Deputy Director/Operations Management vacancy

Position Title: Deputy Director/Operations Management –WASH Results Program

Dept/Location: Nairobi, Kenya

Reports To: Program Director – Wash Results Program

This position is contingent upon CRS being awarded the contract and acceptance of candidate by donor.

About CRS:

Catholic Relief Services carries out the commitment of the Bishops of the United States to assist the poor and vulnerable overseas. Our Catholic identity is at the heart of our mission and operations. We welcome as a part of our staff and as partners people of all faiths and secular traditions who share our values and our commitment to serving those in need.

Overview: Catholic Relief Services (CRS) seeks a Deputy Director/Operations Management (DD/OM) for a recently released 4-year Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) Results Program from Department for International Development (DFID).The DD/OM will provide the financial and contract management leadership to a multi-country consortium of international and national development partners for a program to increase access to water, sanitation, and hygiene services to target populations in up to five countries.

The DFID WASH Program (WRP), in support of the UK government’s commitment to the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), aims to reach 1 million people by December 2015 with water, sanitation and hygiene interventions, and scaling up system strengthening and capacity building by March 2018. The contract will target poor urban, peri-urban and rural populations who are without access to these improved WASH services, and who are located in low income countries across Africa and Asia which are currently off-track in meeting their MDGs in WASH. The program will focus on the five dimensions of functional, institutional, financial, environmental and equity sustainability. It will complement existing DFID, national government, and civil society policies and approaches in the target countries.

The DD/OM will be responsible for overseeing the establishment and implementation of the robust financial systems, procedures, and practices required to manage the WRP across implementing and resource partners, country projects, and complex operational environments. S/he will provide oversight for the financial management, forecasting, and reporting for the program, including the submission of timely and accurate performance and financial reports and the monitoring of budget expenditures and reimbursements based on deliverables and contract requirements.

Responsibilities:

• In close coordination with the implementing country programs’ finance departments, identify, assess and resolve financial management issues that pertain to WRP to support full attainment of program’s results.
• Assist and guide the WRP country project staff in the implementation of finance systems, tools, and processes required for the achievement of program’s results.
• In close collaboration with the Program Director and program country managers, develop annual program budgets.
• Develop and implement program budget monitoring and forecasting systems that enable linking the program milestones and results with the reporting and invoicing mechanism.
• Develop and implement invoicing systems that enables timely and accurate submission of invoices to the donor to ensure effective cash flow management.
• In coordination with country and regional staff, monitor contract spending and M&E systems to ensure timely expenditures and invoicing for reimbursements.
• In close collaboration with the program country managers, maintain a cash forecasting system adapted to the payment by results funding mechanism and timely communicate cash needs to country program finance department to ensure adequate funds are available to meet program requirements.
• Plan and undertake regular visits to project country.
• In collaboration with Program Director, and program country managers, ensure program compliance with administrative and financial requirements of donor contract and partner sub-contracts.
• Prepare and provide monthly financial management reports to the Program Director.
• Conduct internal reviews for the field sites every three months, to ensure that all financial and administrative procedures are carried out in line with CRS and donor regulations.
• Provide support, training and advice to project staff on finance and administrative related issues, as required.
• Monitor implementation of action/corrective action plans relative to both internal and external audit and report back to relevant managers.
• In close collaboration with country program finance, logistics, and supply chain departments, take an active role in inventory planning and management, and record keeping of all equipment purchased.
• In close collaboration with Regional and country programs Management Quality teams, ensure timely closure of audit recommendations related to the program.

• Ensure proper preparation, and documentation of adequate plan of actions that pertain to the program.

Agency-wide Competencies (for all CRS Staff):

These are rooted in the mission, values, and guiding principles of CRS and used by each staff member to fulfill his or her responsibilities and achieve the desired results.

• ·Serves with Integrity·
• Models Stewardship·
• Cultivates Constructive Relationships·
• Promotes Learning

Supervisory Responsibilities:Both CRS and Consortium staff members at the country level.

Key Relationships:
Internal: Program Director, Deputy Director of Technical Consortium staff, EARO Program Quality, Management Quality, and Finance staff External: Consortium agencies, DFID Mission and UK, consortium staff, other stakeholders

Qualifications:

• Master’s in business administration, finance, accounting, human resources, or other relevant field.
• Minimum five years’ finance and contract management experience with a non-profit, development, and/or humanitarian organization, preferably for large, complex development programs. At least two years of this should be in a developing country outside candidate’s country of origin.
• Proven ability to manage the finance and contractual components of high-value programs (USD 15+ million)
• Previous experience with DFID-funded development programs or familiarity with DFID regulations strongly preferred
• Experience with financial and reporting requirements of ‘Payment by Results’ and contracting mechanisms is a plus
• Knowledge of Sun Systems is an advantage
• Strong ICT skills (including proficiency in the use of MS Office) desired
• Excellent English language oral and written communication skills required

·Be able to travel 30% of program life

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

Note: This position is contingent upon CRS being awarded the contract and acceptance of candidate by donor.

Only selected candidates that meet the requirements will be notified.

EOE/M/F/D/V

For fastest consideration, please create an online profile to apply.