Contract CASH TRANSFER PROJECT – BUSINESS SUPPORT MANAGER
Job Description
- Applications for this role will close on: Wednesday 7 July 2021
- See full Job Description here: CTP – Business Support Manager
- Location of role: Vanuatu
- Fixed Term contract: June 2021 – December 2021
- Reporting to: UnBlocked Cash Response Manager
- Please contact Hannah Tamata [email protected] for any questions.
Job Purpose
Oxfam in the Pacific (OiP) is seeking a Business Support Manager to refine and manage Oxfam’s available admin, finance, human resources and logistics capacity around the Pacific region to provide effective remote business support to Oxfam’s blockchain-based cash and voucher response in Vanuatu (UnBlocked Cash).
Context
Oxfam is conducting a cash and voucher-based humanitarian response to TC Harold and COVID-19 in several provinces in Vanuatu. The programme is reaching 2,000 families with digital vouchers for use with local vendors over a blockchain-based platform, with significant funding ($10M AUD) from the governments of Australia and New Zealand.
With a dedicated cash programming team in place in Vanuatu, Oxfam is seeking a Business Support Manager to help review, refine and implement Oxfam’s business support systems and strengthen existing capacity to provide more effective financial and administrative support to this complex and large-scale cash and voucher programme. Reporting to the UnBlocked Cash Response Manager, and working closely with Oxfam in the Pacific’s Director of Corporate Services, the position will be able to draw on additional remotely-based business support personnel from around the region.
Key Responsibilities and Accountabilities
Management
- Under the direction of the UnBlocked Cash Response Manager, Pacific Cash & Livelihoods Lead and in close coordination with the in-country Project Manager, operations staff, and Oxfam in the Pacific’s Finance Lead; and Director of Corporate Services, ensure that business support systems, policies, procedures and practices around the UnBlocked Cash response support both i) effective delivery of timely and good quality programmes and ii) a strong culture of control and compliance.
- To provide strategic leadership to the various business support functions engaged in the UnBlocked Cash response, ensuring the best possible support to the programme and advice to the response management team.
- Ensure all business support functions operate in an effective manner, complying with all Oxfam and donor requirements and procedures.
- To directly manage reporting staff within the UnBlocked Cash response (2x Finance) who currently provide business support in the course of their duties, ensuring work priorities/objectives are developed and staff are supported and mentored to undertake their role.
- Be responsible for the implementation of Oxfam’s organisational standards (notably Humanitarian Minimum Requirements), and comply legal and statutory obligations within the country.
- Establish and maintain robust fraud mitigation measures and establish of culture of compliance and rigour across the business support functions.
- Support, with the rest of technical staff, advisors and managers, the understanding and use of key analytical tools and frameworks related to safe programming.
- To advise the OiP Australian Humanitarian Partnership (AHP) programme management team in the design of a permanent Business Support Manager role for AHP-funded programmes around the Pacific region.
Finance - To provide direction to the UnBlocked Cash Response Manager, Pacific Cash & Livelihoods Lead and in close coordination with the in-country Project Manager, operations staff, and Oxfam in the Pacific’s Finance Lead; and Director of Corporate Services, 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.
- Work closely and directly with in-country finance staff for the programme (x2) to ensure timely cash flow, reporting and monitoring of expenditure required for uninterrupted programme implementation.
- Where necessary establish clear systems and procedures to ensure robust and donor compliant financial management with clear accountability.
- To liaise with Oxfam financial staff in donor country offices to ensure that all donor reporting requirements are met, including proposals, budgets and donor reporting liaising as required by donors.
- Supervise the programme Admin/Finance/HR/IT/Logistics staff in maintaining the programme inventory and fixed assets, ensuring that all Oxfam assets are properly safeguarded and tracked.
Logistics and IT
- Support the Logistics Coordinator to embed organisational systems, standards and structures into logistics functions, including strategic advice, clarity on policy, procedures and ways of working.
- Advise on ways of ensuring that effective logistics management and tracking systems are in place and functioning at all time.
- To advise on ways of ensuring that effective administrative and office management systems are in place and functioning, for consistency and compliance with Oxfam minimum standards and policies.
Human Resources and Administration
- Liaise with the OiP HR Manager on programme support strategy, ensuring an appropriate level of collaboration, and compliance with minimum standards in recruitment, induction, staff development, compensation and benefits, succession plans, staff health & safety, security and legal compliance.
- Review and ensure quality on payroll processes.
- Provide leadership in policy update and adaptation in the country of deployment (for example Rest and Recuperation and Time Off In Lieu policies; Hard to Work allowances).
Risk Management
- 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 UnBlocked Cash Programme Manager, ensure that Oxfam Health and Safety and Security guidelines are implemented.
- To support programme team through relevant financial and related contextual information gathering, monitoring situations and consolidating and reviewing proposals as required.
- To motivate the business support staff 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 UnBlocked Cash Programme Manager 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.
Technical Skills, Experience & Knowledge
Essential
- Knowledge and demonstrated commitment to Oxfam’s values, mission and work.
- Knowledge and understanding of global justice, social change, women’s rights and gender equality and commitment to delivering humanitarian work through feminist principles.
- Proven senior business support management experience.
- Educated to part-qualified level with proven accounting experience and financial, donor and risk management skills.
- Strong experience and understanding of effective management of supply & logistics including procurement processes.
- Good understanding and experience of management of IT systems.
- High level ability in the application of strategic HR management.
- Proven ability to support, coach and encourage high performance in teams.
- Ability to prioritise own workload, work independently, be pro-active and innovative, and work to deadlines.
- Experience of management/supervisory responsibilities, including decision making and being an active member of senior management teams, and ability to take charge and manage a team when required.
- Good interpersonal and team skills and proven ability to be flexible in demanding situations.
- Sensitivity to cultural differences, and the ability to work in a wide variety of cultural contexts.
- Demonstrates high levels of personal team working.
- Ability and confidence to take high impact decisions, ensure implementation and manage and mitigate associated risks.
- Ability to communicate with and influence senior managers and peers over a wide range of issues.
- Ability to develop close working relationships with all stakeholders.
- Fluency in English (written and spoken).
Desirable
- Previous development or humanitarian work experience, ideally with similar organisation.
- Experience of working with donor agencies and knowledge of their reporting requirements.
- Knowledge of Oxfam systems and procedures.
- Ability to communicate in at least one other language particularly Bislama (or other creole languages) or French.
Organisational Values:
- Accountability – Our purpose-driven, results-focused approach means we take responsibility for our actions and hold ourselves accountable. We believe that others should also be held accountable for their actions.
- Empowerment – Our approach means that everyone involved with Oxfam, from our staff and supporters to people living in poverty, should feel they can make change happen.
- Inclusiveness – We are open to everyone and embrace diversity. We believe everyone has a contribution to make, regardless of visible and invisible differences.
- Committed to a rights based approach including an active commitment to putting women’s rights at the heart of all we do as well as the rights of other marginalized people in all aspects of an organization’s work.
Safeguarding
Oxfam is committed to preventing any type of unwanted behavior at work including sexual harassment, exploitation and abuse, lack of integrity and financial misconduct; and committed to promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults. Oxfam expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment through our code of conduct. We place a high priority on ensuring that only those who share and demonstrate our values are recruited to work for us.
Child Safeguarding
As an agency undertaking work both nationally and internationally and in humanitarian response, OAU takes its duty of care seriously to safeguard children and recognises that it must meet community expectations and the trust placed in its personnel to maintain the highest standards of conduct with children. Therefore, all positions within OAU are required to understand and comply with the Child Safeguarding Policy, Code of Conduct, toolkit and Social Media User Policy.
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