Jobs at Sign of Hope (SoH)

Oversight and management of SoH GFFO Humanitarian Response

• Work closely with the Project Steering Committee, the Regional Humanitarian Relief Officer and the Response Program teams to implement the response
• Coordinate regularly with the project steering committee, project teams, management, and donors to support implementation and ensure that programming meets/exceeds donor standards and corresponds to work plans and budgets
• Liaison and/or work closely with local implementing partners, government departments and colleagues at the HQ, Regional, Country and field offices.
• Coordinate and lead on planning and implementation of SoH GFFO humanitarian responses
• Together with relevant staff and partners, ensure project implementation plans, meetings, regular monitoring, and reporting are conducted
• Identify challenges in the design or implementation of the humanitarian project and give feedback on the required corrective actions to address them
• Ensure high-quality and consented communications materials are gathered and shared
• Identify humanitarian best practices and compile lessons learned and make use of them in future projects

Project implementation and operations management

• Develop/review SOPs and ensure compliance to best practice methods such as Cash transfer
• Work in consultation and closely with the SoH regional procurement and logistic officer and partners Logistics Team to ensure efficient procurement and delivery of humanitarian items and services
• Work closely with the SoH regional humanitarian officer to recruit and support crucial emergency response positions
• Prepares periodic reports on the implementation of humanitarian project activities as per the requirements of GFFO and SoH to a high standard
• Ensure that Project Implementation Plans are created, regularly monitored, and updated. Ensure regular communication with government, donors, and in-country partners.

Programs and Grants Management Oversight

• Ensure funds are spent/committed in compliance with the agreed objectives, timeframe, and donor regulations
• In collaboration with the Humanitarian Response Finance Officer, ensures that the Master Budget is in place and up to date
• Prepares/review humanitarian project budgets from all partners
• As part of planning a project, prepares/reviews annual and quarterly project budgets.
• Follows up on budget utilization and project expenditure, undertakes BVA and advises on periodic project budget revisions where applicable.

Capacity Building

• In collaboration with the Regional team, Country representatives and field-based staff, assess and analyse key partner’s capacity and collaborate with the regional humanitarian relief officer to organize capacity strengthening sessions.
• Identify and recommend possible support to field teams to build their capacity and facilitate project implementation.
• Facilitate humanitarian awareness training and related sessions to the SoH and partner response team
• Maintains regular communication and interaction with government office partners to facilitate and promote learning and information sharing.

Documentation, Learning, and Research

• Ensures proper documentation of the humanitarian response and lessons are documented and shared with SoH staff.
• Facilitates information sharing and learning between SoH and its partners and relevant Government partners on the humanitarian response
• Participate in the evaluation, monitoring, and review to ensure strict compliance of program activities with SoH policies and procedures and with relevant donor regulations and agreements.

The job duties and responsibilities as set out above are not exhaustive. The Humanitarian Response Project Manager may be required to carry out additional duties within reasonableness of their skills and experience level.

Candidates’ profile

• A university degree in Public Health, Disaster Risk Management, Agriculture, Agro Economics or Natural Resources Management, International Development or Social Sciences or accepted equivalent professional experience
• A minimum of 3-5 years’ experience working in the areas of humanitarian support / relief operations.
• Knowledge and advanced experience on CASH programming, Protection and Gender in emergencies, WASH in Emergencies and application across sectoral interventions
• Knowledge of SPHERE and other humanitarian programming standards.
• Evidence of leadership on emergency response in drought emergencies is an advantage
• Demonstrated success working effectively and respectfully with host communities, government, private sector, INGO, NGO partners and other stakeholders in complex environments.
• Extensive knowledge of community participatory approaches, disaster risk reduction, recharge, re-use and retention (3R) concept is desirable.
• Previous experience working on grants is desirable
• Proven skills in financial and grants management. Prior experience with emergency response grant management for both private and institutional donors is desired
• Experience in logistics management
• Experience working in operating in complex international environments, with multi-cultural and multi-ethnic settings is highly preferred
• High frustration tolerance/resilience and strong capability of working in a fragile context and fast-paced environment on highly dynamic topics
• Previous working experience in Arid and Semi-arid Land (ASAL) areas is desirable,
• Advanced knowledge of MS Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
• Excellent and persuasive oral and written communication skills, including report writing
• Good team player and experience in mentoring staff
• Demonstrated attention to detail, ability to follow procedures, meet deadlines and work independently and cooperatively with team members.
• Willingness to travel in the region (30% of the time)
• Excellent spoken and written English.

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Core responsibilities

Provide support in the allocation and financial management processes

• Reviewing response budgets to ensure compliance with SoH and donor guidelines.
• Review/draft grant agreements and amendments as per SoH allocations and guidelines.
• In consultation with the Response coordinator, reviewing budget amendments and revision requests.
• Follow up with field related staff for financial related matters including reporting.
• Follow up with field officers for achievement transactions/supporting documentation.
• Update financial records
• Regular follow-up with implementing partners to obtain financial reports and any supporting documents.
• Review of the partners financial reports to ensure compliance and completeness.
• Review of partners interim and final financial reports to ensure compliance with the signed agreements, budgets, and guidelines.
• Preparation of consolidated response financial reports (monthly, quarterly, annual)
• Follow up on disbursement of funds and refund of balances from partners where applicable.
• Preparation and sharing of Balance Variance Analysis (BVA)/Budget vs Actual reports and recommendations with the SoH EAB leadership
• Maintaining and storing financial documents (soft copies / hard original copies).

Provide support in implementation of operational and financial management strategies in line with SoH and donor accountability framework

• Assist in conducting and writing reports on financial and procurement spot-checks.
• Follow up with partners on actions needed from the financial spot-checks.
• Provide the audit firm with the needed financial supporting documents to facilitate the auditing of the response.
• Assist in reviewing audit reports.

Facilitate knowledge-building and knowledge-sharing within SoH implementing partners

• Promote awareness on SoH and donor guidelines.
• Assist in conducting trainings for implementing partners and other stakeholders.
• Support in preparing synthesis of lessons learnt and best practices in financial management.
• Sound contribution to knowledge networks and communities of practice.

Provide other support to SoH as needed.

Candidates’ profile

• A first-level University degree in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration, Project Management OR any related field OR qualification (i.e. Professional Accounting qualifications; ACCA, CPA(K)) is required.
• 5 years of progressively responsible finance and accounting experience at the national or international level is required.
• Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.) is required.
• Knowledge of spreadsheet is mandatory.
• Experience working with International Organizations and/or working for major institutional or foundational funded projects is desirable.
• Ability to make new and useful ideas work.
• Ability to analyse complex technical materials (including data) and makes concise, relevant recommendations
• Good knowledge of accounting and bookkeeping procedures
• Familiarity with accounting software (e.g. QuickBooks, Navision, WINPACCS etc.)
• Knowledge of grant management system (GMS) is desirable
• Attention to detail, with an ability to spot numerical errors.
• Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals.
• Places team agenda before personal agenda.
• Supports and acts in accordance with final group decision
• Ability to persuade others to follow.
• Proactively identifies new opportunities and challenges
• Ability to improve performance and Satisfaction
• Takes ownership of responsibilities
• Ability to listen, adapt, persuade and transform
• Understands, explains and shares information on assigned tasks with accuracy and clarity
• Ability to get things done while exercising good judgment.
• Meets goals and timelines for delivery of products or services.
• Ability to deliver in a high demanding environment
• Fluency in written and spoken English