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.
Background :
DRC has been operating in West Africa since 1998. The DRC West Africa Regional Office (hereafter: WARO) is based in Dakar, Senegal, and covers six countries outside of Senegal. Led by the Regional Director, the DRC WARO oversees, supports and provides strategic directions for DRC’s Country Offices within the region, which currently includes Mali, Burkina Faso, the Niger, Nigeria, Cameroon and the Central African Republic.
Purpose :
The DRC WARO is looking to recruit an experienced, highly-qualified and enthusiastic professional to provide professional guidance and direct support to DRC operations within the West Africa Region, while helping developing regional related policies and ensuring a high-level of financial compliance.
The Regional Finance Coordinator will be based in Dakar but will have to travel extensively through the West Africa Region, in the six countries mentioned above. Travels can represent around 50% of the working time per month.
This position is a senior one, requiring a strong previous experience in finance management and within the humanitarian sector and/or international organization, while requesting also a solid understanding of the different procedures and policies in place. This position also requires a full professional proficiency in French language.
Duties and Responsibilities :
Under the management of the Regional Head of Support services, and following the strategic directions being established by the Regional Director, the Regional Finance Coordinator has a regional focus and provides the due support (including direct support) and guidance to each Country Office in order to ensure that our countries do reach their targets and obligations in terms of financial reporting, follow-up of budgets, cost control management and monitoring of their financial obligations. In additional to this role, the Regional Finance Coordinator should also oversee the financial follow-up of the projects implemented by the Regional Office (the Regional Finance Coordinator is the de facto Finance Manager of the WARO).
The main responsibilities and tasks of the Regional Finance Coordinator are the following :
- Coordination & Management :
- To ensure the efficient coordination and supervision of the staff members of the Finance Department of the WARO: this includes daily supervision of the tasks, follow-up of the targets defined and participation in the performance appraisals ;
- To monitor the respect of the financial rules and regulations within the WARO and for all its staff members ;
- To manage the good communication, and relevant sharing of information, with our HQ, our Country Offices and our different donors in regards to any financial point, including potential financial issues, forthcoming audits, financial reporting and financial risks ;
- To guarantee the follow-up in terms of any payment, reimbursement, report to be done at the WARO level ;
- To work efficiently and in good collaboration with the others Regional Coordinators at the WARO, especially in terms of information-sharing with the Human Resources Department and the Supply Chain Department ;
- To visit regularly the countries covered by the WARO and to provide technical guidance to the Finance Managers and Finance Coordinators in the countries covered by the WARO, who report to a different manager.
- Finance (Accounting & Reporting) :
- To ensure an efficient and strong budget follow-up and cost control of the projects managed by the WARO (including timely closure of the monthly accounting, achievement of the shared costs rules, timely booking of reconciliations) ;
- To reinforce the financial rules and regulations in the WARO and for each project managed by the WARO, including the quality and compliance standards of the financial supporting documentation attached to every voucher ;
- To consolidate the financial information about the ongoing projects for each Country Office covered by the WARO, and to check regularly the BFUs of the countries ;
- To check, if necessary, the monthly accounting for each Country Office covered by the WARO ;
- To support, if needed and requested, the Country Offices in terms of financial closure, financial reporting and follow-up ;
- To ensure the follow-up of the WARO bank accounts and the situation of the liquidity for the WARO, including submitting the Bank Transfer Requests ;
- To contribute to the elaboration of the budgets in the projects proposals managed at the WARO ;
- To review the budgets for the projects proposals developed by the Country offices covered by the WARO ;
- To monitor the financial management of the WARO, by following-up the budgets consumption and by controlling the funding coverage and costs engaged, while updating regularly the Master Budget of the WARO ;
- To analyze regularly the ratio of programmatic costs vs support costs for our projects, at the WARO level and also per country, and provide reliable data to the senior management.
- Audit & Compliance :
- To take the lead in case of any financial audit of a project monitored by the WARO and to potentially assist/ support a Country Office for an audit concerning its operations/ projects ;
- To check and monitor the full compliance of the financial documents of the WARO expenses, taking into account the internal requirements of DRC but also the external requirements in terms of compliance (donors and potential legal obligations in the relevant country) ;
- To provide guidance to the Country Offices for the respect of compliance in each country, supporting them in regards to the internal compliance requirements while also advising for the external compliance requirements ;
- To ensure occasional internal financial audits of projects in the West Africa Region ;
- To identify potential financial risks in the West Africa Region not already known by the WARO.
- ERP System (DRC Dynamics) :
- To ensure an efficient support for each Country Office in terms of the implementation of DRC Dynamics for the Finance Track ;
- To contribute to the development and elaboration of new learning materials for the Finance staff members in the West Africa Region ;
- To monitor that DRC Dynamics is used or will be used at its full capacity ;
- To check that the financial procedures on DRC Dynamics are well-respected in each Country covered by the WARO and to provide regularly reliable data about the use of DRC Dynamics in the West Africa Region.
- Capacity-Building :
- To train the staff of the Finance Department at the WARO about the DRC procedures and the use of the ERP System ;
- To contribute to the capacity-building of the Finance staff members in the Country Offices covered by the WARO during field visits in each country ;
- To advise on and promote understanding and application of DRC policies, procedures and principles.
In addition to the above, the Regional Finance Coordinator may be asked to carry out other duties requested by the Regional Head of Support Services or the Regional Director.
Experience / Training :
Required Qualifications :
- Minimum 3 years of senior leadership experience in operations management roles with at least 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 ;
- Significant experience in procurement and tender processes ;
- Excellent communication, interpersonal and influencing skills with a well-developed ability to motivate and persuade at high levels ;
- Full professional fluency in French language (80% of the professional communication in this position will be done in French, including almost all the communication within the WARO) ;
- Proficiency (written and spoken of the English language ;
- Understanding of the different contexts of the West Africa Region ;
- Excellent Computer Skills (MS Office, Internet) and an advanced proficiency in Excel are required.
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.
General Regulations :
- The employee shall follow DRC instructions on safety, confidentiality and ethical guidelines, including the Code of Conduct and the Humanitarian Accountability Framework ;
- Employee should not engage in any other paid activity during the DRC contract period without prior authorization ;
- Employee should not engage in any activity that could harm DRC or the implementation of any project during the DRC contract period ;
- Employee should not give interviews to the media or publish project-related photos or other material without prior authorization ;
- Employee shall return all borrowed equipment for the project to DRC after the end of the contract period or upon request.
Salairy :
- Supervised by : Regional Head of Support Services ;
- Reporting to : Regional Head of Support Services ;
- Duty Station : Dakar ;
- Aera of Operation : Region of West Africa (Regional Office + 6 countries) ;
- Employement Period : 12 months ;
- Type of Contract (Expat/National/Trainee) : Expat ;
- Designation of Duty Station : Family Duty Station / Non-accompanied position ;
- Start date : As soon as possible ;
- Salary & Benefits : Non-management FSalary and conditions will be in accordance with Danish Refugee Council’s Terms of Employment for Expatriates; please refer to drc.ngo under Vacancies.
How to apply :
Are you interested? Then apply for this position on line : http://www.drc.dk/about-drc/vacancies/current-vacancies. All applicants must send a cover letter and an updated CV (no longer than four pages). Both must be in English.
DRC provides equal opportunity in employment and prohibits discrimination in employment on the basis of race, sex, color, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status or disability.
DRC encourages all applicants to apply and does not practice any discrimination in any recruitment process. However, applicants must be aware that DRC cannot employ, under an expatriate contract, a citizen of the country in which she/ he is going to be stationed (in such case, the Republic of Senegal).
Applications close on the 26th of June, 2020. Applications submitted after this date will not be considered.
Due to the urgency of the position, DRC has the right to recruit a candidate who matches the required profile before the above deadline.