Regional Finance Specialist for Latin America At Danish Refugee Council

Position Title: Regional Finance Specialist for Latin America

Supervised by: Regional Finance Manager for the WANALA Region

Reporting to: Regional Finance Manager for the WANALA Region

Duty Station: Bogota, Colombia

Area of Operation: Latin America (part of the West Africa, North Africa & Latin America Region)

Employment Period: 4 months (until the 30th of April 2023)

Type of Contract: International Contract

Sakary & Benefits: Non-Management Band G

Introduction

The Danish Refugee Council assists refugees and internally displaced persons across the globe: we provide emergency aid, fight for their rights, and strengthen their opportunity for a brighter future. We work in conflict-affected areas, along the displacement routes, and in the countries where refugees settle. In cooperation with local communities, we strive for responsible and sustainable solutions. We work toward successful integration and – whenever possible – for the fulfillment of the wish to return home.

The Danish Refugee Council was founded in Denmark in 1956 and has since grown to become an international humanitarian organization with more than 7,000 staff and 8,000 volunteers. Based in Copenhagen (Denmark) and present in forty countries, the Danish Refugee Council is a non-profit-making, politically independent, non-governmental and non-denominational relief organization.

Our vision is a dignified life for all displaced. All our efforts are based on our value compass: humanity, respect, independence and neutrality, participation, and honesty and transparency.

1. Background

DRC has been operating in West Africa since 1998. The DRC West, North Africa and Latin America Regional Office (hereafter: WANALA RO) is based in Dakar, Senegal, and covers over twelve countries outside of Senegal. Led by the Regional Executive Director for West, North Africa & Latin America Region (hereafter: WANALA Region), the DRC WANALA RO oversees, supports and provides strategic directions for DRC’s Country Offices within the Region, which currently includes: Algeria, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Colombia, Libya, Mali, Mexico, the Niger, Nigeria, Peru, Senegal, Tunisia and Venezuela.

2. Purpose

Based in Bogota (Colombia) and working under the management of the Regional Finance Manager, the Regional Finance Specialist will be part of the Finance Department team of the WANALA RO. However, this position will have a focus on Latin America. The Regional Finance Specialist will ensure the due follow-up of the financial policies and processes, will identify the improvement areas and will offer some recommendations to the senior management. She/ he will also ensure a perfect link and coordination between the financial tasks (budget construction and budget follow-up) and the accounting tasks (review of the accounting allocations and check with the forecasted expenses and the Master Budget).

The Regional Finance Specialist will ensure an efficient follow-up for the accounting and the financial reporting of the Country Offices in Latin America, especially for Country Offices requesting some support and/or being considered by the senior management as requiring additional attention. This involves sometimes a direct participation in the work to be done, notably to take the lead if some reports have to be produced for donors.

By Latin America, it should be understood the coverage of Colombia, Venezuela, Peru and Mexico. This position will not have to cover the other countries which are part of the WANALA Region. This position is a senior but non-managerial position, requiring a strong previous experience in finance management and within the humanitarian sector and/or international organization, while also requesting a solid understanding of the different procedures and policies in place. This position also requires a full professional proficiency in English and Spanish languages.

3. Duties and Responsibilities

The main responsibilities and tasks of the Regional Finance Specialist are the following:

Accounting and ERP System (Dynamics)

• To review the bookings done in the accounting, and to ensure the due reallocations if necessary, for projects considered deserving additional attention by the senior management;
• To provide direct support and, if needed, tevhnical guidance for the the monthly accounting closure for the countries of Latin America, especially in case of gaps;
• To help the countries of Latin America in terms of compliance of the financial documentation (preparation of audits; comprehensive review of the financial documents for some projects and/or reports);
• To ensure that the DRc ERP System (DRC Dynamics) is properly used and duly updated with all the requested financial information about all the projects implemented in the countries of Latin America;
• To monitor the correct booking within DRC Dynamics and the correct affectations to different projects (and to support if needed some countries).

Cost Control & Financial Reporting

• To participate in the review of the monthly budget follow-up ad to ensure that the budget holders to have the updated versions;
• To monitor, with the Regional Finance Manager, the financial performance of the countries in Latin America, especially regarding the budget consumption in comparison with what had been announced/ forecasted;
• To guarantee the quality, fiability and coherence of the financila information indicated in the annual budgets of the countries in Latin America;
• To contribute to the updates of the Master Budget updates and to the establishment of the first BFUs when new grant agreemnts are signed (according to the tools in effect and within DRC Dynamics);
• To participate in the follow-up of the monthly management reports;
• To support directly the production of financial reports to donors, in a timely manner, for countries that need some assistance and/or a gap-filling (in coordination with the Finance Department at the HQ).

Payments

• To check that all documents related to payments are fully compliant with the internal financial policies and procedures as well as compliant with donors’ requirements;
• To maintain a follow-up of the bank transfers.

Capacity-Building

• To contribute to the capacity-building of the Finance staff members in the Country Offices covered by the WANALA RO during field visits in each country;
• To advise on and promote understanding and application of DRC policies, procedures and principles.

All the tasks mentioned above will be primarily done from DRC WANALA Regional Office but travels within the Region (in the countries of intervention) can represent a significant amount of time, potentially equivalent on average to thirty per cent (30%) of the working time per month. In addition to the above, the Regional Finance Manager may be asked to carry out other duties requested by the Regional Head of Support Services or the Regional Executive Director.

4. Required Qualifications

• Minimum two (2) years of senior experience in operations management roles with at least one (1) year of experience in a similar role in an international NGO;
• Diploma degree/University degree (Master) in International Development, Economics, Political Science, Public Affairs, Business Administration or Management, or another relevant field is required;
• Proven leadership skills and a competence in people management;
• Proven operational management experience and capability;
• Significant experience of grant management and understanding of institutional fund-raising;
• Proven significant financial management experience;
• Excellent communication, interpersonal and influencing skills with a well-developed ability to motivate and persuade at high levels;
• Full professional fluency in English language (more than 50% of the professional communication in this position will be done in English, including almost all the communication with the WANALA Regional Office and the HQ);
• Proficiency (written and spoken) in Spanish;
• Previous experience with the Danish Refugee Council is an asset;
• Working knowledge of French and other languages native to the WANALA region is an asset but not a requirement;
• Significant understanding of the different contexts of the WANALA Region;
• Excellent Computer Skills (MS Office, Internet) and an advanced proficiency in Excel are required.

5. Required Skills & Qualities

• Core Competencies of DRC:
  • Striving for excellence
  • Collaboration
  • Taking the lead
  • Communication
  • Demonstrating Integrity
• Ability to work in a multinational and multicultural environment
• Proactivity, with a sound commitment to teamwork and with a spirit of genuine collaboration
• Excellent communication skills, as well as patience and politeness, are required
• Multi-tasking and Organizational skills is a must
• Adaptable and Flexible
• Proven analytical and critical thinking skills
• Exemplary sense of ethics in the workplace
• Team-oriented & good sense of humor

6. General Regulations

• The employee shall follow DRC instructions on safety, confidentiality and ethical guidelines, including the Code of Conduct and the Humanitarian Accountability Framework. The employee is expected to know the Code of Conduct and cannot pretend not to be aware of any of the Code of Conduct requirement and disposition.
• The employee should not engage in any other paid activity during the DRC contract period without prior authorization.
• The employee should not engage in any activity that could harm DRC or the implementation of any project during the DRC contract period.
• The employee should not give interviews to the media or publish project-related photos or other material without prior authorization.
• The employee shall return all borrowed equipment for the project to DRC after the end of the contract period or upon request.