Starting date: July, 2021
Contract duration: 12 months
Country Program: Syrian Response
Base: Northern Syria, with occasional travels within the region
Line Manager: Area Director
About the mission:
People in Need (PIN) has been working in Northern Syria since 2012, providing emergency relief and early recovery support to conflict-affected communities and IDPs. PIN’s contribution to the overall Syria humanitarian response is amongst the largest, with an annual turnover of over $35 million. The major donors are: ECHO, OFDA, FFP, SDC and DFID.
It is intended that the position will be based in Northern Syria.
General position summary:
Under the supervision of the Area Director, the Area Systems Director will supervise and provide leadership to the systems support team for the Northern Syria program. The Area Systems Director is responsible for ensuring high quality support to a wide range of programing across emergency to early recovery contexts. The Area Systems Director reports to the Area Director and is part of the Senior Management Team. He/she has delegated management responsibility for Human Resources, Finance and Logistics and Procurement ensuring programs are fully supported and compliant. The Systems Director is supported technically by the Regional Head of Systems and Operations based in Erbil.
Main Duties and Responsibilities:
- Line manage, direct and support Finance, HR and logistics and procurement Managers.
- Ensure Systems support programs ensuring effective, efficient and timely responses to needs.
- Ensure that recommendations for improvements (e.g. from audits) are implemented in a timely manner;
- Ensure that key support policies are continuously updated as required and appropriate to the context;
- Ensure compliance check-list is regularly updated and monitor the progress on the action points;
- Ensure procedures and regulations are transparent and in accordance with donors’ and PIN’s rules;
- Oversee the budgets of support departments, improve needs planning and coordination, and contribute to planning needs for new projects with regard to support departments;
- Ensure standardization of processes/procedures across finance, HR and logistics departments;
- Oversee the hub economy with the Finance Manager and Syria Mission Financial team including identification of gaps, financial and procedural risks, and provision of appropriate solutions;
- Oversee the HR department with the Area Director ensuring the implementation of relevant national and international staff policies including training for new staff, managing leaves, allowances and evaluations;
- Ensure adequate staffing of all supervised departments to achieve efficient delivery of the program;
- Provide technical support and guidance to Logisticians to ensure effective operations and coordination between the office management, fleet management, procurement, stock and assets management;
- Provide technical support and guidance to the finance team to ensure effective operations of and coordination between budgeting, drawing, and accounting;
- Ensure effective communication between support (finance, HR, log) and program departments;
- Ensure compliance with local legislation, rules and regulations.
Suitable candidate for this position should:
- Significant previous experience with managing systems, logistics, administration and HR
- Experience with finance management of international donors
- Experience with team management and supervision and interest in building capacity of local staff
- Experience of working within a humanitarian and/or development organization, including in developing and delivering systems which are compliant to EuropeAID, DFID, USAID and/or UN procedures.
- Excellent communication skills, including fluent spoken and written English
- Strong coordination, organizational, critical analysis and problem solving skills
- Experience of working in complex and volatile contexts
- Working experience with an accounting and economic software
- Previous working experience from Middle East, particularly the Syrian crisis is advantage
Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions
- This position is an unaccompanied position. The position is based in Syria. PIN has offices and guest houses across the Northern Syria. The location is perceived as less conservative, offering opportunities for a social life outside work hours. Location of the position may change as the security situation in Syria is fluid.
- In the field bases living conditions are more basic with less opportunities and places to socialize.
- General security situation is good. Use of mobile phones is widespread. All PIN’s offices and guesthouses have