Support Services Officer (SSO) – Liberia

Support Services Officer (SSO) – Liberia

TEAM/PROGRAMME: Supply Chain Department / Finance Department

LOCATION: Buchanan, Grand Bassa

Child Safeguarding:

Level 3 – the responsibilities of the post may require the post holder to have regular contact with or access to children or young people

BACKGROUND:

Save the Children, in partnership with Mercy Corps, is implementing the Liberia Empowerment Through Attendance Reading and Nutrition (LEARN) Project in four (4) counties. Save the Children is leading implementation of activities in Grand Gedeh and River Gee, and Mercy Corps is leading implementation of activities in Grand Bassa and River Cess counties.

In Grand Bassa and River Cess, the project has field offices in Buchanan and Yarpah Town respectively, which support field operations in a challenging environment and difficult to reach school communities in both counties, and where LEARN intervention is needed.

ROLE PURPOSE:

The Support Services Officer (SSO) works to ensure that effective, quality and timely support services are provided for LEARN Project activities in Grand Bassa and River Cess counties.

The SSO is responsible and accountable for effective implementation and coordination of the Save the Children LEARN Project functions in the two counties, including administration, finance, supply chain, and safety and security, in regular coordination with Mercy Corps. The SSO achieves these duties and responsibilities with the supervision of the LEARN Deputy Chief of Party (DCOP) Operations and technical line management of LEARN Finance Director and Supply Chain Coordinator.

SCOPE OF ROLE:

Duty Station: Buchanan, Grand Bassa County, and with regular travels to the field

Geographic Coverage: Grand Bassa and River Cess counties

Reports to: Deputy Chief of Party Operations (DCOP – OPS)

Dimensions: Save the Children / LEARN works in four counties in Liberia with a current staff complement of approximately 120 staff.

Staff directly reporting to this post: Save the Children Drivers assigned in Grand Bassa and River Cess counties.

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY:

Supply Chain

Carry out the supply chain tasks supporting programme activities in Grand Bassa and River Cess counties

• Assess bottleneck situations and implement remedies to ensure high efficiency
• Ensure that program team produce their periodic procurement plan, and submit to DCOP-Ops on a timely basis.
• Ensure all procurement activities are in compliance to SCI and Donor Procurement policy.
• Responsible to review the procurement tracker list and provide feedback to program on their supply status
• Upon request, conduct market research and update suppliers list for effective and efficient supplies and recommend changes when relevant.

Fleet and asset management

Ensure proper handling of Save the Children’s vehicles, motorbikes, and assets assigned in Grand Bassa and River Cess counties in the best interest of the organization.

• Ensure the supervision of drivers assigned in the two counties: their filling of log books for all movements, vehicle maintenance request, and performance appraisals

• Manage fuel supplies in the two field offices (for vehicles, motorbikes, and generators): replenishment, storage, delivery to field staff, and reporting; included tom card transactions; mitigate against risk of stock outs and also against fraud activities

• Ensure Drivers and vehicles are available when required

• Upon the workplan of the program team, prepare and update travel/movement board

• Support the administration team in updating the General Equipment Register

• Conduct periodic asset inventory and report status

• Identify and prepare list of asset for disposal

• Ensure that TIM is up to date and all movements fully recorded as per SCI standards

• Ensure a good filing system of all logistics documents

Safety & Security

With the support of the Country Office Safety & Security Focal Point, make practical recommendations to Field Management to mitigate S&S risks and improve program effectiveness, efficiency and internal control

• Ensure that incident report forms are properly filled by staff according to SC policies and procedures
• Support any required security assessments in the two counties, report on findings and recommend necessary improvements
• Provide security update, which includes situational analysis, actions taken and actions recommended, to CO SSFP on a regular basis
• Advise on safe movement of staff, especially in temporary risky context

IT & Communication

Manage IT and communication equipment assigned to vehicles and staff so they are functional at all times and maintained in the inventory system

• Carry out spot-checks on IT and communication equipment and ensure their use comply with SCI policies and procedures in full working order in all sites
• Collect incident reports from staff on IT & communication equipment to report any failure, malfunction, etc. and submit to appropriate colleague or supervisor (IT Officer, SSFP, Supply Chain Coordinator, etc.)

Overall Administration and Others

Manage the colocation with Mercy Corps in the field offices in Grand Bassa and River Cess counties

• Responsible for all requests related to the office buildings and for general daily support of the field implementation (requests, purchase requests, stock release, confirmation of services provided, etc.)
• Contribute to wider achievement of goals for children under the overall context of Save the Children by participating in planning and coordination meetings at the field office level, and be part of FMT
• To carry out the responsibilities of the role in a way to reflect Save the Children’s commitment to safeguarding children in accordance with the Child Safeguarding Policy
• Undertake any other task designated by the line manager or organization

SKILLS AND BEHAVIOURS (our Values in Practice)

Accountability:

• Holds self-accountable for making decisions, managing resources efficiently, achieving and role modelling Save the Children values
• Holds the team and partners accountable to deliver on their responsibilities – giving them the freedom to deliver in the best way they see fit, providing the necessary development to improve performance and applying appropriate consequences when results are not achieved

Ambition:

• Sets ambitious and challenging goals for themselves (and their team), takes responsibility for their own personal development and encourages others to do the same
• Widely shares their personal vision for Save the Children, engages and motivates others
• Future orientated, thinks strategically

Collaboration:

• Builds and maintains effective relationships, with their team, colleagues, members and external partners and supporters
• Values diversity, sees it as a source of competitive strength
• Approachable, good listener, easy to talk to

Creativity:

• Develops and encourages new and innovative solutions
• Willing to take disciplined risks

Integrity:

• Honest, encourages openness and transparency

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

• Experience of working with international or non-governmental organizations.
• Diploma in Business Management with emphasis on logistics and supply chain management or related field, 3year experience in a similar or related job with knowledge and experience of establishing and maintaining basic logistics systems in a reputable organization
• Financial competence in the area of purchase and expenditure
• Preparedness to work long and/or irregular hours as required
• Ability to undertake tasks unsupervised
• Fluency in English, both verbal and written, required
• Commitment to Save the Children values

Child Safeguarding:

We need to keep children safe so our selection process, which includes rigorous background checks, reflects our commitment to the protection of children from abuse.

Health and Safety

The role holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with SCI Health and Safety policies and procedures.

APPLICATION INFORMATION

Applicants are advised that Save the Children International does not require any payment or expense during the entire recruitment process. Any request in this direction should be immediately reported

Please apply in English using a cover letter and up-to-date CV as a single document including details of your current remuneration and salary expectations for this role.

WOMEN ARE STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO APPLY