Head of Support Services – DRC

Job Description

Organization	Danish Refugee Council (DRC)
Workplace:	Khartoum
Department/Country:	Sudan
Contract type:	Expatriate or national contract
Application due:	09/04/2023

Danish Refugee Council, one of the world’s leading humanitarian NGOs, is currently looking for a highly qualified Head of Support Services for our operations in Sudan.

DRC has been present in Sudan since 2004 working across 4 area offices (Khartoum, Central Darfur, South Kordofan and Gedaref) covering both immediate Humanitarian needs and longer-term development. The Head of Support Services is operationally and strategically responsible for Finance, Human Resources, Logistics and Procurement (supply chain department), Administration and IT. S/He provides guidance and support for all operational aspects of partnership, and oversees, develops and provides strategic direction to his/her support areas.  

The Head of Support Services is a member of the Senior Management Team, with overall responsibility of program support and timely completion of annual performance indicators under support functions. S/He also plays a significant part in qualifying and implementing initiatives coming from the global and regional DRC organisational development and financial accountability initiatives. Furthermore, S/He will ensure timely and appropriate communication with Area Managers, the Head of Programme and Project Managers concerning all issues related to Support functions and works proactively to resolve differences and prioritize time-sensitive tasks. 

About the job

Your main duties and responsibilities will be:

Management

• Lead and manage the Support Managers (Finance Manager, HR/Admin Manager and Supply Chain Manager) and provide technical support to Area Managers across the Support functions
• Manage, deliver and report on current operations programme support in geographic scope, including for example, that budget review meetings are taking place, that SMT is presented regular financial reports etc.
• Establish high performing support teams ensuring high-quality approaches are maintained
• Develop and improve operational approaches, compliance and systems, and support the Country Director to build and deliver effective and sustainable interventions.
• Responsible for the strategic development, management and implementation of the support operations
• Ensure appropriate technical support is available to programs, in line with organizational priorities
• Ensure support for annual planning and review processes
• Direct responsibility for ensuring that the DRC Programme operates in accordance with DRC’s support function guidelines.
• Ensure that the Country Master Budget is updated on a monthly basis and is used to adequately prepare project proposals or cost cutting measures.

Operational Management

• Support the Country Director and the Senior Management Team in liaising with donors and authorities, especially as this relates to issues of compliance, registration, and audit
• Oversee the operational support units for the Country by providing strategic leadership and technical support to the areas under his/her supervision
• Supervision, audits and controlling and implementation of corrective actions related to DRC’s operational standards within support areas.
• Ensure that DRC retains and continually develops its operational capacity to provide rapid emergency response in particular within its procurement and transport system
• Develop a risk management plan for the country that identifies the major financial and operational risks and implement a mitigation strategy
• Ensure that all administrative and legal-related systems are accurate and maintained
• Work to build the capacity of the operational support staff throughout the operation though frequent in-service training sessions and mentoring support
• Contribute to the development and implementation of DRC’s global development initiatives.

DRC Dynamics ERP System

• Ensure ERP functionality is properly used by relevant staff
• Apply reports and data analytics from DRC Dynamics to improve overall performance
• Act as a super-user for Projects & Finance functionalities

About you

The Head of Support Services is expected to have senior level management experience and a demonstrable successful track record of organizational development and resource mobilization, be able to conceptualize and articulate DRC’s vision, and have the strong oral and written communication skills required to translate vision into action. You will play a key role in developing and implementing country-specific strategies as well as improving operational systems, processes and policies in support of DRC’s Mission.

To be successful in this role we expect that you possess the following:

Required

• Minimum 7 years of senior leadership experience in operations management roles with at least 3 years of experience in a similar role in an international NGO 
• Master’s degree in political science, international development, economics or other relevant field.
• Proven leadership skills and a competence in people management, teambuilding and capacity development 
• Proven operational management experience and capability, including in conflict areas 
• Proven operational experience in one or more of the following thematic areas: financial, supply chain, human resources and information management. 
• Significant experience in procurement and tender processes 
• Proven analytical and critical thinking skills 
• 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 
• Understanding of the countries in which DRC operates and sensitive to the cultural context 
• Experience with proposal development, budget development, and budget management 
• Excellent computer literacy 
• Demonstrated attention to detail, ability to follow procedures, meet deadlines and work independently and cooperatively with team members . 
• Ability to work closely with a diverse team of individuals in a highly intense and fluid environment: Cultural sensitivity and respectful of local contexts 
• Proven experience in providing technical guidance and training including development of training materials   
• Experience working with an ERP system, including supply chain, finance and HR systems. 
• Full professional proficiency in English 

Desirable

• Knowledge of Arabic

In this position, you are expected to demonstrate DRC’ five core competencies:  

Striving for excellence: You focus on reaching results while ensuring an efficient process.  

Collaborating: You involve relevant parties and encourage feedback.  

Taking the lead: You take ownership and initiative while aiming for innovation.  

Communicating: You listen and speak effectively and honestly.  

Demonstrating integrity: You uphold and promote the highest standards of ethical and professional conduct in relation to our values and Code of Conduct, including safeguarding against sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment.

We offer

Contract length: 24 Months

Band: E

Designation of Duty Station: Khartoum l Non-Family, unaccompanied duty station.

Start date: 16 July 2023

Salary and conditions will be in accordance with Danish Refugee Council’s Terms of Employment for Expatriates; please refer to drc.ngo under Vacancies.

Application process

All applicants must upload a cover letter and an updated CV (no longer than four pages) in English.

Closing date for applications: 9 April 2023

The screening process for this position is on rolling basis, so early submission of applications is encouraged.  DRC reserves the right to start with the next steps in the recruitment process prior to the closing date, should we identify a suitable candidate.