Head of Support Services, Lebanon

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 Lebanon.

About the job

The Head of Support Services is operationally and strategically responsible for Finance, Human Resources, Logistics and Procurement, Administration and IT. S/He provides guidance and support for all operational aspects of partnership and direct response modalities. This includes overseeing developing and providing strategic direction to his/her support areas which are translated into action plans and day-today tasks.

This role has a country (Lebanon) focus and ensures compliance to DRC procedures and guidelines within the Country. The role provides support and/or technical guidance to country operations while overseeing country activities. With senior level management experience, you are expected to have demonstrable successful track record of organizational development and resource mobilization and play a leadership role in developing and implementing country-specific strategies as well as improving operational systems, processes, and policies in support of DRC’s mission and values. This includes organisation development and resource mobilization.

Your main duties and responsibilities will be:

Staff Management

• Lead and manage the support managers (including people planning, performance, well-being and development) whilst providing dotted technical line support to wider country support team.
• Work to build the capacity of the operational support staff throughout the operation though frequent in-service training sessions, mentoring support and frequent visits to field offices.
• Role model and lead the wider country programme against DRC values, diversity and inclusion as well as code of conduct.

Support Services Management

• Responsible for the strategic development, management and implementation of the support operations as per DRC operational handbook. This includes developing and improving operational approaches, compliance and systems, and support the Country Director to build and deliver effective and sustainable interventions.
• Support the Country Director and the Senior Management Team in liaising with donors and authorities, especially as relates to issues of compliance, registration, and audit
• Ensure appropriate technical support is available to programs, in line with organizational priorities
• Provide strategic guidance to the HR/Admin department to develop and implement DRCs HR policy in Lebanon. This includes providing strategic guidance for all staff management, career & development recruitment and induction process as well as appropriate stress management and care for Expatriates and National Staff.
• Lead on DRC Lebanon annual master budgets and ensuring that monthly monitoring of expenditure informs management decision making.
• Lead on the effective implementation and adherence of organization and stakeholder financial regulations.
• Overseeing the operationalization of the contextual/localized finance handbook.
• Ensure the implementation of sustainable and robust supply chain and financial system for an efficient and effective support to all DRC programs and support services.
• Ensure an efficient ICT Operating environment is in place to meet operational needs.

Operational Management

• Responsible for maintaining and improving operational resource management in the mission, together with SMT, identifying both short term and long-term resource needs and translate these into objectives and priorities for future DRC projects in Lebanon
• Responsible for leading the development and improvement of resource management component of the annual results contract between DRC HQ and the country office in Lebanon. Ensuring timely quarterly reporting against results and follow- up action.
• Ensure that DRC retains and continually develops its operational capacity to provide rapid emergency response in particular within its procurement and HR systems
• Ensure that Lebanon operation complies to DRC Risk Management Framework, and operational Compliance Tools and processes are duly implemented. This includes development of a risk management plan for the country that identifies the major financial and operational risks and implement a mitigation strategy
• Regular review and improvements to Country SOPs to ensure the internal control environment strengthened as well as develop policies as required where gaps are noted.
• Supervision, audits and controlling and implementation of corrective actions related to DRC’s operational standards within support area. This also includes ensuring the timely implementation of DRC’s internal audit and external audit recommendations and contextualize HQ understanding of local challenges.
• Participate as a member of the SMT in drafting project proposals, and on the use of resources according to budgets and policies.
• Together with the Head of Programs, lead the mainstreaming of Project Cycle Management and partnership best practices throughout the organization.
• Participate as a member of the SMT in the development of the mission, the Country Policies, and the Annual Plan in accordance with the DRC relevant Global Policies and guidelines.
• Ensure that all administrative and legal-related systems are accurate and maintained
• Contribute to the development and implementation of DRC’s global development initiatives
• As and when required, substitute the Country Director when is requested as such (leaves, field visits, long meetings etc)

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 heavy user for most of the Projects & Finance functionalities

About You

To be successful on this role we expect you to posses the following:

• Master’s Degree or advanced professional qualification in Finance, Business Administration, Logistics or HR
• Mininum 5 years’ experience in a similar role in an international NGO
• At least 4 years’ experience with people management with proven leadership experience and competences in people management
• Proven operational management experiences and capability, including in complex settings
• Proven significant financial, information and systems management experience as well as in procurement and tender processes
• Demonstrable experience in resource management, particularly organisational development.
• Notable experience in project proposals and resource planning. Knowledge of institutional fundraising and of donor guidelines and procedures
• Excellent coordination, communication, organizational and planning skills; with the ability to work flexibly in a diverse team in a dynamic environment, fostering a positive working environment, and manage issues sensitively and diplomatically.
• Strong capacity building, facilitation, and presentation skills with the ability to collaborate, network and negotiate in order to facilitate communication and support to staff, local partners, Governments, UN, donors & other NGOs without loosing sight of the strategic objective
• Experience working in an ERP system, including Supply Chain, Finance and HR systems
• Full professional proficiency in English is required
• Full professional proficiency in Arabic is desired

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: Beirut l Non-family Duty Station

Start date: 5 June 2022

Salary and other conditions are offered in accordance with DRC’s Terms of Employment for Expatriates staff or DRC National Staff salary scale.

For questions regarding the vacancy please contact Syma Jamil, Country Director Lebanon, at [email protected]. Applications sent by email will not be considered.