Head of Finance

Introduction

The Danish Refugee Council assists refugees and internally displaced persons across the globe: we provide emergency aid, fight for their rights, and strengthen their opportunity for a brighter future. We work in conflict-affected areas, along the displacement routes, and in the countries where refugees settle. In cooperation with local communities, we strive for responsible and sustainable solutions. We work toward successful integration and – whenever possible – for the fulfillment of the wish to return home.

The Danish Refugee Council was founded in Denmark in 1956 and has since grown to become an international humanitarian organization with more than 7,000 staff and 8,000 volunteers. Based in Copenhagen (Denmark) and present in forty countries, the Danish Refugee Council is a non-profitmaking, politically independent, non-governmental and non-denominational relief organization.

Our vision is a dignified life for all displaced. All our efforts are based on our value compass: humanity, respect, independence and neutrality, participation, and honesty and transparency.

Background

DRC has been operating in West Africa since 1998 and in Latin America and the Caribbean since 2011. The DRC West-North Africa & Latin America (WANALAC) Regional Office is based in Dakar, Senegal, and covers several countries. Led by the Regional Executive Director, the DRC WANALAC oversees, supports, and provides strategic directions for DRC’s Country Offices within the above-mentioned regions. From May 2022, it will include Algeria*, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Colombia, Libya*, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Tunisia*, Venezuela.

Purpose

The DRC WANALAC is looking to recruit an experienced, highly qualified, and enthusiastic professional. The DRC WARO has been designated to be the fund manager for the Sahel Regional Fund (hereafter: SRF), which is a strategic regional fund. To ensure the sound financial management of the entire grant and support functions for the Fund management needs, the DRC WANALAC is looking for a SRF Head of Finance & support services.

The Head of Finance & support services will be based in Dakar with frequent travel required (25%). This position is a senior one, requiring a strong previous experience in developing project financial framework. This position also requires a full professional proficiency in French language.

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the authority of the Fund Managing Director, and in close coordination with the DRC Regional Support Services, the SRF Head of Finance and support services will provides coordinated and strategic leadership for all support functions and ensures the smooth running of all support functions to meet the fund management needs in line with DRC and the donor’s requirements.

The main responsibilities and tasks of the Head of Finance & support services are the following :

Supervise the financial reporting from the FMU and the partners.

• Ensure the FMU quarterly financial reports are handed out in due time to the donor.
• Liaise with the Lead partners to ensure the consortia quarterly financial reports are handed on time to the FMU.
• Review and control the consortia reports before handing them to the donor.
• Supervise the control and the checks of the supporting documents for the partner’s financial reports.
• Prepare specific financial reports for the board meetings and provide feedback to all their related financial enquiries.

Supervise all the Funds movement of the SRF

• Ensure that monthly finance tasks are completed (payroll, SOS, PIT, cashbooks and cash forecasts) and in line with Operations Handbook procedures in coordination with DRC regional office.
• Review all the Payment request from the partners before they are handed out to the donor.
• Supervise the reimbursement request from the FMU to the donor.
• Transfer the required and approved funds to the Lead partners.
• Control the transfer between the lead and the implementing partners.

Management of the FMU financial team

• Supervise a team of 3 financial assistants.
• Organize the appraisals, schedules, and workload of the financial team.
• Liaise with the regional office for the payment of salaries of the FMU team.

Participate in the vetting of the Lead Partner candidates

Following call for proposals, a process of due diligence will be organized by the Startup phase team on the different Lead partner’s candidates. The Head of Finance & support services will oversee all the finance and procurement related matter.

Ensure the good implementation of the Audit and Financial handbook policies

• Organize the training and refresher on the audit and financial Handbook for the partners, including during the kickoff meeting.
• Capitalize the necessary updates of the audit and financial Handbook and request its approval by the board.
• Strengthen, further develop, and ensure implementation of the SRF Operation Framework.
• Closely follow SRF department and SRF grantee Key Performance Indicators (KPI) and ensure that monthly report submissions are timely and of high quality.

Management of the FMU office and support needs

• Primary budget holder for all support service lines.
• Responsible for budget monitoring and forecasting for support service budgets.
• Ensure that key annual finance tasks are completed (such as the annual reports) in coordination with the DRC WANALAC regional office
• Supervise the identification and installation of a dedicated FMU office
• In line with the dedicated FMU budget, liaise with the DRC WANALAC logistic department for the purchase of the necessary equipment and furniture.
• Deal with all the administrative issues related to the specific FMU office (phone credit purchase, utilities bill payments, rental and lease agreements, IT needs, etc.) in coordination with DRC WANALAC office.
• Ensure that ad hoc, quarterly and annual HR tasks are completed on time as per the Operations Handbook (such as recruitment, staff induction, Code of Conduct training and leave planning/tracking, recruitment, contract renewal/ amendments, timesheet submission, expat taxation, visa application/work permit, Performance & Development Reviews) in coordination with regional HR department where relevant.

Grant management system

Lead application process and ensure compliance regarding (no-)cost extensions, amendments, top ups, reallocations requested by SRF grantees.

Ensure the completion of the annual and final audit

• Prepare the TOR for the FMU audit and organize the selection process of the audit firm.
• Review the Audit TOR prepared by the lead partners.

In addition to the above, the Head of Finance & support services may be asked to carry out other duties requested by the Fund Managing Director.

Required Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years of senior professional experience in finance control, financial management and support services roles with at least 3 years of experience in a similar role in an international NGO on the field;
• Diploma degree/University degree (Master) in International Development, Economics, Political Science/ Public Affairs, Business Administration or Management, or another relevant field is required;
• At least one successful experience in managing the logistic department in an International organization.
• Proven leadership skills and a competence in people management;
• At least 3 years’ experience with people management
• Significant experience of grant management and understanding of institutional fund-raising;
• Proven significant financial management experience;
• Full professional fluency in French language (80% of the professional communication in this position will be done in French, including almost all the communication within the WARO);
• Proficiency (written and spoken of the English language);
• Excellent Computer Skills (MS Office, Internet) and an advanced proficiency in Excel are required.