Business Support Manager at Oxfam

Req ID 1381
Starting date as soon as possible, ultimately mid March, 3 months 

Background

• Over the past year, Boko Haram (BH) has intensified attacks which have spread from North-East Nigeria to Cameroon, Chad and Niger, affecting some 20 million people. Suicide bombings and raids targeting civilians in villages and in cities around the Lake Chad basin have caused widespread trauma, prevented people from accessing essential services and destroyed infrastructure. Across the region, over 2.8 million people are displaced; most of who are sheltered by communities that count among the world’s most vulnerable.
• The combined effect of growing insecurity, fast population growth and severe vulnerability resulting from a changing climate, environmental degradation, poverty and under-investment in social services is translating into record numbers of people in need of emergency relief.
• There are 9.2 million in need of humanitarian assistance as a result of violence committed by Boko Haram; Nigeria is hosting 7m, Cameroon 1.5m, Niger 460.000 and Chad 257.000.
• There has been widespread violence against civilians not only by BH but the military operations against the group have also caused serious protection risks and violations.
• Women and girls kidnapped by Boko Haram have been subjected to physical and psychological abuse, forced marriage, sexual slavery or forced labour.
• Boys have been forcibly enrolled as combatants and young girls used as suicide bombers. Boko Haram has targeted health facilities and schools, forcing health care workers and teachers to flee from where they are most needed.
• The increasing number of attacks and arrival of displaced children have placed an additional burden on already weak health and education systems.
• Insecurity, displacement, disrupted agricultural activities and cross-border trade continue to undermine communities’ livelihoods and have resulted in a sharp rise in food insecurity.
• Some 4.4 million people facing severe food insecurity urgently need support in the region, 90 per cent of them in north-east Nigeria, with 50,000 people in Phase 5, the highest level of food insecurity under the Cadre Harmonisé classification.
• Throughout the region, an estimated 223.000 severely acutely malnourished children could die if not urgently assisted.

Job Purpose

• To ensure effective and efficient delivery of all operational and business development functions to the country programme, and ensure risk is managed and there is compliance with Oxfam’s policies and procedures.
• S/he is a member of the Senior Management Team and contributes to the overall leadership and management of the Oxfam programme in Nigeria.

Key Responsibilities and Accountabilities

• To provide strategic leadership to the various business support functions (finance, human resources, logistics, IT, administration, business development & donor contract management issues), ensuring the best possible support to the programme and advice to the response management team;
• To exploit opportunities presented by external regulatory provisions that will ensure cost effective programmes and provide relevant information needed to facilitate processes;
• Ensure all business support functions operate in an effective manner, complying with all Oxfam and donor requirements and procedures;
• Establish and maintain robust fraud mitigation measures and establish of culture of compliance and rigour across the business support functions;
• To provide direction to the Finance Manager on financial management, policies and procedures, ensuring that the programme is informed of all developments in financial policies.  Ensure the programme is complying with financial standards set by Oxfam and donors
• To liaise with the funding team to ensure that all donor reporting requirements are met, including   proposals, budgets and donor reporting liaising as required by donor';
• To provide direct support to the Humanitarian Programme Manager and the Programme Managers in the field on all matters of finance specifically budget preparation, monitoring, control and reporting with a view to ensuring good financial standards are met;
• Produce monthly financial management information for the Response Management Team and ensures that the finance team provides necessary financial reports for field programme managers to monitor and review their project activities;
• To assume a strategic overview of financial management systems across the programme, taking note of changing external and internal environment in financial and economic conditions;
• It is also essential that this position plays an active role in proposal development, particularly with respect to innovative budgeting and realistic estimates with respect to logistics requirements for support and other costing for support functions;
• Advise on ways of ensuring that effective logistics management and tracking systems are in place and functioning at all times;
• Review and where necessary support programmes formulate partnership contracts, supplier’s contracts that align to policy and mitigate financial and operational risks;
• In collaboration with the Security focal point, to ensure that Oxfam Health and Safety and Security guidelines are implemented by the BST;
• To support programme Co-ordinators and advisors through relevant financial and related contextual information gathering, monitoring situations and consolidating and reviewing proposals as required;
• To motivate the support team to work interactively with the programme team and to come up with and communicate innovative solutions and systems that allows the programme to serve its overall goal.  This component is critical to the success of this post;
• Support the HPM/Operational Lead to achieve the programme objectives and reduce risks associated with the programme around legality and compliancy issues and alert the CD of any imminent risks;
• Manages outsourcing partners and self-service requests to ensure the efficient functioning of the IT system including ensuring regular maintenance, back-ups and support to all staff;
• Supports global IT initiatives and ensures the adoption of IT technology according to Oxfam requirements and best practice.

Skills, Experience and Knowledge Essential

• Bachelors/Masters Degree in Accounting, Finance or related discipline;
• A minimum of 5 years of experience in similar roles - specifically in managing humanitarian and Minimum of Five Years senior Managment Previous experience of managing and developing a team within an INGO setting or similar, with a demonstrated capacity to lead high performing teams, and motivate and develop others;
• Demonstrated capacity to manage a team covering at least two of the functional areas (finance, human resources, logistics, IT, fundraising, or admin);
• Proven ability to work collaboratively in partnership;
• Mature understanding of transformation derived from direct experience in a development and/or humanitarian context;
• Demonstrated experience of strategic leadership and capacity building;
• Highly developed financial management, planning and budgeting skills;
• Sound understanding of institutional donors and previous experience in producing high quality donor reports;
• Sounds understanding of gender and gender mainstreaming approaches;
• High level of influencing skills with proven ability to establish credibility at all levels;
• Demonstrated track record of improving efficiency and effectiveness in areas of responsibility.

Competencies:

• Organisation to work effectively
• Decision making
• Initiative
• Organisational awareness
• Analytical thinking
• Adaptable and Flexible
• Motivating others
• Communications

We Offer
A short term position for 3 months with a competitive and fair pay and benefits package that is justifiable to our donors.