Head of Finance and Administration at Danish Refugee Council (DRC)

The Danish Refugee Council (DRC) is a private, independent, humanitarian organization working on all aspects of the refugee cause in more than thirty countries throughout the world. The aim of DRC is to protect refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) against persecution and to promote durable solutions to the problems of forced migration, on the basis of humanitarian principles and human rights. DRC works in accordance with the UN Conventions on Refugees and the Code of Conduct for the ICRC and NGOs in Disaster Relief.

The protection and assistance to conflict affected population is provided within a long term, regional and rights based approach in order to constitute a coherent and effective response to the challenges posed by today’s conflicts. Assistance consists of relief and other humanitarian aid, rehabilitation, support to return and repatriation as well as promotion of long term solutions to displacement and its causes. In addition, support and capacity building of local and national authorities and NGOs form an integral part of DRC’s work.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Head of Finance and Administration

Job ID: #1209531
Location: Yola, Adamawa

Job Profile

• The Head of Finance and Administration (HoFA) will have the overall leadership responsibility for DRC’s financial and administrative management in Nigeria.
• S/he will play a critical role in the development and implementation of strategies necessary to further develop DRC’s programmes in the countries as the implementer of choice for the donors and governments.
• The HoFA will be a member of the Senior Management Team. This position requires the demonstrated ability to develop long term vision and strategic planning, provide leadership for the organization’s operations, and a high level of financial and operation planning including capacity building of staff.
• The HoFA is directly responsible for ensuring that DRC’s Programme in Nigeria operates in accordance with DRC’s operational standards as expressed in the DRC Operations Handbook and other guidelines in the DRC Accountability and Quality Management system.

Key Responsibilities

Funding and Finance Management:

• Introduction and maintenance of accurate and timely Financial Systems. This includes the formal preparation, ensuring accurate data entry in all cost centres, consolidating and checking of field accounts, liaising with the Regional Office over the finalization of monthly and periodic programme accounts and preparing expenditure-against-budget reports and budget forecasts with project managers.
• Supervising, controlling and implementing corrective actions related to DRC and donor minimum standards for operations during an emergency. This includes supervision of all financial reporting and financial procedures, donor reporting and audits, cash flow and liquidity management, legal framework and reporting relations to national authorities.
• Ensure compliance with all DRC and donors policies and procedures for financial, grant and asset management.
• Manage the organizations risks by ensuring all relevant policies and procedures are implemented effectively and communicate risks to the Senior Management team for decision making purposes.
• Ensure effective management of fiscal function and performance, ensuring compliance to policies of risk management and that risks are identified, managed and mitigated.
• Ensure internal and external financial reporting is completed on-time and to organisational and donor standards.
• Systems development and roll out of systems already developed in close cooperation and coordination with DRC’s headquarters and Regional Office. This includes tools for monitoring shared expenditures, donor co-funding and decentralised book keeping and grants management systems.

Human Resource and Administration:

• Conduct training needs assessments as part of improving compliance with DRC standards and provide training as needed. This includes on-the-job training, coaching and designing and delivering more topic-bound training sessions.
• Scaling up local and corporate human resources systems, ensuring compliance with local legislation, equitable employment practices and accurate record-keeping. Ensuring high-quality approaches are maintained to emergency recruitment of national and international staff.
• Ensuring other areas of administration, such as local taxation, property leases, insurances, IT services and the like are dealt with professionally and in accordance with local legislation.
• Support strategic planning and risk management approaches, including systems for the safety and security of staff and assets.
• Direct supervision and management of staff in the relevant areas of responsibility.
• Any other reasonable duties as agreed with the Country Director

Qualifications

Required:

• Post graduate Degree, in Social Sciences, International Development, Project Management, and/or Public Administration, Financial/Business management, or other relevant field.
• Minimum 7 years of senior leadership experience in operations management roles with at least 5 years of experience in the field.
• Strong operational management experience and capability (finance, people, fundraising), including geographically remote management.
• Proven financial management, information management, and systems management experience.
• Proven management skills, including good programme and human resource development ability.
• Understanding of the countries in which DRC operates and sensitive to the socio- cultural context.
• Demonstrable strategic thinking and leadership ability.
• Excellent analytical and critical thinking ability.
• Excellent communication, interpersonal and influencing skills with a well-developed ability to motivate and persuade at high levels.
• Proven ability to lead and work effectively with others to achieve results.
• Understanding and experience of institutional fundraising.
• Fluency in English. French is an asset.

Preferable

• Experience working for or with UNHCR is an advantage;
• Experience with donors such as ECHO, OFDA, DFID etc.
• We encourage all qualified candidates to apply, irrespective of nationality, race, gender or age

Conditions

• Availability: 20th of November 2015.
• Duty station: Yola, Adamawa State, with frequent travel to Abuja and the field according to the needs - Non Family Duty Station
• Contract: One year with a possibility of extension, subject to funding.

Remuneration
Salary and conditions in accordance with Danish Refugee Council’s Terms of Employment for Expatriates; please refer to www.drc.dk under Vacancies. The position will be placed at salary level A7.

Application Closing Date
31st October, 2015.

How to Apply
interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online

Note: Please submit your application, in English no later than