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: 5months with possibility of extension

Hours: Full time

Location: Goma, North Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)

Travel: limited travel in DRC

Application deadline: 15 March 2020

Due to the urgency of the vacancy, shortlisting will be done on a rolling basis and if the ideal candidate is identified before the closing date, TWB reserves the right to close the recruitment before the application deadline.

The role

We are looking for an energetic Senior Operations Officer based in Goma to support the Country Program, take on the day-to-day activities but also to work with the entire TWB team to develop new ideas and processes.

The Senior Operations Officer is responsible for overseeing the in-country support functions of the DRC 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 Senior Operations Officer will also support the wider TWB crisis response team as and when necessary.

The Senior Operations Officer 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 Program Manager in the creation of budgets

• Lead the implementation and monitoring of budgets including the provision of rolling forecasts for the DRC and global crisis response programmes

• Manage the short-term cash flow requirements of the program, liaising with the global Finance Department to facilitate cash transfers, top up requests etc.

• Support the reporting and analysing of financial information (including budget vs actuals) according to statutory, internal and donor requirements and maintaining audit ready financial records for projects and for the DRC 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 Program Manager in ensuring that TWB is compliant with all statutory legislation, including advising on registration

• Ensure proper internal controls are in place and operating effectively in accordance with TWB standards (tailored to the local context) and government and donor regulations

• Compile information required to prepare the annual audit reports, tax returns and other compliance requirements for entity in the DRC

• Facilitate and provide support to all donor and internal audits in coordination with the Program Manager, crisis response leadership team and finance team

• Manage the compliance and implementation of payroll in DRC

General accounting

• Oversee financial practices performed by the Administration and Logistics Officer

• Ensure compliance with procurement, expenditure and financial procedures (may be linked to other procedures such as HR)

• Develop and implement country financial procedures and processes as agreed with the global finance team

Administration

• Warrant TWB meets requirements of DRC law and related local registration

• Manage the Administration and Logistics Officer with clear objectives and mentoring

• Act as the focal point for onboarding and separation activities

Logistics

• Set up an efficient logistics and procurement system, including asset management

• Support the Program Manager in procurement activities and ensure donor requirements and TWB rules are met

• Oversee and guarantee seamless logistics for travel and visas

Human resources management

• Organize recruitment logistics

• Contribute to a positive, innovative and supportive work environment where TWB’s values are understood and upheld

Other responsibilities

• Any other duties required in support of a smooth and efficient program office

The role will evolve along with the overall program as projects and activities develop to reflect the changing language needs of the affected population and humanitarian community in eastern DRC.

Reporting lines:

The post holder will report to the Program Manager with matrix management by the Chief Financial Officer. The Country Administration and Logistics Officer will report in 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

• 4+ years in business support functions in management positions

• Excellent skills in English; French highly desirable

• International humanitarian or development experience with a nonprofit

• 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 3 years of proven experience in goal-based / outcome-based planning and budgeting for social development or humanitarian programs

• 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)

• Integrity and strong personal values aligned with TWB’s mission

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

Risk communication and community engagement (RCCE) are key pillars of ongoing efforts to contain the spread of the Ebola virus disease and ensure those infected receive effective care. In the linguistically diverse context of eastern DRC, however, comprehension of official languages and lingua francas cannot be assumed.

TWB’s February 2019 assessment in Goma and September 2019 assessment in Beni found that RCCE efforts are not reaching large sections of the population (women and older men especially) because they are not adapted to local language use and literacy levels. Even a relatively well educated population did not understand key prevention concepts because the language used is not that spoken locally. Lack of understanding cannot combat rumor and disbelief. The Social Science Research Group (SSRG) has highlighted words used to talk about prevention and treatment causing confusion, misunderstanding and distrust (SSRG May 2019).

Frontline health workers and community mobilizers carry the burden of translating critical and unfamiliar concepts into local languages unsupported. Communities complain that responders and health educators do not always speak a language local people understand (CDC/IFRC June 2019, SSHAP November 2018-February 2019). Research in early 2019 found health workers often do not understand the information they are expected to relay (SSHAP February-May 2019). Responding organizations wanting to support, lack data and awareness about the languages affected people speak and understand.

TWB is establishing a program of language support to the Ebola response, in partnership with the International Rescue Committee (IRC), the H2H Network, IFRC, UNICEF and others. This will provide targeted support to frontline workers to overcome the language challenges in communicating with communities, and provide their organizations with language data and guidance to inform better support longer-term. We will build translation and interpreting capacity in relevant languages of at-risk communities, develop multilingual terminology support on key concepts, and build an evidence basis on the languages, comprehension, and communication preferences of affected people.

Beyond Ebola, action taken within this program also aims to foster multilingual communication with communities across the wider humanitarian response in eastern DRC.

Globally, TWB has also seen a period of rapid growth in the last 2-3 years and we are building up our finance and HR capacity accordingly.

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.