Country: Nigeria
Closing date: 21 Apr 2019
The mission of Translators without Borders is to provide people access to vital knowledge in their language through translation and interpreting, building language translation capacity at a local level, providing translation and simplification services that are culturally appropriate, accessible and open source, and raising awareness globally of language barriers.
Contract length:1 year
Hours: Full time
Location: Maiduguri, Nigeria
Travel: limited travel in northeast Nigeria
Screening and interviews will commence immediately and the candidate can be selected at any stage before the closing date.
About Translators without Borders
Translators without Borders (TWB) envisions a world where knowledge knows no language barriers. The US-registered non-profit provides people access to vital knowledge in their language by connecting non-profit organizations with a professional community of translators, building local language translation capacity, and raising awareness of language barriers. Originally founded in 1993 in France (as Traducteurs sans Frontières), TWB translates millions of words of life-saving and life-changing information a year.
Background
TWB conducted an initial assessmentof language support needs in the humanitarian response in north-east Nigeria in July 2017. This found very significant levels of need: in a context where people affected by the conflict and food crisis speak dozens of first languages, humanitarian communication is overwhelmingly in English and Hausa. Organizations lack basic information about the languages spoken and understood by affected people, and struggle to hire either language professionals or national staff and volunteers with the right language skills. Humanitarian staff voiced fears for the impact this could have on the accuracy of needs assessments, the effectiveness of program design, accountability, and conflict sensitivity.
So far TWB has developed a protection, mental health and psychosocial support and camp coordination and camp management glossary apps, conducted comprehension testing with IDPs, enumerators, and field staff, worked with partners on collecting and mapping language data, carried out trainings on the basics of interpreting and is piloting a multilingual feedback mechanism.
TWB has been operating in Nigeria through its office in Maiduguri since April 2018. The program portfolio and the team are growing steadily. The overall restricted budget for 2019 is in excess of $3.6 million and the funding base is diversifying.
Globally, TWB has also seen a period of rapid growth in the last 2-3 years and hence our finance department is changing and growing!
The role
We are looking for an energetic Business Support Manager based in Maiduguri to support the Country Director in who can take on the day-to-day activities but can also work with the whole TWB team to develop new ideas and processes.
The Business Support Manager is responsible for overseeing the in-country support functions of the Nigeria program to ensure effective financial management in addition to planning and coordinating administrative,HR and logistics procedures and systems and devising ways to streamline processes.
The Business Support Manager will also support the wider TWB crisis team as and when necessary.
The Business Support Manager should be enthusiastic about the importance of increasing access to knowledge through language. The right candidate is an energetic team player and leader who agrees with TWB´s basic beliefs and values and who can work virtually with team members based throughout the world.
Responsibilities
Financial reporting and budgeting
Support the Country Director in the creation of budgets
Lead the implementation and monitoring of budgets including the provision of rolling forecasts for the Nigeria and global crisis response programmes
Manage the short-term cash flow requirements of the program, liaising with the global Head of Finance & Admin to facilitate cash transfers, top up requests etc.
Responsible for reporting and analysing financial information (including budget vs actuals) according to statutory, internal and donor requirements and maintaining audit ready financial records for projects and for the Nigerian entity).
Monitor and report on the effects of exchange rate fluctuations between local and contract currencies
Manage the preparation of monthly financial and payroll reporting for management
Compliance and audit
Assist the Country Director in ensuring that the entity is compliant with all statutory legislation, particularly with regard to company registration
Ensure proper internal controls are in place and operating effectively in accordance with TWB standards (tailored to the local context) and government, donor regulations
Lead the collection of information required to prepare the annual audit reports, tax returns and other compliance requirements for entity in the Nigeria
Facilitate and provide support to all donor and internal audits in coordination with the Country Director, crisis response leadership team & Head of Finance
Manage the registration, compliance and implementation of payroll in Nigeria
General Accounting
Oversee financial practices performed by Finance officer and Administration officer
Ensure compliance with procurement, expenditure and financial procedures (may be linked to other procedures such as HR)
Administration
Warrant TWB meets requirements as per Nigerian law and related local registration
Identify the steps to be taken for national staff contracts to be issued and implement the required measures
Manage the Finance Officer and the Administration and Logistics Officer with clear objectives and mentoring
Act as the focal point for on boarding and separation activities
Logistics
Setup of an efficient logistics and procurement system, including asset management
Manage the team in regards to procurement activities and ensure donor requirements and TWB rules are met
Oversee and guarantee seamless logistics of travel and visas
Human Resources Management
Provide overall management and coordination of all aspects of program support, including overseeing the work of finance, human resources and logistics teams across the country and the field.
Attract, motivate and retain team's staff: develop individual and team skills, create a positive work environment, and manage the performance of team members
Organize recruitment logistics
Other responsibilities
Develop and implement new/improved Country financial procedures and processes as agreed with the Head of Finance & Admin
Any other duties in support of a smooth and efficient programme office.
Reporting lines:
The post holder will report to the Nigeria Country Director with matrix management to Head of Finance.
The Country Finance officer and Administration officer will report into this post holder
Qualifications
Able to innovate to find creative solutions; willing to explore new technologies
Resourceful, able to get more out of small budgets
Experienced finance professional
Previous experience with nonprofit organizations, particularly in disaster relief
Great communication skills
Thorough and attention to detail
Able to tackle location challenges while collaborating with the global remote team
Requirements
7+ years in business support functions in management positions
International Humanitarian or development experience
Experience with various accounting packages
Degree in Business Administration, Finance, Administration, Accounting or equivalent and / or MBA and / or other relevant professional qualifications
At least 5 years of proven experience in goal-based / outcome-based planning and budgeting for social development or humanitarian programs
Significant experience in team management of at least 7 years in a large organization
Good financial, accounting and logistics management skills and experience in optimizing the use of resources
Knowledge of human resource management frameworks and strategies
Experience working with complex sources of finance (eg EU, UN, Foundations)
Integral person with strong personal values, aligned with our mission.
Transformative leadership that generates the conditions for each person to develop and make the most of themselves. In addition, able to manage multidisciplinary teams including when they are remote or when it is a functional link.
Core Values
Translators without Borders employees and volunteers are made of people who believe passionately about the value of this work and take personal responsibility for achieving the mission. Translators without Borders’ mission and organizational spirit embody the core values established in its strategic framework:
Excellence: As the leading voice for communicating humanitarian information in the right language, Translators without Borders is a leader in the translation industry and in the non-profit sector.
Integrity: Translators without Borders believes that every person, whether it’s the people who we serve, our volunteers or our staff, has value, deserves respect and has inherent dignity.
Empowerment: Translators without Borders believes in using language to empower people around the world to control their own development and destiny.
Innovation: Translators without Borders recognizes and celebrates the power of innovation to address humanitarian and crisis issues around the world.
Sustainability: Translators without Borders recognizes that meeting our mission necessitates establishment and maintenance of a solid financial and organizational infrastructure.
Tolerance: Our staff and volunteers are highly knowledgeable and skilled; value each other, our partner and our recipients; create a supportive work environment; and, conduct themselves professionally at all times.
Translators without Borders is an equal-opportunity employer, committed to diversity and inclusion, and encourages qualified candidates of all genders and from all national, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of our organization.
How to apply: