Interim Head of Office – DRC 65 views0 applications

Position Summary

The position will be responsible for all aspects of programmatic, financial and administrative coordination of the office and various programs. Principle tasks will be to oversee the entire Provincial portfolio, determine appropriate implementing mechanisms to achieve projects’ strategic goals, serve as the primary program liaison for donors, partners, and stakeholders in the province, oversee provincial-level planning and budgeting, and reporting/evaluations, ensuring compliance with management and financial procedures.

Key Responsibilities

Key Area 1: Program implementation

The Interim Head of Office will ensure operational efficiency within budget constraints and coordinate the operations

• Providing leadership and oversight to program staff in charge of implementing programs in line with the “Common Ground Approach”;
• Overseeing the staff for preparation of periodic and technical reports and ensure that 100% of internal and external reports are available 7 days before the deadline;
• Ensuring that activities are planned and implemented according to the terms of the Project documents and in accordance with internal policy;
• Ensuring that projects are initiated and closed in accordance with established policies and procedures;
• Ensuring that monthly budget monitoring and analysis meetings are conducted between Finance and the Program (BVA) within the required timeframe (between the 10th and 15th of each month);
• Proactively and rapidly address any delays in implementation involving all relevant internal and external stakeholders to identify applicable solutions;

Key Area 2: Compliance

Ensuring compliance and quality of the program implementation with internal and donors policies and guidelines

• Ensuring staff understand and apply the various policies and procedures of Search (Security, Finance, Administration, IT, Logistics);
• Ensuring compliance of 100% of incurred expenses;
• Ensuring updates of progress with the leadership team and with staff;

Key Area 3: Program quality

Demonstrating the impact of our interventions at all levels; increasing the level of trust with the various stakeholders in our interventions, to ensure efficiency and to generate interest around our work

• Ensuring preparation of narrative and financial reports for each Project for submission to donors within deadlines;
• Ensuring that each project has annual, quarterly and monthly work plans and financial projections and that these are adhered to;
• Ensuring that Project activities are implemented as planned and in a timely manner;
• Maintaining ongoing and collaborative relations with consortia partners as well as various other project stakeholders;
• Ensuring good collaboration and coordination between the program and the technical support services;
• Participating in relevant meetings as well as forums organized at the Province level;

Key Area 4: Donor and stakeholders relations

Strengthen existing relationships with donors, build new relationships

• Facilitating Project design sessions with field teams in reference to Search Strategic Objectives;
• Ensuring Search’s participation in relevant forums and meetings, including clusters, as assigned by the County Director;
• Representing SFCG Goma office to government authorities, donors and others as assigned by the country director and as related to the Goma and Kinshasa programs;

Key area 5: Fundraising and program development

Strengthen current relations with donors, build news relationships

• Contributing creative ideas for Program development and develop technical and financial proposals to local and international donors
• Contributing actively to the development of proposals in relation with the Country director, regional and HQ team;
• Liaising with local staff for their inputs for proposals;

Key area 6: Management

Manage the staff in the office (including administrative/support staff) and overview of the Finance

• Supervising monthly financial reports according to SFCG procedures;
• Controlling spending and operational costs in line with available budget, through regular monitoring of operational budget in consultation with the Finance Director and head of office finance;
• Participate in the Senior Management Team meetings, and contribute actively to management decision-making and roll out;
• Apply any SMT decisions within the Goma and Kinshasa programs;
• Organize annual staff review and planning retreat for the Goma and Kinshasa programs, feeding into the country-level planning process;
• Manage staff performance, ensuring clear accountabilities and measurable objectives;
• Ensuring close monitoring of the political and security environment and adapting the security plan accordingly.

As job descriptions cannot be exhaustive, the position holder may be required to undertake other duties that are broadly in line with the above key responsibilities.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s Degree in a related field

Experience

• At least five (5) years of work experience, preferably in conflict sensitivity, protection, development, or communications

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:

• Very strong background in budget management, accounting and financial reporting.
• At least five (5) years experience managing a team of local staff in a conflict zone, preferably in Africa
• Cross-cultural experience and sensitivity, and experience living and working in developing countries
• Experience living and working in unstable environments
• Excellent coordination, communication and networking skills
• Strong report writing, fundraising and proposal writing skills.
• Ability to work with people at all levels, ranging from high-level officials to community leaders
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, especially Microsoft Excel
• Professional-level competency in both French and English, both orally and in writing.
• Ability to prioritize and meet deadlines.
• Willingness to regularly travel on short notice around the country