Under the supervision of the Project Leader based in Tbilisi (Georgia) and the Deputy Project Leader, based in Chisinau (Moldova), the EU 4 Innovation East Senior Financial and Administrative Manager is responsible for the overall financial and administrative management of the project “EU4Innovation East”.

The Senior Administrative and Financial Manager is part of the Project Management Unit (PMU) – and is based in Tbilisi, Georgia. He/She supervises (functionally) the administrative and financial team consisting of two full-time project assistants in charge partially of the procurement (one based in Georgia and one based in Moldova) and one part-time administrative assistant, based in Georgia.

Project description

EU4Innovation East is a EU-funded project aiming to support the Eastern Partner Countries (EaP) startup ecosystems’ growth.

Position Description 

Under the supervision of the Project Leader and the Deputy Project Leader.

Support Expertise France’s establishment in Georgia and Moldova

• With support from Expertise France’s headquarters, prepare the Calls for Tenders related to the furniture, IT equipment, and other needs that may arise during the life-span of the project.
• Prepare the ensuing contractual documents using Expertise France templates and procedures.
• Support the team set up in offices in Georgia and Moldova, ensuring contractual lease documents comply with local regulations.
• Ensure the opening of the local bank account, with the support of Expertise France’s headquarters.
• Maintain regular relations with the partner bank and provide the necessary information for the monitoring of Expertise France’s activities.

Financial and budgetary management

• Ensure the financial monitoring of the project according to the formats established at Expertise France.
• Prepare and participate in monthly and annual budget planning exercises (landing forecast, indicative budgets) in close collaboration with the Project Lead and the Deputy.
• Prepare monthly financial reports and carry out a monthly analysis of the level of the project implementation and make recommendations, based on Expertise France’s methodologies and your expertise.
• Prepare, ensure the internal validation of, and transmit financial reports and payment requests to the donors.
• Prepare for and support audits.
• Ensure necessary controls for the reliability of project financial data.

Accounting management

• Develop and update the project’s financial monitoring tools (Excel and ERP) following Expertise France’s internal tools and procedures.
• Monitor the level of cash at the local level and follow up on payments.
• Supervise the control of accounting documents.
• Prepare monthly, quarterly, and annual accounting closure documents in coordination with Expertise France headquarters.
• Verify accounting entries (descriptions, accounting codes, analytical codes, reconciliation, exchange rates, etc.) in available tools: ERP, SAGE, and Excel files.
• Plan and follow up on internal and external audits and verify compliance with the expenditure authorization process.

Cash management

• Prepare requests to fund the bank account.
• Send the request to headquarters and monitor fund receipt.
• Manage project cash flows and ensure sufficient funding.
• Ensure fund security.

Administrative and Financial Team management

• Support the appropriation of procedures and the use of the ERP by the accounting and administrative team.
• Supervise the accounting and administrative team.
• Organize schedules for the administrative team to cover any absences.

Administrative management and oversight

• Supervise and control the implementation of administrative, financial, and human resources rules and procedures according to Expertise France rules and in collaboration with local partners, such as Staffing and HR management firms.
• Support the grant management team in defining administrative and financial processes, and propose templates and training content to teach grant recipients good practices in terms of financial reporting and expenditure tracking.
  
• Ensure the development and maintenance of a project-level archiving system
• Propose and participate in writing or improving administrative or financial procedures.
• Stay informed about changes in national laws and policies.
• Prepare declarations and supervise the payment or refund process of taxes in the 5 countries targeted by the project.
• Ensure the filing of administrative documents.
• Establish and maintain relations with administrative authorities at the national level.