Quality Assurance Manager at Danish Refugee Council

The Danish Refugee Council (DRC) is a private, independent, humanitarian organization working on all aspects of the refugee cause in more than 30 countries throughout the world. The aim of DRC is to protect refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) against persecution and to promote durable solutions to the problems of forced migration, on the basis of humanitarian principles and human rights. DRC works in accordance with the UN Conventions on Refugees and the Code of Conduct for the ICRC and NGOs in Disaster Relief.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Position: Quality Assurance Manager
Job Location: Yola, Adamawa
Contract type: Expatriate contract

Overall Purpose of the Role

• The Interim Quality Assurance Manager is responsible for strategic leadership, technical guidance, and management of the DRC Nigeria portfolio.
• The purpose of the position is to lead a team of three (3) to develop and/maintain systems and tools for efficient grant management; and ensure proactive and coordinated approach to risk-management in cooperation with the finance, other departments and colleagues as appropriate.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership and management oversight of the DRC Nigeria Quality Assurance department, with a portfolio including: grants management, programme quality, monitoring and evaluation, reporting, and information management;
• Line manage and provide technical support to the Grants/Communications Specialist, M&E Specialist and the Grants Officer;
• In coordination with the DRC/DDG Head of Programmes, Technical Sector Coordinators and Area managers ensure high quality and evidence-based programme design and proposal development, monitoring and evaluation, and learning processes are streamlined throughout the country mission;
• Support the Country Director and Heads of Programmes to identify fundraising opportunities and take responsibility for timely submission of all concept notes and proposals;
• Systematize DRC Nigeria M&E and ensure project specific M&E is establish, for the ease of reporting, and programme accountability;
• Develop and maintain processes for grant and contract management; ensuring they remain applicable to current donor requirements;
• Ensure timely compliance with all internal and external grants management requirements, including contractual compliance and reporting;
• Ensure preparation and submission of monthly project updates for OFDA, FFP and ECHO. Using the previously developed templates that were agreed with donors
• Proactively manage grant and contract performance, working with Programme and Support colleagues to identifying risks and minimize them;
• Liaise with relevant DRC West Africa Regional Office and HQ counterparts responsible for programme design, reporting, and monitoring and evaluation;
• Coordinate and provide timely reporting and feedback to the Head of Programmes, Country Director and SMT on Quality Assurance unit activities.

Requirements
Education

• Advanced university degree (or bachelor level qualification with equivalent years of professional experience) in a relevant field such as social sciences, development studies, international / humanitarian law, communications or similar;
• Relevant professional humanitarian qualifications / recognized training certificates in Grants-related areas (M&E, IM, CHS, SPHERE, Protection, etc.) are desirable, although practical experience more essential to the role.

Languages: (indicate fluency level)

• English - fluent, with demonstrated capacity for high quality written and verbal command of the language
• Hausa and other languages used in northeast Nigeria an asset, but not essential to the position.

Experience and technical competencies:

• Five years of professional experience in humanitarian emergency contexts with PDQA responsibilities, preferable to have at least two years of experience at senior management level;
• Knowledge and experience working with relevant sectoral areas implemented by DRC-DDG Nigeria programmes – including protection, food security, WASH, shelter, NFIs, mine action, mine risk education, and armed violence reduction;
• Proven ability to lead a high performing and diverse team, manage performance, foster a positive working environment and manage issues sensitively and diplomatically;
• Extensive knowledge of US and European institutional donors and their compliance requirements with proven experience of developing successful funding proposals and overseeing large complex grants;
• Excellent understanding of the principles of budgeting, financial and contract management;
• Outcome focused and proven ability to think strategically and plan, prioritize and organize a department/team’s work to meet organization-wide strategic objectives;
• Excellent influencing, presentation and communication skills including verbal and written English, active listening and the ability to tailor communication to different audiences;
• Ability to manage a large and varied workload, work under pressure and meet deadlines;
• Illustrated commitment to, and a good understanding of, the DRC’s values and mandate and the ability to bring these alive in your work
• Ability to live and work in an insecure and high stress environment.