Regional Finance ERP Specialist W/F

      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-profit-making, 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.

     1 - Background

DRC has been operating in West Africa since 1998. The DRC West Africa Regional Office (hereafter: WARO) is based in Dakar, Senegal, and covers six countries outside of Senegal. Led by the Regional Director, the DRC WARO oversees, supports and provides strategic directions for DRC’s Country Offices within the region, which currently includes Mali, Burkina Faso, the Niger, Nigeria, Cameroon and the Central African Republic.

     2 - Purpose

The DRC WARO is looking to recruit an experienced, highly-qualified and enthusiastic professional to provide overall advice, coordination, and technical support to the Finance teams in the West Africa Region, while ensuring compliance with the finance chapters of DRC’s Operations Handbook.

The Regional Finance ERP Specialist will be based in Dakar but will have to travel extensively through the West Africa Region, in the six countries mentioned above. Travels can represent around 50% of the working time per month. 

This position is a senior one, requiring a strong previous experience in finance and an expertise in ERP system, especially the one used by DRC (DRC Dynamics). This position also requires strong pedagogic skills in order to strengthen our Country Offices capacities. This position also requires a full professional proficiency in French language.

      3 - Duties and Responsibilities

Under the authority of the Regional Head of Support services, and being supervised daily by the Regional Finance Coordinator, the Regional Finance ERP Specialist is a strategic investment by DRC to reinforce the Country Offices capacities in order to meet DRC’s requirements for the Finance Management, the Accounting, the Cost Control and the Grant Management. This includes, of course, the mainstreaming and mastering of the ERP system used by DRC, called “DRC Dynamics”. In additional to this role, the Regional Finance ERP Specialist should also contribute overseeing the financial follow-up and accounting work done and/or treated at the WARO.

The main responsibilities and tasks of the Regional Finance ERP Specialist are the following:

• Support for the use of the ERP System (DRC Dynamics)
  • To support (technically but also directly) the development and implementation of financial management capacity building of among the staff members of the Finance teams in the Country Offices of the West Africa Region;
  • To facilitate a coherent and comprehensive alignment of the schedule, scope, requirements, pre-requisites, risks and goals of the ERP Programme among managers at country/regional level;
  • To apply reports and data analytics from DRC Dynamics to improve overall performance;
  • To provide leadership and assistance for the WARO and the Country Offices in identifying ERP implementation issues;
  • To establish the work plan and determine priorities, timelines, targets, goals and performance measurements to facilitate monitoring and oversight to ensure the delivery of results on time and according to goals and objectives;
  • To develop the strategy and implementation plans for ERP project management and operations and continually refine/update to meet evolving needs and priorities;
  • To be the link between the HQ, the WARO and the Country Offices on all issues related to access to system, getting login rights for new staff members;
  • To be responsible for follow-up on major bugs in the system;
  • To set up and maintain a reporting, communication and meeting structure with country/regional management which ensures that the communication and change management activities of the ERP Programme is presented to country/regional management;
  • To work closely with the Senior Management Team to develop a communication plan in country on ERP;
  • To provide regular updates to Country Directors and the Senior Management Team on status of ERP implementation;
  • To identify and report challenges or areas that require decision on ERP implementation with RD/RHOSS;
  • To liaise with the Head of Support Services for licenses with the WARO and HQ;
  • To work efficiently and in good collaboration with the others ERP Specialist(s) and with the others Support Services at the WARO, especially in terms of information-sharing;
  • To visit regularly the countries covered by the WARO and to provide technical guidance to the Finance Managers and Finance Coordinators in the countries covered by the WARO.

• Financial Manager
  • To reinforce existing procedures and systems for financial management and control in compliance with guidelines of DRC’s Operations Handbook, internal guidelines and donor requirements;
  • To support the timely delivery of high-quality financial reports to donors and internal reports to colleagues and HQ
  • To participate in the work ensuring an effective budgetary control in the WARO programmes;
  • To ensure the presence and compliance of the required supporting documentation for financial audits, in cooperation with the WARO colleagues and the HQ;
  • To support for local audits (under the supervision of the Regional Finance Coordinator);
  • To contribute, if requested, to the development of proposals with regards to budgeting in cooperation with managers.

• Capacity-Building
  • To train the staff at the WARO about the DRC procedures and the use of the ERP System;
  • To advise on and promote understanding and application of DRC policies, procedures and principles.

In addition to the above, the Regional Finance ERP Specialist may be asked to carry out other duties requested by the Regional Head of Support Services or the Regional Director.  

      4 - Required Qualifications

• Minimum 3 years of senior leadership experience in operations management roles with at least 1 year of experience in a similar role in an international NGO;
• Diploma degree/University degree (Master) in International Development, Economics, Political Science/ Public Affairs, Business Administration or Management, or another relevant field is required;
• Proven leadership skills and a competence in people management;
• Proven operational management experience and capability;
• Significant experience of grant management and understanding of institutional fund-raising;
• Proven significant financial management experience;
• Significant experience in procurement and tender processes;
• Excellent communication, interpersonal and influencing skills with a well-developed ability to motivate and persuade at high levels;
• 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;
• Understanding of the different contexts of the West Africa Region;
• Excellent Computer Skills (MS Office, Internet) and an advanced proficiency in Excel are required.

However, applicants must be aware that DRC cannot employ, under an expatriate contract, a citizen of the country in which she/ he is going to be stationed (in such case, the Republic of Senegal).

      5 - 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
• Team-oriented & good sense of humor

      6 - General Regulations

• The employee shall follow DRC instructions on safety, confidentiality and ethical guidelines, including the Code of Conduct and the Humanitarian Accountability Framework
• Employee should not engage in any other paid activity during the DRC contract period without prior authorization
• Employee should not engage in any activity that could harm DRC or the implementation of any project during the DRC contract period
• Employee should not give interviews to the media or publish project-related photos or other material without prior authorization
• Employee shall return all borrowed equipment for the project to DRC after the end of the contract period or upon request

      7 - Application Process

Are you interested? Then apply for this position on line: www.drc.dk/about-drc/vacancies/current-vacancies. All applicants must send a cover letter and an updated CV (no longer than four pages). Both must be in English.

DRC provides equal opportunity in employment and prohibits discrimination in employment on the basis of race, sex, color, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status or disability.

DRC encourages all applicants to apply and does not practice any discrimination in any recruitment process.

Applications close on the 17th of July, 2020. Applications submitted after this date will not be considered. 

Due to the urgency of the position, DRC has the right to recruit a candidate who matches the required profile before the above deadline.