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Ref.
2025/RAEFPP/12570

Job offer type
Headquarter positions

Type of contract
CDDU

Activity sectors
Education, Higher Education and Research

Deadline date
2025/03/10 10:51

Duration
12 mois

Mission description

Based in the Expertise France coordination office in Paris, the Administration & Finance Manager will oversee and manage the comprehensive grant, financial, administration/HR, logistics and procurement framework of the project in cooperation with implementing partners (ADEA and EDUFI), while supervising specifically EF contract with European union. This includes establishing and monitoring grant systems, ensuring compliance, managing financial planning, supervising administrative functions, and providing day-to-day management to the Support Services Unit in charge of providing financial and administrative support to the project. Additionally, the Administration & Finance Manager will collaborate closely with 2 support staff located at the coordination offices in Arusha (Tanzania, EAC Headquarters) and Abuja (Nigeria, ECOWAS Headquarters).

Reporting to the Team Leader at the PEERS coordination office in Paris, the Administration & Finance Manager is assigned the following primary responsibilities:

Responsibility 1: Grant Management

  • Set up and monitor the overall grant management system of the project, ensuring compliance with EU and Expertise France procedures and requirements.
  • Establish a robust archiving system from project onset to ensure accessibility of all documentation (both physical and digital) for seamless team operations, smooth personnel transitions, and audit compliance.
  • Ensure adherence to donor and organizational regulations throughout the grant lifecycle.
  • Track and manage grant budgets, identifying variances and proposing adjustments when necessary.
  • Oversee the preparation and submission of timely and accurate reports to donors.
  • Identify and mitigate risks associated with grant implementation, including financial, operational, and compliance risks.
  • Provide support and training to grant partners on EF management procedures and processes (reports, payments, audits, etc.).
  • Oversee the proper management of partner grants, ensuring compliance and accurate reporting.
  • Prepare for and facilitate audits, ensuring proper documentation and compliance.

 

Responsibility 2: Finance

  • Provide overall financial planning support to the Team Leader, advise on spending and financial spending strategies, provide accurate financial outlook of the project on a regular basis.
  • Constantly check the integrity and robustness of financial procedures, possible mismanagement and suggest corrective actions to minimise losses.
  • Consolidate and review timely and accurate financial reporting for all the project components, in accordance with deadlines and contractual terms.
  • Manage agreements and services with banks and other financial institutions.
  • Monitor and regulate the movement of cash, liquidity management, the bank transactions and transfers, beyond the set of internal controls.
  • Support the overall management, planning, and implementation of EF and implementing partners’ budget according to contractual budget.
  • Lead the development and revision of EF budget forecasts whilst ensuring consistency between budget planning and operational planning. Identify any discrepancies and propose and implement necessary adjustments.

 

Responsibility 3: Administration/HR

  • Ensure a smooth and compliant administrative working environment at all levels of the project, through solid internal controls and reporting, sound coordination between implementing partners, and internal audits.
  • Ensure that all necessary agreements necessary for the project operations (including VAT exemption) are in place and keep updated on administrative rules and regulations pertaining to the activities of EF.   
  • Support initial process to establish the coordination offices in Arusha (Tanzania, EAC Headquarters) and Abuja (Nigeria, ECOWAS Headquarters)
  • Support the induction of new team members in EF coordination offices (paperwork, preparation of workstations, setting up of IT equipment, provision of office supplies, etc)
  • Ensure that effective HR policies are in place and implemented.
  • Manage all aspects of HR leave and travel (including the expatriates).
  • Ensure EF international staff visas are in place and followed up through correct processes.
  • Manage EF’s relationship with legal advisors (if necessary).

 

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
  • Monitor procurement procedures and ensure that items are accounted for and quality/quantity controlled in stock reports and asset inventory management systems.
  • Set up and manage all necessary service contracts in line with EF procedures and tools.
  • Ensure IT equipment, network, and security protocols are in compliance with EF and donor policy and guidelines.
  • Ensuring that agreed measures for safety and security are in place and adhered to by all staff, in link with the Team Leader.

 

Responsibility 5: Team Leadership and Coordination

  • Lead, manage, and guide the Support Services team, through a direct (3 Project Assistants) or a functional link (1 Finance Officer at ADEA and 1 Finance & Logistic Officer at EDUFI).
  • Maintain close coordination with implementing partners on logistics, finance, HR and administration-related topics and ensure a proactive communication with all relevant stakeholders.
  • Share and coordinate administration and finance related information with the Team Leader and other staff and attend any relevant internal coordination meetings.
  • Liaise with the donor, especially as relates to issues of compliance, reporting, payments and audit.
  • Participate, as an observer, in the PSC (Project Steering Committee) and the Partnership Coordination (PC) meetings.

 

The described tasks involve the necessity to network and interact with a multiplicity of staff and institutions from EU and Sub-Saharan countries and require readiness and ability to travel abroad when necessary. These tasks will also be aligned with the Expertise France Headquarters calendar. The Administrative and Finance Manager will have to collaborate with the HQ staff whenever necessary.

Project or context description

The Africa-Europe Partnership to Exchange on Education Reforms (PEERs) is a project funded by the EU through the Education Section (G3) and the Regional and Multi-Country Programmes for Africa Section (A2) of DG INTPA. The project aims to accelerate progress toward SDG 4 by fostering enhanced regional cooperation in education across Africa and between Africa and Europe. It specifically supports two Regional Economic Communities (RECs)—the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the East African Community (EAC)— in strengthening their coordination roles and building the ownership and capacity of their Member and Partner States to address the education agenda effectively.

The Regional Economic Communities in Africa have a critical role to play in coordination and providing platforms for peer learning towards the implementation of Continental Education Strategy for Africa (CESA), SDG 4 and the education goals of the RECs themselves. However, they face several constraints limiting their ability to fully play such coordination role. These limiting factors are mainly related to institutional capacities; funding for coordination, peer learning and implementation of activities; conflicting priorities; poor coordination due to membership of Member/Partner States in several RECs and diverse languages; weak coordination and peer learning mechanisms amongst the RECs; and non-inclusion of RECs and Member/Partner States in the African Union clusters.

The PEERs project will therefore pursue the following specific objectives over the next 5 years:

  1. To enhance cooperation between and within the ECOWAS and EAC regions in the design, implementation and monitoring of quality, gender-responsive, inclusive, green and digital education policies;
  2. To increase the mutual learning and the effective transfer of good practices and tools on quality, gender-responsive, inclusive, green and digital education between the EU, ECOWAS, EAC and their Member States;
  3. To leverage evidence and promote knowledge exchange for enhanced evidence-based quality, inclusive, gender-responsive, green and digital education policies in ECOWAS and EAC regions. 

The PEERs action will be funded by the European Union and be co-implemented by a partnership formed by 3 agencies, two state agencies (Expertise France for France and EDUFI for Finland), and a regional association for education (ADEA). Expertise France has been designated the Coordinating Agency for this partnership.

The duration of the action is scheduled from March 2025 to February 2030 (60 months) with a budget of 15 M€. 

Required profile

Required Skills:

  • Relevant university degree related to finance and business administration (or any related field: procurement, logistics, law, HR studies, etc.).
  • Good general knowledge of finance, administration, logistics, and HR functions.
  • Excellent knowledge of EU grant management procedures is required. Previous knowledge of Expertise France’s finance and administrative management tools and processes is an asset.
  • Proven experience in engaging institutional relations with national authorities and donors.
  • Capacity to liaise and coordinate with various actors including financial services and suppliers.
  • Excellent project planning, organisational, interpersonal and communication skills.
  • Strong analytical skills, excellent leadership competences, strong interpersonal and communication skills.
  • Ability to prioritize tasks and work under pressure/respond to urgent requests.
  • Self-starter with the ability to work independently with minimal supervision.
  • Full command of standard computer applications (Microsoft Office).
  • Fluent French and English spoken and written skills are essential. Other languages desired: Portuguese.

 

Required Experience:

  • A minimum of 7 years of relevant work experience in a similar position in international cooperation or development aid sector for public agencies, INGO or other international agencies, especially projects funded by the European Union (EU). Experience managing large complex grants (> 10M€, consortia, etc.) is an asset. Working experience in Sub-Sahara Africa is an asset.
  • Prior management experience, preferably with oversight of finance, administration, logistics, and/or IT, including demonstrated ability to set up operational systems in a new project/programme.
  • Ability to successfully manage and develop staff, especially remotely, as demonstrated by experience.
  • Ability to manage partners, sub-contracts, and grant programs with all required reporting requirements.
  • Experience in working and coordinating with international and national partners, government, and donor agencies.
  • Work experience in a multi-lingual/international environment and ability to accommodate cultural differences to interact effectively with people of different cultures.

Additional information

Job location: Paris, France 

Contract information: the contract period is for 12 months (yearly renewable up to 5 years). We offer an EF contract with a competitive salary and benefit package which includes comprehensive insurance cover, social security, pension contribution, etc.

Starting date: as soon as possible (April 2025)

 

Documents to be provided:

  • A CV
  • A cover letter
  • Three business references including email and telephone contacts

 

Applications must include the project reference: 23PSE0C362 - PEERS / Administration & Finance Manager.

Candidates interested in this opportunity are invited to submit their application as soon as possible. Expertise France reserves the right to pre-select candidates before the recruitment closing date.

Deadline for application : 2025/03/10 10:51

Expertise France is the public agency for designing and implementing international technical cooperation projects. The agency operates around four key priorities :

  • democratic, economic, and financial governance ;
  • peace, stability, and security ;
  • climate, agriculture, and sustainable development ;
  • health and human development ;

In these areas, Expertise France conducts capacity-building initiatives and manages project implementation, leveraging technical expertise and acting as a project coordinator. This involves combining public sector expertise with private sector skills to drive impactful results. 

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