Support Services Team Leader

Danish Refugee Council is currently looking for a highly qualified Support Services Team Leader to be based in Krakow, Poland with frequent visits to field locations.

The Danish Refugee Council (DRC) is a leading protection agency whose mandate is to promote and protect durable solutions to conflict and displacement-affected populations on the basis of humanitarian principles and human rights. DRC is implementing a multi-sector response to support Ukraine refugees, IDPs, and host populations both within Ukraine and in the neighbouring countries of Poland, Romania and Moldova and wider Europe. DRC has been operating in Ukraine since 2014, following previous operations in the 1990’s and between 2007-2013. Over the years, DRC successfully maintained its presence in the government-controlled areas (GCA) and adapted its programmes to provide early recovery and durable solutions to people affected by the conflict including IDPs and communities living along the contact line, as well as reduce the threats of explosive ordnance with a growing humanitarian mine action programme. Due to the ongoing conflict that began in Feb 22, DRC opened offices in Poland, Moldova and Romania to provide support to displaced populations through a partnership with civil society organizations and national NGOs, duty bearers, and other actors. DRC continues to implement in these three countries through partnerships, technical assistance and capacity exchange, and direct implementation in some cases.

About the job:

The Support Services Team Leader provides coordinated and strategic leadership for support functions at the base level (procurement, logistics, administration and HR). They are responsible to ensure the smooth running of support functions to meet the programme needs in the area of responsibility in line with the DRC Operations Handbook. The successful candidate will be responsible for assisting with financial and procurement planning, recruitment of staff and general administration. The role pertains to the area of intervention covering Krakow, Rzeszów, Przemyśl and Wrocław (and additional as required), with frequent visits to field locations.

Responsibilities:

Management

• Point of contact with regard to all support functions and management of direct reports (Finance and Support Services officers, Procurement Assistant). This includes objective setting, probation, performance appraisal, development of staff, performance management etc.
• Provide technical guidance and input on support requirements for potential strategies for the Krakow base.

Planning and strategy

• Support the Base Manager with opening the new base in Krakow and establishing the field presence in Rzeszów and Przemyśl.
• Assist with the annual planning for support services of the base including an appropriate budget allocation to projects, and procurement planning.

Logistics and procurement

• Oversee procurement strategy and ensure compliance with DRC and donor guidelines.
• Management of premises, including upgrade/alteration if required, furnishing, and connection of utilities as per need.
• Support with staff movement, site visits, etc. including through rental of local suppliers.
• Assess the need for a warehouse and a limited contingency stock (or potential alternatives).
• Closely follow department KPIs and ensure that monthly report submissions are timely and of high quality.
• Ensure that all documentation is archived using the DRC file naming convention.

Finance

• Primary budget holder for all support service lines (responsible for budget monitoring and forecasting for support service budgets) and secondary budget holder for all project lines.
• Ensure that monthly finance tasks (payroll, SOS, PIT, cashbooks and cash forecasts, ad hoc reports) are completed in a timely manner.
• Ensure that key annual finance tasks are completed (annual reports, audit etc.).
• Ensure that thorough and effective budgetary control is in place for accountability and donor compliance in all financial documentation.

HR support

• Ensure that quarterly tasks are completed on time (such as staff induction, Code of Conduct training and leave planning).
• Ensure that annual HR tasks are completed as per the Operations Handbook (e.g., Performance & Development Reviews).
• Assist Warsaw Office HR Team with recruitment, contract renewal/ amendments, timesheet submission and leave tracking.

Administrative support

• Support in the identification of suitable available office premises and their registration with local/national authorities.
• Liaise with property agents/local authorities with regard to payment of administrative fees and obtaining relevant legal documentation.
• Oversee the team to ensure follow-up on routine tasks are carried out (guesthouse contracts, supplies, visa applications, phone credit purchase, utility bill payments, rental and lease agreements).

About you

To be successful in this role we expect you to have at least 3 years of experience at a similar level. Moreover, we expect the following:

• A University level degree in a relevant subject or relevant technical qualification
• Sound knowledge of cost planning, budgeting, and financial reporting
• Experience in management of HR and administrative teams
• Good knowledge of supply chain and procurement processes
• Full professional proficiency in English.
• Knowledge of Polish/Ukrainian language is 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: till December 31st 2023 (with the possibility of extension based on funding)

Band: G Management

Duty station: Krakow with frequent travels to field locations (Wrocław, Rzeszów, Przemyśl and as required)

Start date: February 1st, 2023

We offer competitive salary and benefits in accordance with the Danish Refugee Council’s Terms of Employment for national staff.