Finance and Compliance Coordinator – Consortium 41 views0 applications

Position Title

Finance and Compliance Coordinator – Consortium

Supervised by: Chief of Party

Reporting to: Chief of Party

Duty Station: Abuja

Area of Operation: Nigeria

Employment Period: 11 Months (Project based)

Type of Contract (Expat/National/Trainee): Expat

Salary & Benefits: NM – G

Introduction

Danish Refugee Council (DRC) is a Danish international non-governmental organisation, which promotes and supports durable solutions to the problems faced by refugees and internally displaced people all over the world. DRC is present in more than 30 conflict territories around the world assisting displaced people with shelter, food, income-generating activities, and a wide range of other assistance. It is of utmost importance for DRC to work in compliance with the DRC Accountability and Quality Management system and national legislations. Smooth, reliable, and effective operational systems are preconditions for DRC to maintain its position as a trustworthy and reliable partner for our donors and an accountable organization towards our beneficiaries.

Background

Danish Refugee Council (DRC) has had an operational presence in Nigeria since 2015 and has experience working in 33 Local Government Areas (LGAs) across the BAY states and Northwest Nigeria (Sokoto and Zamfara). DRC provides life-saving assistance and protection to vulnerable, conflict-affected populations including IDPs, returnees, and host communities in the sectors of armed violence reduction, livelihoods, nutrition and food security, protection, shelter, and non-food items (NFI) and water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH).

The operational context in northeastern Nigeria remains challenging, as the ongoing conflict impedes conflict-affected communities’ access to what limited basic services are available, as well as DRC and other humanitarians’ access to persons of concern.

Purpose

The Danish Refugee Council (DRC) is currently looking for a Finance Coordinator in Nigeria. Under the supervision of the Support Services Manager (SSM) and in close collaboration with the Country Finance Manager, the Finance Coordinator will provide financial and technical support for proposal development, including consolidation of financial inputs across sectors and offices, ensuring accuracy, compliance, and alignment with donor requirements. The role will also be responsible for uploading and maintaining financial data in DRC Dynamics (DYNs), supporting shared project setup and guidance to colleagues, and ensuring timely and accurate internal financial reporting. This position plays a key role in strengthening financial systems and ensuring readiness for potential consortium project implementation.

Key Responsibilities

Financial Management

• In close cooperation with Consortium Members, reinforce existing procedures and systems for financial management and control in compliance with
• guidelines of DRC, Consortium internal guidelines and donor requirements.
• In collaboration with the COP, lead on Budget Follow Up [BFU] meetings with regards to Consortium budgeting and spending, document, track and cooperate with Consortium Members and grants management team to ensure all actions are implemented.
• Ensure that all appropriate formats related to support services [Finance, supply chain, HR, Admin] for donor and DRC are available across the Consortium and Consortium staff have a clear understanding of donor requirements/expectations.
• Track, document and coordinate response to all necessary follow-up internally and externally for relevant Consortium Members staff.
• Maintain continuity of work operations by documenting and communicating needed actions to management (Consortium Management Unit and Steering Committee)
• Support and lead timely delivery of quality financial reports to donors and internal reports to DRC, Consortium Management Unit and Steering Committee.
• Consolidate all financial and support services data and provide monthly financial briefings to the Chief of Party and Steering Committee
• Build rapport and lead the Operations Working Group comprised of Consortium Finance, Supply Chain, HR, Admin personnel, and timely recommend remedial action on key financial and support services issues for the consortium programme, that need to be addressed for timley and quality including financial reporting, key variances, underspends, delays in logs, recruitments etc. Ensure thorough and effective budgetary control for the consortium programme.
• Initiate Consortium Partners’ instalments, settlements and reports and maintain these in regularly updated bookkeeping in DRC ERP system (DRC Dynamics)

Risk and Compliance

• Develop and maintain up-to-date and in-depth knowledge of donor and government policies, and support implementing DRC Led Consortia teams to ensure full compliance.
• Maintain effective communications with Consortium Members and track the engagement regarding donor-related issues.
• Monitor the compliance aspect of implementation by conducting spot checks and verification visits particularly focusing on timely and qulaity delivery of support services to the field for efficient implementation.
• Work closely with Consortium Members to establish efficiency in integration or time or cost-reduction because of sharing of resources at all levels of implementation such as shared field bases, joint trainings, joint procurement, etc and document this efficiency in regular reports.
• Contribute to the preparation of audits and lead the preparation for local audits
• Provides expert advice and support to set strategy and assure operational quality and compliance
• Support and evaluate areas of compliance risk while feeding into risk registers, and recommend corrective actions
• Work closely with Consortium Members senior personnel and DRC teams to ensure monitoring the performance of risk mitigation, improvement plans and corrective actions.

Partnership and Sub-Granting

• Review and ensure compliance of project agreements, including subgrant-agreements, teaming agreements and memoranda of understanding.
• Maintain an updated consortium calendar and support in organizing Consortium meetings such as kick-off meetings, working group meetings, external relations, mid-term reviews, and closure meetings to ensure that information is shared effectively with relevant staff, including Consortium members.
• Ensure all required documentation for financial audits in cooperation with Consortium Members’ focal points
• Ensure timely reporting and disbursement of funds for all consortium members.

Capacity and Needs Assessments and Partnership Management

• Input into in-depth capacity assessment tools related to support systems, including finance, supply chain, finance, administration, HR
• Support partner OCA/OCD processes for NGOs including local authority liaisons as needed
• Manage positive and productive relations with NGOs and other collaborators across the consortium
• Establish and maintain productive links between the Consortium and and with DRC Program teams and Support departments

Accountability and Reporting

• Guided by the DRC Programme Handbook, and BHA guidelines, continuously monitor and develop relevant accountability initiatives as well as strengthening the effort to document the impact and lessons learned of activities
• Ensure compliance with internal and external reporting requirements including procurement
• Provide input for monthly, quarterly and annual donor reports as needed
• Contribute to the improvement of partnership practices by periodically participating in partnership management approach considering both DRC and partners’ perspectives, capture lessons learned and best practices, and make recommendations for improvement.

People Management

• Ability to deliver concrete results in an environment where you don’t line-manage teams. Therefore, position requires a high level of organization, diplomacy and negotiation skills, while being firm on producing results
• Provide on the job training as much as required and adapt trainings/coaching to specific staff needs within the partnerships team
• Carry out other tasks as assigned by the Chief of Party

Required Qualifications

Experience and technical competencies:

• Minimum 5 years of international practical experience in financial management is required
• Proven experience in managing large budgets is required
• Additional experience managing other support services in the field [Logs/supply chain, HR and admin] is required
• Proven experience managing risks and compliance issues.
• Competence in providing technical guidance and training
• Proven experience in working with national partners, local/government authorities
• Working experience with relevant donors’ guidelines such as US-funding (USAID, BHA)
• Experience with using ERP systems and ability to understand their architecture. Knowledge of Microsoft Dynamics 365 is a big advantage

Note: This job description is not an exhaustive list of the skill, effort, duties, and responsibilities associated with the position

Education and Skills:

• Degree in finance, accounting, economics, international development, logistics, Business Administration or other relevant field experience is an asset
• Strong organization and planning skills, with excellent attention to detail.
• Broad understanding of donor rules and regulations – BHA
• Expertise with non-profit budgeting is required.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
• Skilled in obtaining information necessary to accomplish duties.
• Able to meet deadlines while managing and prioritizing competing demands.
• Problem analysis and solutions-oriented way of working.
• Able to quickly research, learn and disseminate new knowledge and information.
• Able to communicate clearly and in a timely manner.

Able to adapt quickly, with an openness to learn and ask questions.

Required Skills & Qualities

• Core Competencies of DRC:
  • Striving for excellence
  • Collaboration
  • Taking the lead
  • Communication
  • Demonstrating Integrity
• Ability to work in a multinational and multicultural environment
• Proactivity, with a sound commitment to teamwork and with a spirit of genuine collaboration
• Excellent communication skills, as well as patience and politeness, are required
• Multi-tasking and Organizational skills is a must
• Adaptable and Flexible
• Proven analytical and critical thinking skills
• Exemplary sense of ethics in the workplace

Key stakeholders:

• Consortium Members’ focal Points, Particularly the Operations WG.
• Consortia Management Unit
• Chief of Party
• Donors (BHA)

Steering Committee

Languages:

Fluency in written and spoken English