Support Services Senior Officer

The Opportunity – Support Services Senior Officer

Contract Duration: 24 months

Contract type: National

As a member of the Gaza Local Management Team (GLMT), the Support Services Senior Officer shares in the overall responsibility for the day to day direction and coordination of the Gaza Field Office. The Post holder in his/her capacity will be accountable to the Field Manager with technical accountability to the Support Services Director for overseeing the support functions – finance, IT, and administration services and co-accountable with other senior field staff for risk management –in both emergencies and development programming contexts

In order to be successful you will bring/have:

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY :

As a member of the Gaza Local Management Team (Field Office), contribute to:

• Leadership of the Gaza Field Office
• Support the development of an organisational culture that reflects our full spectrum mandate values, promotes accountability and high performance, encourages a team culture of learning, creativity and innovation, and frees up our people to deliver outstanding results for children and excellent customer service for our members and donors
• Ensure Gaza Field Office complies with all Save the Children’s Quality Framework Essential Standards and Standard Operating Procedures
• Ensure that all required support is provided promptly, at scale and in line with the rules and principles during emergencies, working closely with the Field Manager and the Support Services Director.

Planning and Budgeting

• Assist the Field Manager in the management /administration of the Field Office resources including (a) the formulation of Field Office resource allocation, (b) providing effective support and guidance to the Field Manager and other key program staff during planning and allocation exercises; (c) monitoring implementation of donor agreements and resource utilization within Gaza Field Operation, Highlight variances, provide analyses and recommend resolution or reallocation of resources.
• Work along with the GLMT in developing plans to meet funding and programming needs in Gaza.
• Identify, report and effectively manage financial and financial compliance, related to delivering the program in Gaza. Work with the Field Manager and Support Services Director mitigation plans.
• Ensure accurate and correct level of budget authority is executed in Gaza FO.
• Contribute effectively in financial aspects of budget development for new proposals and budget revisions related to projects that are implemented in Gaza.
• Ensure Gaza Field Office has appropriate and adequate emergency finance procedures according to the Country Office Emergency Preparedness Plan in order to enable rapid scale up.
• Ensure budget holders understand their responsibilities (e.g., through training)
• Ensure Field Offices has adequate capacity to operate efficient accounting systems, including timely receipt of monthly budget variance analysis by budget holders, timely answers to queries and scheduling tasks and deadlines

Finance

• Oversee the finance function in Gaza Field Office, ensuring that planning and budgeting, financial accounting complies with donor agreements, financial control, international accounting principles, budget monitoring and reporting
• Participate in completing the pre-award assessment for partners, doing field visits to partners, answering partners queries, reviewing and posting partners’ financial reports to Agresso.
• Responsible for requesting and Managing Gaza FO Cash Fund request.
• Responsible for Gaza accounts payment Run through AP.
• Responsible for posting all Gaza expenses including partners’ advances and expenses into Agresso.
• Responsible for approving Gaza invoices, suppliers and partners bank info through ProSave (AP focal point for Gaza Office).
• Identify and effectively manage financial risks related to delivering the Field Office program. Working closely with Support Services Director develop mitigation plans at proposal stage.
• Support FOM and BHs in reviewing awards BVA reports and draw their attention for any major issues or variances.
• Fulfil all financial reporting requirements for internal and external stakeholders (partners).
• Jointly with Support Services Director responsible for making sure effective systems are put in place, and regularly reviewed, to allow adequate financial management and control over assets, funds, equipment, property, and facilities
• Contribute to and participate in the development of finance policies and procedures to be ensure adequate finance controls are in place according to international accounting principles. Coordinate and assist Field Manager and Support Services Director during any internal or external audits
• Review and approve the proper accounting and closing of books upon receipt of completed reports and documents from partners and Field Office direct expenses.
• Develop sub-grantees financial management through training and capacity building
• Develop FO budget holder financial management through training and capacity building
• Perform any other responsibilities related to financial management as required by the Field manager and consent of Support Services Director.

Administration/Information Technology

• Supervise IT/administration function in the Field Office to ensure the provision of effective IT/administrative support across and coordinate closely with IT officer in the country office to ensure compliance with agency standards and requirements.
• In close coordination with the Support Services Director ensure legal compliance with respective Government regulations and laws
• Coordinate and ensure provision of high quality logistical support to Gaza office guests, visitors including partner organisations involved in SC activities and accommodation for expatriate staff
• Review and assess FO running costs in order to make savings and/or upgrade as needed.
• Coordinate with the CO IT to ensure sophisticated, efficient, cost effective Information Technology Systems are in place which is also in compliance with SCI Quality Framework – with a specific focus on ensuring sufficient primary and backup connectivity and bandwidth in the Field Offices
• Responsible for ensuring Field Office internal and external communications systems function effectively and efficiently and that sufficient backup communications and redundancies exist

Facilities Management

• Oversee the overall maintenance of the FO premises, guest house, facilities, assets and equipment (physical work environment) in Gaza and ensure that these are secure, in working order and efficiently utilized
• Motivate staff to improve appearance of offices and guesthouse.
• Prepare all contracts and leases before forwarding them to the CO review and approval/CD for signature.
• Responsible for FO Compliance with Health and Safety regulations in accordance with SCI Quality Framework Essential Standards
• Working with Supply Chain and CO team to ensure adequate insurance cover in place and kept up to date with suitable cover for maximum loss of assets.

Staff Management, Mentorship, and Development – Support Services

• Review staffing regularly in support services ensuring appropriate staffing and build case for staffing to the FM.
• Ensure all Support Services staff understand and are able to perform their roles in an emergency
• Lead Support Services team in Gaza; define expectations, provide leadership and technical support as needed, and evaluate direct reports regularly
• Responsible for the training, and promotion of staff as appropriate and ensure availability of appropriate professional development opportunities for staff;
• Manage the performance of all Support Services staff in Gaza through:
  • Effective use of the Performance Management System including the establishment of clear, measureable objectives, ongoing feedback, periodic reviews and fair and unbiased evaluations;
  • Establishment of a result based system and regular follow up
  • Coaching, mentoring and other developmental opportunities;
  • Recognition and rewards for outstanding performance;
  • Documentation of performance that is at standard and above and less than satisfactory, with appropriate performance improvements/work plans

Risk Management

• Support the FM, Risk and Compliance Manager, and GLMT in applying risk management lens to evaluation of growth strategies and opportunities in Gaza to ensure manageable balance of risk and growth
• Contribute to the development of a risk management policy to maximize financial resource effectiveness
• Participate in the preparation of monthly Risk Management Register in consultation with GLMT and CQSM in accordance with the SCI Quality Framework Essential Standards
• Undertake the financial risk assessments of all new partners and monitoring of on-going risk in coordination with FM and GLMT.

Relevant to Gaza and contributes to the CO: Support FM and GLMT in keeping analysis of the internal and external risks and threats and appropriate mitigation measures up to date.

جميع الحقوق محفوظة لموقع جوبس.

QUALIFICATIONS, EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, business administration, management, or any related field.
• Master’s degree in accounting, finance, business administration, management, or any related field is a plus.
• Qualified finance professional is a plus (recognised accounting qualification such as CIMA, ACCA, CPA) with experience of operating in a global and complex organisation.
• Minimum of 5-7 years mid-level management experience in an International NGO environment in similar role.
• Experience of reviewing and drafting Financial policies, procedures and guidelines and of developing and implementing systems (including IT systems)
• Willingness and ability to dramatically change work practices and hours, and work with incoming surge teams, in the event of emergencies
• Exceptional customer service focus
• Proven record implementing change and improvement initiatives
• Demonstrated credibility with colleagues and stakeholders at all levels of an organization
• Excellent oral and written communication skills in English
• Fluent in Arabic (reading and writing)
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to demonstrate skills in leading a multi- disciplined team through a period of change
• Leadership skills, including the ability to supervise and motivate qualified professional staff with strong personal value systems
• Analytical, decision making and strategic planning skills and the ability to handle multiple priorities
• Ability to coach, mentor, delegate appropriately and provide developmental guidance to supervised staff and proven success in building capacity of staff
• Team building skills
• Competent level skills in core IT applications, particularly MS Office
• High level of commitment to the values and principles and to the organizational and programmatic goals of Save the Children.
• Ability to travel to all programme sites in oPt (Gaza)
• Experience working in developing countries

We offer a competitive package in the context of the sector.

The Organisation

Save the Children works in development and humanitarian contexts with children and partners to help families, communities, and governments identify and use innovations to ensure all children survive, learn and are protected.

We employ approximately 25,000 people across the globe and work on the ground in over 100 countries to help children affected by crises, or those that need better healthcare, education and child protection. We also campaign and advocate at the highest levels to realise the right of children and to ensure their voices are heard.

We are working towards three breakthroughs in how the world treats children by 2030:

• No child dies from preventable causes before their 5th birthday
• All children learn from a quality basic education and that,
• Violence against children is no longer tolerated

We know that great people make a great organization, and that our employees play a crucial role in helping us achieve our ambitions for children. We value our people and offer a meaningful and rewarding career, along with a collaborative and inclusive environment where ambition, creativity, and integrity are highly valued.

Interested and qualified candidates can apply online through Apply Now - تقدم الآن لهذه الوظيفة