and modern accounting-systems


• Ability to plan for different sets of scenarios in relation to budgets and plans

Education field

Education level

• College / University, Bachelor’s degree

Personal qualities

• Proven communication skills and inter-personal skills


• Ability to communicate complex technical issues clearly and simply


• Fluency in English, both written and verbal, is essential; fluency in Kiswahili is an asset


• Knowledge of the HOASSY region is an asset

Language: English

We offer

Duty station: Nairobi
 

Contract period is for 12 months with possibility of extension. 

Salary/benefits: According to NRC’s general directions. The candidate will observe NRC’s code of conduct and working hours for the NRC Office in Nairobi

Search criteria:

• Location: Kenya


• Industry: Emergency Relief


• Special field: Finance


• Role: Senior executive

How to Apply

Visit www.nrc.no to apply online

Deadline for application: 23/08/2016