Oxfam Nigeria Job for a Business Support Manager
Oxfam is a confederation of 17 Affiliates committed to creating a just
world without poverty. In Nigeria Oxfam works in the areas of Economic
Justice/Sustainable Livelihoods, Humanitarian programming to save
lives, Advancing Gender Justice and Good governance, adopting a right
based approach.
Oxfam is recruiting to fill the vacant position below:
Job Title: Business Support Manager
Req ID 1381
Location: Abuja, Nigeria
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.
- 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.
- 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.
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 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 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;
- 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;
- 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.
- 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;
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 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.
- 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;
Competencies:
- Organisation to work effectively
- Decision making
- Adaptable and Flexible
- Motivating others
- Communications
- Initiative
- Organisational awareness
- Analytical thinking
We Offer
A short term position for 3 months with a competitive and fair pay and benefits package that is justifiable to our donors.
How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply
Application Deadline 19th February, 2017.