Systems Director – Chad

System Director Chad

About the role

This is a 12 or 24 months (negotiable), new role with unaccompanied terms based in N’Djamena, Tchad with up to 25% of the time scheduled and spent in the programmes areas (Goz Beida, Bagasola), with a salary Grade 5 €48,648 – €54,059.

You will report to the Country Director and will line manage the Admin and HR Manager, the Logistics Officer, the Storekeeper and will technically support the Base Manager in Goz Beida and in Bagasola. You will liaise with the Programmes Director, Area Coordinator, the Emergency Response Program Manager, Country Finance Manager, other key staff and the Dublin-based Regional Logistics Advisor and HR Advisor.

We would like you to start as soon as possible.

Your purpose: As a member of Concern Chad’s Senior Management Team (SMT), the Systems Director (SD) will support the effective and efficient delivery of Concern’s programmes by managing and developing the support systems (Administration, HR, Logistics, IT, Assets) whilst following Concern Worldwide and donor policies and standards. This includes ensuring appropriate strategic direction for systems and operational responsibility for security management.

Concern has been operating in Chad since 2007 and, following an initial response to the refugee crisis in the East, has further developed its presence in the country over the past decade, delivering strong integrated programming and working on the humanitarian-development nexus. Concern is widely recognized in Chad as one of the main actors for resilience programming, having spearheaded the Irish Aid-funded Community Resilience to Acute Malnutrition model and delivered successfully on the UK Aid-funded “Building Resilience and Adaptation to Climate Extremes and Disasters (BRACED)” programme. Concern Worldwide is the Consortium Lead of a Phase 2 of the multi-year EU and AFD funded “Programme de Développement Inclusif des Zones d’Accueil au Tchad” (DIZA II), which will be, among others, a logistical challenge with the opening a new sub-area in 2023. In the east, Concern is also starting a new 5-year Irish Aid programme on Green Graduation. In the Lake Region, Concern is scaling-up its humanitarian intervention in favor of displaced and vulnerable communities affected by the Lake Chad Basin crisis and is implementing projects funded by ECHO and Irish Aid, to improve Health, WASH and Food Security in the area.

Within this dynamic working environment, expanding team and increased portfolio of programmes and donors, you will be responsible for:

Systems management

• Reviewing procedures in all locations with regular monitoring and support visits (up to 25% of the time in the field) to ensure standard policies are adhered to;
• Carrying out logistics, admin and security assessments for all new programmes and establishing systems for new locations and interventions;
• Managing information systems to monitor and report on the effectiveness and efficiency of Admin, HR, IT, transport and logistics departments;
• Reviewing of all external contracts to ensure consistency, clarity and minimize liability for Concern.
• Ensuring overall compliance with Concern’s global standards, procedures and policies;
• Leading on development and implementation of environmental standards and practices across Concern operations in Chad.

Logistics management (Procurement, Stock & Fleet)

• Offer technical guidance and support to Logistics Officers, storekeepers, and Base Manager, training, supporting and checking personnel involved in logistics;
• Ensuring efficient procurement of goods and services in a transparent and accountable manner, ensuring value for money for the organisation and justifiable use of donor funds;
• Preparing and overseeing an annual procurement plan for each programme, establishing and maintaining a Pre-Qualified Suppliers list, leading on tendering, contracting and international procurement;
• Ensuring that all procedures and controls are in place for warehouse management;
• Ensuring up-stream stock moves through the supply chain effectively. Review and refine stock control and reporting as required;
• Ensuring a clear, well-documented paper trail in systems files;
• Ensuring cost effective maintenance and utilisation of fleet vehicles;
• Ensuring accurate and timely transport reports and any recommendations to SMT;
• Assessing the transport requirements of the country programme on a regular basis and ensuring appropriate solutions are implemented;
• Ensuring fuel management practices and procedures are tightly controlled and regularly reviewed;

Management and HR

• Line managing the HR Manager, Logistics Officer, IT officer, Storekeeper;
• Ensuring Concern Chad is fully compliant with national employment legislation and requirements as well as Concern’s global HR policies and procedures;
• Ensuring the national staff HR manual and all associated documents are up-to-date and are shared with all staff. Ensuring they understand and are trained on Concern’s policies and Safeguarding mechanisms, and ensuring that mechanisms to report and reduce potential for abuse are functioning effectively;
• Overseeing grievance and disciplinary procedures;
• Leading the implementation of a national HR system. Overseeing the logistics arrangements for visitors;
• Leading salary and benefit review processes and ensuring results are analysed and shared with SMT and other staff as appropriate;
• Overseeing the management the Health Insurance provision for National Staff;
• Promoting a gender balance at all levels in the workforce;
• Agreeing on HR targets with SMT for recruitment and ensuring these are met;
• Ensuring an effective performance development review (PDR) system is in place and ongoing training is provided to line managers and staff;
• Identifying strategic training needs;
• Ensuring each systems team member understands what is expected of them;
• Monitoring and reviewing team performance; giving corrective feedback where required and taking decisive action in the case of poor performance;
• Ensuring the systems function is meeting its commitments to providing a safe working environment.

Asset management

• Developing a multi-year plan for asset replacement (fleet and IT);
• Managing the fixed asset register and ensuring all assets are managed and accounted for in line with Concern and donor policies;
• Ensuring timely and routine disposal of assets, equipment and furniture to ensure maximum economic return;
• Ensuring national and international environmental standards are adhered to during disposal;

Facilities management & Administration

• Ensuring adequate supplies, staffing and support systems are in place for all Concern’s premises;
• Ensuring leases for premises are actively managed and contracts assessed;
• Ensuring all issues related to government authorisations are managed proactively;
• Ensure all offices, guest houses and international staff residences meet security, health and safety standards.

Security Management

• Acting as Security Focal Point for Concern Worldwide Chad and liaise with Security Focal Points from each field office and with other INGOs;
• Supporting Security Focal Groups in each location and ensure they have the knowledge and information to operate successfully;
• Reviewing and updating of the Concern Worldwide Security Management Plan;
• Ensuring all new staff and visitors receive thorough security briefings;
• Inform regularly and support the CD to analyse the security policies and situation and take decisions;

Information Technology

• Ensuring Concern’s IT policy and procedures are understood and adhered to by all staff;
• Ensuring provision of effective support systems, enabling the smooth operation of IT systems and management of information (including the servers, encryption, backup and protection mechanisms);
• Ensuring that all HF, VHF and other communications equipment is operational, used in line with communications policy and that requisite training is provided to staff on usage protocols;
• Liaise with Dublin IT support and the Regional IT Advisor in relation to IT maintenance and IT equipment and management;
• Developing staff IT capacity, skills and confidence in using common software packages.

Budget management

• Identifying and implementing potential savings and making recommendations to SMT;
• Preparing administration and transport and national salary budgets and track related expenditure; Proactive identification of issues for discussion with budget holders and SMT;
• Costing systems requirements for funding applications;
• Identifying all donor-specific system requirements to ensure compliance.

Accountability

• Promote and ensure compliance with the Core Humanitarian Standard (CHS) commitments and quality criteria
• Ensure that all staff are familiar with the principles underpinning accountability, safeguarding and Concern’s Complaints and Response Mechanism (CRM) and ensure that information about Concern’s commitments on accountability and safeguarding are disseminated among programme participants and communities
• Ensure that the CRM is functional, effectively implemented and accessible in all programmes’ locations, enabling safe reporting of both programmatic and sensitive complaints, including safeguarding concerns
• Ensure that complaints are welcomed, managed and responded to in a timely, fair and appropriate manner; ensure that sensitive complaints, including safeguarding concerns, are handled with utmost confidentiality and that the safety of the complainants and those affected is prioritised at all stages.

Your skills and experience will include:

• Relevant graduate qualification
• Five years’ experience in a systems/operations position with an international NGO, with two years at a senior level, and at least 2 two years experience working abroad
• Fluent French and English (written and spoken).
• Management of diverse and multi-operational teams, including the ability to lead and motivate others
• Strong training and mentoring skills.
• Previous work in a similar context
• Management of a diverse team of senior staff
• Working with major international donors and grants compliance requirements.
• specialist knowledge and experience in one area of systems
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills and an ability to motivate others
• Delegation, time management and prioritizing skills
• Computer literate and good knowledge of Word and Excel.
• Empathy with Concern’s mission, vision and goals, and our target group
• Proven experience in resource planning & budget management
• Experience in Tendering & contract management

We would also like:

• You to be flexible, reliable and proactive
• You to be culturally sensitive and empathic to others
• You to be able to work under pressure and to strict deadlines;
• You to have some sense of humour;
• You to travel frequently to rural field locations and spend periods of time away from the capital in fairly basic conditions;
• A ‘can do’ attitude.