Administrative and Financial Manager - PEERS Project (M/W) (New window)

Based at the PEERS project coordination office in Paris, the Administrative and Financial Manager will take charge of managing the donor contract (main contract), finance, administration, logistics, and procurement in collaboration with the implementation partners (ADEA and EDUFI). He/she will also specifically supervise the financing contract of Expertise France with the European Union. Their main missions will be to establish an effective framework for ensuring compliance, managing financial planning, supervising administrative activities and supporting the administrative and financial team in daily tasks. This team consists of a project assistant based at headquarters, two support staff members located in the coordination offices in Arusha (Tanzania, ECOWAS headquarters) and Abuja (Nigeria, ECOWAS headquarters), who will be recruited in the coming year, a Finance Manager within ADEA and a Finance and Logistics Manager at EDUFI.

He/she will also play a strategic advisory role to the Team Leader, anticipating financial, operational and administrative risks related to the implementation of the budget and contract, and proposing appropriate solutions. In the context of the strategic review of the project, he/she will directly contribute to the preparation and securing of any contractual changes, notably the revision of the budget, the financing plan, and the associated contractual and partnership provisions.

Reporting to the Project Lead at the PEERS coordination office in Paris (Gare de Lyon), he/she will have the following main responsibilities:

Responsibility 1: Management of the financing contract

• Lead, on the financial and contractual aspects, the preparation of any amendments to the financing contract with the European Union, in close coordination with the Project Lead, the implementing partners, and the relevant departments at Expertise France headquarters.
• Translate the programmatic changes of the project into budgetary and contractual implications: reallocations between lines, evolution of project staff costs, implementation schedule, revision of partner agreements and preparation of necessary financial annexes.
• Supervise the main contract, while ensuring compliance with Expertise France procedures and EU requirements (for EF, EDUFI and ADEA).
• Monitor and manage the overall project budget, identify discrepancies and propose adjustments if necessary.
• Prepare the donor financial reports with the support of the project and headquarters team.
• Identify and mitigate risks associated with the implementation of the lessor contract, including financial, operational, and compliance risks.
• Ensure the rigor and compliance of supporting documents (expenses, payments, contracts) for donor reports and audits.
• Oversee the proper management of partner grants, ensuring compliance and accurate reporting.
• Prepare and facilitate audits.

Responsibility 2: Finance

• Support the Project Lead in the overall management, planning and implementation of EF budget process and advise her on spending and financial management strategies.
• Produce the financial analyses and scenarios necessary for the strategic arbitrations of the project and inform the decisions of theProject Lead and the consortium on the financial sustainability of the various implementation options.
• Provide an accurate financial perspective of the project regularly.
• Consolidate and analyse financial reports for all project components, in compliance with deadlines and contractual commitments.
• Oversee the movement of funds, cash management, banking transactions and transfers, beyond all internal controls.

Responsibility 3: Administration

• Ensure a smooth and compliant administrative framework at all levels of the project, through strong internal controls and reporting, effective coordination among implementing partners and internal audits.
• Ensure that all necessary agreements for the project activities (including VAT exemption) are in place and keep informed of administrative rules and regulations related to Expertise France activities.
• Support the process of opening coordination offices in Arusha (Tanzania - headquarters of the East African Community).
• Manage the drafting and monitoring of partnership agreements with all project partner institutions.

Responsibility 4: Logistics and Procurement

• Coordinate support to all project’s procurement and logistics needs inclusive of related information management and maintenance, requests for quotations, quality control and ensuring the set procedures are followed.
• Supervise the proper application of procurement procedures, in conjunction with the relevant support services at Expertise France Headquarters (legal department, procurement department)

Responsibility 5: Coordination and support

• Coordinate and support the Support Services team, through a functional link: 3 Project Assistants (one project assistant based in Paris and one project assistant in each of the two implementation countries), 1 Finance Manager at ADEA and 1 Finance and Logistics Manager at EDUFI).
• Ensure close coordination with the implementing partners on logistical, financial and administrative matters and ensure proactive communication with all relevant stakeholders.
• Liaise with the donor, including on compliance, reporting, payments and auditing matters.