Position Title : Compliance & Grants Specialist

Supervised by : SRF Head of Finance and Support services

Reporting to : SRF Head of Finance and Support services

Duty Station : Dakar

Area of Operation : Region of West-North Africa & Latin America (Regional Office + 11 countries)

Employment Period : 1 year

Type of Contract (Expat/National/Trainee) : International

Salary & Benefits : Non-Management G

Introduction

The Danish Refugee Council assists refugees and internally displaced persons across the globe: we provide emergency aid, fight for their rights, and strengthen their opportunity for a brighter future. We work in conflict-affected areas, along the displacement routes, and in the countries where refugees settle. In cooperation with local communities, we strive for responsible and sustainable solutions. We work toward successful integration and – whenever possible – for the fulfillment of the wish to return home.

The Danish Refugee Council was founded in Denmark in 1956 and has since grown to become an international humanitarian organization with more than 7,000 staff and 8,000 volunteers. Based in Copenhagen (Denmark) and present in forty countries, the Danish Refugee Council is a non-profit-making, politically independent, non-governmental and non-denominational relief organization.

Our vision is a dignified life for all displaced. All our efforts are based on our value compass: humanity, respect, independence and neutrality, participation, and honesty and transparency.

1. Background

DRC has been operating in West Africa since 1998 and in Latin America and the Caribbean since 2011. The DRC West-North Africa & Latin America (WANALA) Regional Office is based in Dakar, Senegal, and covers several countries. Led by the Regional Executive Director, the DRC WANALA oversees, supports, and provides strategic directions for DRC’s Country Offices within the above-mentioned regions. From May 2022, it will include Algeria*, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Colombia, Libya*, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Tunisia*, Venezuela.

2. Purpose

The DRC WANALA is looking to recruit an experienced, highly qualified, and enthusiastic professional. The DRC WANALA is in discussion to be the fund manager for the Sahel Regional Fund (hereafter: SRF), which will be a strategic regional fund.

The Compliance & Grants Specialist will be based in Dakar with frequent travelling to the field (40%). This specialist position requires a strong previous experience with grant management and donors’ regulations. This position also requires a full professional proficiency in French and English language.

3. Duties and Responsibilities

Under the authority of the Head of Finance and support services, and in close coordination with the SRF Fund Director, the SRF MEAL Manager and the DRC Regional team, the Compliance & Grants Specialist issues will be responsible of monitoring the implementation of the risk and compliance strategy and mechanism throughout the SRF projects and fund governance mechanisms to ensure all SRF members uphold and abide by the principles and commitments contained in the SRF Charter including the Core Humanitarian Standards on Quality and Accountability and the specific guidance from the Inter-Agency Standing Committee’s Six Core Principles related to Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (2019) and from the Code of Conduct for International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) in Disaster Relief (1994) as well as with the commitments contained in the ‘Climate and Environment Charter for Humanitarian Organisations’.

The main responsibilities and tasks of the Compliance & Grants Specialist are the following:

Grant management system and strategic planning

• Support in the partnership capacity assessment to implementing partners of grantees.

• Review procurement plan, risk register, capacity building plan and staffing plans for each project and flag up discrepancies to the Fund Manager and Head of Finance & support services on a quarterly basis.

• Assist the Fund Director in ensuring a quality and timely submission of consolidated donor narrative and financial reports.

• Assist the Head of Finance and Support services in the application process and ensure compliance regarding (no-)cost extensions, amendments, top ups, reallocations requested by SRF grantees.

• Provide guidance on and ensure compliance with donor regulations, SRF Frameworks and guidelines and raise issues affecting external/ internal compliance.

• Participate in kick off and deliver trainings on the donor and SRF guidelines and regulations.

• Assist in updating grant module of DRC Dynamic.

Risk and compliance

• Suggest improvement to strengthen the existing mechanisms and ensure that adequate measures are implemented at field level, and ensuring internal compliance with the CHS and fund governance mechanisms as contained in the SRF Chart and frameworks (such as overall SRF Grievance Mechanisms, PSEA, Code of Conduct, SRF Commitment on the prevention of Conflict of Interest, SRF risks management framework).

• Support the production of risk dashboard for high and very high residual risks and any risks moving upwards in this category

• Support the Fund Director to liaise with safety and security coordinator to discuss potential recommendations to be presented to the Board

In addition to the above, the Compliance & Grants Specialist may be asked to carry out other duties requested by the Startup Fund Manager.

4. Required Qualifications

• At least 3 years of professional experience working with humanitarian / development organisations with responsibilities for risk and compliance and/or programme quality functions.

• Highly developed skills and demonstrated capacity developing risk and compliance strategies and mechanisms, including implementation and training in related principles and practice.

• Experience in writing high quality proposals for large donors, such as FCDO, ECHO, USAID, OFDA, etc.

• Knowledge of donor rules and regulations

• Demonstrated ability to prioritize large workloads, to consistently meet deadlines and adapt in a complex and challenging work environment

• Minimum 2 years of experience working with INGOs and international organizations with the following sectors in their portfolio – protection, food security, WASH, shelter, NFIs, mine action, mine risk education, and armed violence reduction

• Proficiency in common computer packages i.e. Word, Excel, Power point etc

• Experience living and working in a cross-cultural, multi-sector, team environment

• Ability to work well under pressure and in adverse conditions

• Demonstrated commitment and strict adherence to confidentiality

• Effective communication skills (written and verbal)

• Languages: Fluency in written and spoken English and French

5. Required Skills & Qualities

• Core Competencies of DRC:

• Striving for excellence

• Collaboration

• Taking the lead

• Communication

• Demonstrating Integrity

• Ability to work in a multinational and multicultural environment

• Proactivity, with a sound commitment to teamwork and with a spirit of genuine collaboration

• Excellent communication skills, as well as patience and politeness, are required

• Multi-tasking and organizational skills is a must

• Adaptable and Flexible

• Proven analytical and critical thinking skills

• Exemplary sense of ethics in the workplace

• Team-oriented & good sense of humor

6. General Regulations

• The employee shall follow DRC instructions on safety, confidentiality and ethical guidelines, including the Code of Conduct and the Humanitarian Accountability Framework

• Employee should not engage in any other paid activity during the DRC contract period without prior authorization

• Employee should not engage in any activity that could harm DRC or the implementation of any project during the DRC contract period

• Employee should not give interviews to the media or publish project-related photos or other material without prior authorization

• Employee shall return all borrowed equipment for the project to DRC after the end of the contract period or upon request

How to apply

Are you interested? Then apply for this position on line: http://www.drc.dk/about-drc/vacancies/current-vacancies. All applicants must send a cover letter and an updated CV (no longer than four pages). Both can be in English or in French.

DRC provides equal opportunity in employment and prohibits discrimination in employment on the basis of race, sex, color, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status or disability. DRC encourages all applicants to apply and does not practice any discrimination in any recruitment process.

However, applicants must be aware that DRC cannot employ, under an expatriate contract, a citizen of the country in which she/ he is going to be stationed (in such case, the Republic of Senegal).

Applications close on december 01st 2022 at 11:59PM (Dakar-time). Applications submitted after this date will not be considered.

Due to the urgency of the position, DRC has the right to recruit a candidate who matches the required profile before the above deadline.