Area Support Services Manager At Danish Refugee Council

The overall purpose of the role: Provides coordinated and strategic leadership for all support functions and ensures the smooth running of all support functions to meet the program needs in line with the DRC Operations Handbook.

Responsibilities: Planning and strategy

• Ensure that annual planning for support services is done and regular targets are met and that these are linked to the coordination unit for country-wide consistency
• Ensure that project planning includes relevant support service requirements (such as lead times and appropriate budgets)
• Ensure that resource mobilization is realistic and meets the needs of support functions by using the operations budget to input donor proposals
• Ensure that support services are fit for purpose to meet program needs.
• Be the focal point for the compliance self-check, risk register, internal audit, and results contract.
• As required, support the scale-up and scale-down of Area Office operations, including establishing an operational presence in new geographic locations.
• Closely liaise with the leads of support functions in the Country Office as required.

HR support

• Ensure that monthly reports and produced and that targets are met by the department while being a link to the HR coordination unit
• Ensure that quarterly tasks are completed on time (such as staff induction, Code of Conduct training, and leave planning)
• Ensure that annual HR tasks are completed as per the Operations Handbook (e.g., Performance & Development Reviews)
• Streamline HR responses across departments (e.g., support for organogram development)
• Ensure the HR team fulfills daily tasks, such as recruitment, contract renewal/ amendments, timesheet submission, and leave tracking

Administration support

• Be the focal point for critical administrative tasks, such as registration for the coordination unit
• Oversee the team to ensure follow-up on routine tasks are carried out (guesthouse supplies, visa applications, phone credit purchase, utility bill payments, rental and lease agreements)

Logistics and procurement support

• Ensure procurement procedures are followed while being the focal point for tenders together with the coordination unit (including being a chairman for most major tenders)
• closely follow department KPIs and ensure that monthly report submissions are timely and of high quality
• Be a focal point and decision-maker for fleet movement cancellations in line with Supply Chain Manager (SCM) advice Work with the SCM to ensure each of the sub-departments (procurement, fleet, assets, warehouse, and IT) have targets and are meeting them in line with Operation Handbook procedures.

Finance

• Primary budget holder for all support service lines
• Maintain Master budget for support costs
• Responsible for budget monitoring and forecasting for support service budgets.
• Work with budget holders in proposal development
• Work with senior managers in regard to budget monitoring of all grants
• Ensure that critical annual finance tasks are completed (such as the annual reports)
• Work with finance and compliance team to ensure program teams clearly understand compliance requirements
• Ensure that monthly finance tasks are completed (payroll, SOS, PIT, cashbooks, and cash forecasts) and in line with Operations Handbook procedures

Other

• Ensure efficient support is extended during internal and external audits
• Ensure filing and archiving are in place and followed by all respective teams
• Support the roll-out of DRC Dynamics (Enterprise Resource Planning System) including being a heavy user, and training relevant teams in the Area Office.
• Facilitate the implementation of the Age, Gender, and Diversity Strategy within North Area Office Support Services Team

Experience and technical competencies:

• At least 3 years of experience in a similar role (Preferably with a finance background)
• At least five years’ experience with people management
• At least two years of experience as a Finance Manager is desirable
• Knowledge of project cycle management
• Knowledge of supply chain management and procurement processes
• Knowledge of budget cycle and monitoring processes
• Knowledge of code of conduct principles and the HR systems for performance management
• Knowledge of key donor policy and compliance procedures
• Full professional proficiency in English

All DRC roles require the post-holder to master DRC’s core competencies:

• Striving for excellence: Focusing on reaching results while ensuring efficient processes.
• Collaborating: Involving relevant parties and encouraging feedback.
• Taking the lead: Taking ownership and initiative while aiming for innovation.
• Communicating: Listening and speaking effectively and honestly.
• Demonstrating integrity: Upholding and promoting the highest standards of ethical and professional conduct about DRC’s values and Code of Conduct, including safeguarding against sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment

Education: Master’s Degree in the relevant field of studies

Languages:

• English
• Arabic is desirable

Key stakeholders:

• Country head of support services
• Field support services team
• Area Senior Management Team (Area SMT)