Head of Support Services

The Danish Refugee Council is one of the world's leading humanitarian NGOs, working in over 30 countries to provide adequate assistance and protection to refugees, asylum seekers, IDPs, returnees, people on the move, and vulnerable local populations/host communities. Currently, DRC is seeking a highly qualified Head of Support Services, based in Caracas, Venezuela.

About the job: DRC is managing its operations in Venezuela under the direction of the country office in Caracas and four field offices located in the states of Sucre, Apure, and Zulia (Maracaibo and Santa Barbara de Zulia). DRC Venezuela is implementing an integrated Action encompassing the Protection, Food Security & Livelihood, WASH and Disaster Preparedness sectors.

The overall purpose of the role:

The Head of Support Services (HoSS) provides strategic leadership and oversight of all support functions, ensuring efficient, compliant, and accountable operations across the country programme. As a key member of the Senior Management Team, the HoSS leads Finance, Human Resources, Supply Chain and Procurement, Administration, IT, and Risk & Compliance functions, ensuring that DRC policies, procedures, and donor requirements are consistently applied and that operational capacities effectively support programme delivery.

The role contributes to the development and implementation of country strategies, translating organizational priorities into effective operational plans and systems. The HoSS provides technical guidance and strategic direction to support teams across the country operation, while fostering strong coordination with national authorities on regulatory, fiscal, labour, administrative, and customs-related matters.

Operating within one of DRC's largest and most complex country programmes, the HoSS oversees support functions across multiple locations, manages diverse donor compliance requirements, and ensures operational readiness in both emergency response and long-term programming contexts. The position requires a strategic and solutions-oriented leader capable of making sound decisions in dynamic environments, anticipating risks, driving continuous improvement, and upholding the highest standards of accountability, stewardship, and transparency.

Responsibilities:

Management

• Lead and manage the support managers (including people planning, performance, well-being and development).
• Manage, deliver and report on current operations programme support in Venezuela.
• Establish high performing support teams ensuring high-quality approaches are maintained.
• Develop and improve operational approaches, compliance and systems, and support the Country Director to build and deliver effective and sustainable interventions.
• Responsible for the strategic development, management and implementation of the support operations.
• Ensure appropriate technical support is available to programmes, in line with organisational priorities.
• Ensure support for annual planning and review processes.
• Direct responsibility for ensuring that the DRC programme operates in accordance with DRC’s support function guidelines.

Operational Management

• Support the Country Director and the Senior Management Team in liaising with donors and with national authorities, especially on issues of compliance, registration, taxation, labour law and audit.
• Oversee the operational support units for the country by providing strategic leadership and technical support to the areas under his/her supervision.
• Supervision, audits and controlling and implementation of corrective actions related to DRC’s operational standards within support area.
• Ensure that DRC retains and continually develops its operational capacity to provide rapid emergency response in particular within its procurement and transport systems.
• Develop, maintain and regularly update the country risk register and risk management plan, identifying the major financial, operational, legal, fraud and reputational risks, and lead the implementation and monitoring of mitigation measures together with the SMT.
• Ensure that all administrative and legal-related systems are accurate and maintained.
• Work to build the capacity of the operational support staff throughout the operation though frequent in-service training sessions and mentoring support.
• Contribute to the development and implementation of DRC’s global development initiatives.

Managing support services in a large and demanding operation

• Lead treasury, cash and liquidity management in a multi-currency environment: rigorous forecasting and planning, safe custody and movement of funds, and appropriate payment and transfer arrangements, ensuring at all times full compliance with national regulations, DRC procedures and donor requirements, and with the financial integrity standards applicable to the organisation.
• Ensure systematic compliance with the regulatory, screening and due-diligence requirements applicable to DRC and to its donors, including vetting of suppliers, partners and staff, and timely internal escalation of any issue identified.
• Maintain DRC’s legal registration and its tax, labour, migration and administrative compliance fully up to date, in close coordination with the competent national authorities; monitor developments in the applicable framework and advise the Country Director on their operational and financial implications.
• Take and own operational decisions under time pressure and on the basis of incomplete or evolving information, documenting the options considered, the rationale and the residual risk accepted; and demonstrate clear judgement on when to decide, when to consult and when to escalate to the Country Director or HQ.
• Lead business continuity and contingency planning for support services, covering infrastructure, energy, connectivity, logistics, customs, transport and financial contingencies, ensuring that critical stocks, alternative suppliers and back-up procedures are in place, documented and periodically tested.
• Ensure support services can scale up and scale down rapidly in response to sudden-onset emergencies, anticipatory action triggers and changes in funding levels, including the correct and documented use of emergency procurement modalities, derogations and waivers.
• Lead the support-services set-up and consolidation of the newly established Caracas field base covering the earthquake emergency response, premises and warehousing, assets and fleet, surge recruitment and onboarding, procurement pipelines, cash and banking arrangements, and clear delegation of authority, ensuring the base becomes fully operational and compliant at emergency speed while remaining co-located with the country office.
• Ensure the support functions absorb and service the earthquake response caseload alongside the regular programme portfolio, including the deployment, contracting and administration of surge and EMPACT staff, without degrading compliance standards or the level of support provided to the existing field bases.
• Provide effective remote management and technical supervision to support staff in field bases located at considerable distance from the country office, through clear delegation of authority, simplified and context-adapted procedures, and routine verification and spot checks.
• Strengthen and monitor the financial, procurement and HR compliance of national implementing partners, balancing risk management with a partnership-based, capacity-strengthening approach.
• Lead the preparation, facilitation and follow-up of internal, donor and statutory audits across a diversified multi-donor portfolio, ensuring timely closure of audit recommendations and organisational learning.
• Lead prevention, early detection and response to fraud and irregularities within DRC’s own operations and support functions, ensuring that safe reporting channels are known and used, and supporting Code of Conduct processes as requested.
• Uphold duty of care for staff working under sustained workload: safe working conditions, wellbeing measures, workload management, and calm and consistent communication during demanding periods.
• Participate in the country crisis management team, ensuring that support functions continue to deliver during emergencies, operational incidents and periods of heightened demand.

DRC Dynamics ERP System

• Ensure ERP functionality is properly used by relevant staff.
• Apply reports and data analytics from DRC Dynamics to improve overall performance.
• Act as heavy user for most of the project and finance functionalities.

Occupational Health and Safety

• To know the progress, results and effectiveness of the actions undertaken in the implementation and improvement of the occupational health and safety management system.
• Comply with the legal requirements applicable to occupational health and safety in each of the processes that correspond to them.
• Actively participate in the implementation and improvement of the occupational health and safety management system.
• Comply with and enforce the established programs and plans of the occupational health and safety management system.
• Maintain permanent feedback on the processes, plans and programs for which they are responsible through the implementation of corrective, preventive and improvement actions.
• Suspend any activity when it is determined that it is not complied with current and/or internal legal regulations related to occupational health and safety or endangers the integrity of the same.
• Actively participate in the development of the action plans of its competence in Occupational Health and Safety.
• Properly use the resources provided by the company in conjunction with the ARL for education and training in occupational safety and health.
• Properly use the equipment, tools and personal protection elements provided by the company.
• Truthfully report the state of health before, during and after the execution of the tasks for which they were hired.
• Actively participate in the identification of unsafe actions or conditions in workplaces.

Within their line management mandate, and in alignment with DRC’s leadership standards and policies, the position holder is responsible for:

• Providing leadership and direction to a team, ensuring clarity of roles, expectations, and performance standards to achieve agreed goals and objectives.
• Exercising team budget oversight and decision-making authority where assigned.
• Leading or contributing to recruitment processes for staff within their team and implementing termination decisions in accordance with DRC’s two-step principle.
• Conducting and/or signing off on performance appraisals and ensuring regular, constructive feedback to support continuous improvement.
• Supporting the professional development of team members through coaching, capacity building, and development planning.
• Addressing poor performance and disciplinary issues, including handling Code of Conduct cases referred to management, in line with DRC policies and procedures.

Within Technical Supervision mandate in the assigned thematic area and geographic scope, the position holder is responsible for:

• Providing technical direction, guidance, and where mandated, instructions to ensure compliance with DRC policies, standards, and strategies.
• Supporting managers and technical staff through regular communication, capacity building, and promotion of best practices.
• Support managers with assessing the technical skills and performance of most senior technical staff in the country and field offices.
• Escalating and, where authorized, addressing issues of non-compliance or poor performance in line with the technical supervision mandate.
• Participating in the recruitment of most senior technical staff in country and field offices.

Experience and technical competencies:

• At least 7 years’ experience in relevant field
• At least 4 years’ experience with people management.
• Experience in a similar role in an international NGO.
• Master’s degree in business administration, finance, supply chain management, international development, economics or another relevant field. A professional qualification in accounting, audit or supply chain (e.g. ACCA, CIMA, CPA, CIPS) is an asset. Equivalent professional experience in support services management in complex operations may be considered.
• Proven leadership skills and competence in people management.
• Proven operational management experience and capability in large and complex operations with demanding financial, logistical and compliance environments, including multi-currency settings.
• Proven significant financial, information and systems management experience.
• Significant experience in procurement and tender processes.
• Understanding and experience of institutional fundraising.
• Experience working in an ERP system, including supply chain, finance and HR systems.
• Demonstrated ability to take sound and timely decisions under pressure, with incomplete information and shifting parameters, and to be accountable for them.
• Proven experience in treasury and cash management in multi-currency environments and in operations with a significant cash component.
• Demonstrated working knowledge of the regulatory, screening and due-diligence requirements applicable to humanitarian organisations and their donors.
• Experience leading donor, internal and statutory audits and managing compliance across a diversified multi-donor portfolio.
• Experience working through, and strengthening the compliance capacity of, national implementing partners.
• Experience in business continuity planning, crisis management and rapid scale-up or scale-down of support functions.
• Demonstrated experience in opening, setting up or rapidly reinforcing field bases and support systems in response to sudden-onset emergencies (earthquakes, floods, mass displacement).
• Proven ability to lead, motivate and hold accountable dispersed teams managed remotely.
• Full professional proficiency in English and Spanish

We offer:

• The opportunity to be part of one of the best NGOs worldwide.
• Access to over 1,000 free online trainings and certifications.
• Contract duration: 1 year contract renewable based on funding availability and satisfactory performance
• Salary: Under the band E Management, level 1.Terms of Employment for national or expatriate staff, as applicable.
• Health Insurance

Application Process: All applicants must upload a cover letter (max. 1 page) and an updated CV (max. 2 pages, without attachments) in English or Spanish, on the DRC employment platform. Applications sent by email will not be considered.

Application Deadline: Wednesday, September 16 at 11:59 am Local time. Please note that applications will be reviewed continuously, and interviews will be scheduled as soon as a suitable candidate is identified. DRC reserves the right to close the vacancy before the deadline once a suitable candidate is identified.

Start Date: As soon as possible.