Regional office manager, South America

This role will be a key member of theBusiness Administrationrole family in the International Department and its focus isensuring the regional office and programmes are running effectively by providing coordination and support to the region and country office, communicating with Christian Aid in London. You will be responsiblefor programme, administrative, financial and compliance support to enable effective and efficient functioning of the regional office and programmes. You mayalso be responsible for provision of Tier 1 HR and/or finance and/or IT administrative support.

The ideal person for this role will need good knowledgeof accounting procedures and finance systems in order to produce financial reports. Also, awareness and knowledge of Human Resources/Finance/Health and safety legislation in the region. Ideally you will be familiar with issues concerning the development agenda and poverty eradication, as well as knowledge of country government financial reporting requirements.

You will require considerable relevant experience of general management, office management and senior level responsibility for administration, including demonstrable experience of finance systems and financial management, budget monitoring and financial analysis. You will have had experience of supervising, coordinating, motivating and managing project teams and must be fluent in written and spoken English.

More than half the world lives in poverty. We aim to put a stop to that. So we campaign against the structures and rules that keep people poor. And we work with local organisations to give people strength to find their own solutions to the problems they face, irrespective of their religion.

Please show your suitability for this post by giving answers to the following four questions relating to the four core competencies: Using the guidance notes may help you formulate your answers.

Planning and organising

Describe challenges you encountered in coordinating a number of complex activities or projects and how you planning and organizing ability proved to be key in keeping things on track.

What activities/projects were you responsible for?
What challenges did you encounter?
How did your planning/organizing skills prove to be key?
What was the outcome?

Strategic thinking

Describe a time when you suggested an alternative approach to deal with a broad and complex issue or situation.

What was the suggested idea/approach?
How was it different from the current approach?
What prompted you to suggest or try an alternative?
How was your idea received?
What was the outcome?

Knowledge/skills: General management, office and senior level responsibility

What have you done in the past to ensure that staff members that you manage are aware of the organisation’s policies and procedures and how their work relates to it?

Describe a specific example
What methods of communication did you employ to get the information across?
What information did you pass on to your staff?
What difference do you think this has made to the office’s relationship with the head office?

Knowledge/skills: Working with multiple stakeholder groups at all level within an organisation

According to your experience, what do you think is the best way to ensure a proactive dynamic with different stakeholder and group of interest within an organisation?

What do you think are the expectations for different stakeholders in a process of changes?
Tell us about the complex context that you have managed in your different experiences.

Download the role profile (31 KB pdf)

To apply for this post, please download an application pack and email your completed International application form to: LACRecruitment@christian-aid.org quoting the job reference number.

Please note that CVs will not be accepted and that only short listed candidates will be contacted.

Job reference: SA-008-2011

Closing date: Wednesday 16 November 2011

Interview dates: 24 or 25 November 2011

Desirable start date: 15 December 2011

Christian Aid values diversity and aspires to reflect this in our workforce. We welcome applications from people from all sections of the community, irrespective of race, colour, gender, age, disability, sexual orientation, religion or belief.