Regional Head of Support Services

Danish Refugee Council, one of the world’s leading humanitarian NGOs, is currently looking for a highly qualified Regional Head of Support Services to join its operations in the regional office in Kenya.

About the job
Your main duties and responsibilities will be:

Strategy leadership and policy alignment

• Participate to the development and implementation of a regional strategy (covering all the support functions) that will ensure that regional and country staff adhere to plans and monitor results against expected outcomes and indicators.
• Take a coordinating role to ensure that the rollout and implementation of Dynamics, tools and policies is successful throughout the region.
• Contribute actively and provide support for annual planning and review processes
• Liaise with relevant units in DRC HQ for coordination, roll-out of global policies and guidelines and HQ support when needed.
• Facilitate interaction and cooperation between RO/CO across support functions, by proactively looking for common and agreed ways of working, agreed standards and approaches.

Financial Management

• Responsible for establishing the regional budget to be signed off by EDR and review the totality of the country incomes in cooperation with ODR.
• Responsible for monitoring financial performance across the region based upon CO master budgets
• Support and ensure regular follow up on regional finance, budget, and spending.
• Provide the EDR with monthly/quarterly Regional Financial indicators and reports.
• Make sure that all countries regularly update their master budget.

Compliance and risk management

• Engage with country programs to ensure that the Supply Chain, human resources, IT and administration management fulfils the highest standards of accountability.
• Conduct regular controls to ensure that the necessary systems and resources are in place to minimize and investigate fraud and misconduct.
• Focal point for follow up on the recommendations from internal audits, external audits, donor audits and other compliance reports. If necessary, the RHOSS will provide additional guidance, support and/or training to the country offices.
• Ensure that all administrative and legal-related systems are accurate and maintained
• Develop a risk management plan for the country that identifies the major financial and other support related risks and implement a mitigation strategy

Human Resources

• Quality Assurance in the countries of the region which means:
  • Accountable for rightsizing HR functions in the countries that can be in the form of substitution by the regional HR team
  • Follow-up on the roll out of HR global initiatives
  • Accountable for the localization of HR global policies with all HR service areas
  • Compliance Monitoring of localized policies within all HR service areas
  • Ensure aligned budget with the people related policies
  • Ensure Regional onboarding
  • Prepare and implement Succession planning
  • Enable and advocate DRC Voices when HR in region provide DRC Voices training
  • People Management Training

Supply Chain

• Accountable for technical support (capacity building, expert advice, compliance monitoring and substitution) to the CO on all supply chain matters in accordance with RASCI
• Review and approve Purchase Orders (within given authority) raised by regional supply chain staff for the support of regional office operations
• Accountable for implementing supply chain policies and SOPs in the regional and country offices.
• Oversee the collection and reporting regional and country SC KPIs to HQ

IT

• The regional HoSS is accountable for IT solutions, strategy, services, and end user support across all countries and sites within the region.
• The regional HoSS can delegate the responsibility for IT to a regional IT responsible or IT manager.
• If no mandated regional IT responsible or manager is assigned, then the RHoSS must represent the region in global IT management and act as technical line manager for all IT staff in region and countries.

People Management

• Lead and manage HR, Finance, IT, Supply chain and administration regional teams (including people planning, performance, well-being and development
• Participate in recruitment of HOSS in COs and contribute to their performance appraisals

Others

• Support the EDR and the Senior Management Team in liaising with donors and authorities, especially as relates to issues of compliance, registration, and audit.
• Ensure that DRC retains and continually develops its operational capacity to provide rapid emergency response in particular within its procurement and transport systems

About You
To be successful in this role we expect the following:

• At least 7 years’ experience in relevant field
• At least 4 years’ experience with People Management
• Master’s degree in political science, international development, economics or other relevant field
• Experience in a similar role in an international NGO
• Proven leadership skills and a competence in people management
• Proven operational management experience and capability, including in conflict areas
• Proven significant financial, information and systems management experience
• Significant experience in procurement and tender processes
• Understanding and experience of institutional fundraising
• Understanding of the countries in which DRC operates and sensitive to the cultural context
• Experience working in an ERP system, including supply chain, finance and HR systems
• Proficiency in English language
• French language skills an advantage

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: Family Duty Station

Start date: December 2022

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