Mandatée par le ministère français de l'Europe et des Affaires étrangères (MEAE) pour la mise en place de l’expertise technique française, Expertise France recherche un(e) Country Program Officer (CPO) positionné.e au sein du PME à Paris, pour la région Afrique de l’Ouest.

• Focal point for countries on GPE grant application, implementation phases and timelines.
• Relationship coordinator for Grant Agents in country.
• Coordinates all Secretariat review processes, facilitating communications between contributors, defining timelines, tracking and reporting, and ensuring high quality of Board decision documents.
• Leads all compliance (PDG; EOI for Multiplier; Extensions) and hybrid (SCG; final Compact; QAR3 for STG, Multiplier and GEA; Restructurings) reviews, including drafting and preparing documents for review and submitting CEO/Board packages for approval.
• Leads on grant implementation phase from start to close. This includes:
  • Grant performance monitoring: regular portfolio reviews with grant agents, monitoring missions, regular drafting of Monitoring Updates in relevant GPExchange module (including Secretariat rating of grants).
  • Grant reporting: advising grant agents on progress and completion reporting requirements, ensuring reporting accountability of grant agent is adhered to; ensuring audit and PSEAH reports received and shared with Risk and Compliance Team.
• Provides continuing support to country on questions and issues related to grant processes, including grant agent selection.
• Leads grant restructurings and consults CEL when significant program redesign is required.
• Works closely with the Aid Alignment specialist and CEL on aid alignment and financing modalities for GPE funding.

Principales tâches et résultats attendus :

Collaboration & Teamwork (Level 3)

Actively collaborates with others and models and open, helpful disposition. Acts as a teammate, proactively stepping in to support colleagues as needed. Recognizes and values the role of each team in delivering on GPE’s mission. Approaches challenges and obstacles as shared challenges to be overcome. Sincerely contributes to productive group dynamics and actively seeks and considers diverse ideas and approaches.

Accountability & Results Focus (Level 3)

Engages in productive consultation without losing sight of responsibility for own decisions, deliverables and deadlines. Doesn’t let the pursuit of perfection prevent forward progress. Seeks clarity when needed to move work forward and takes initiative to remove obstacles. Takes ownership of own mistakes, failures or oversights, and seeks to correct them. Manages differences of opinion to productive resolution so as not to impede progress. Works to ensure group efforts produce clear actions and decisions and tasks conclude.

Communication & Interpersonal Skills (Level 3)

Has experience & success working in multicultural environments. Speaks and writes clearly and effectively, adapting language, tone, style and message to diverse, multicultural audiences. Skilled at communicating complex information in succinct and digestible ways. Shares information and keeps people informed; Models transparency, in a way that builds trust in a culturally diverse environment. Maintains productive working relationships with colleagues and models this behavior for junior staff. Engages in active listening and two-way conversation. Asks questions for clarification and responds to others appropriately. Learns from others’ ideas and expertise.

Adaptability (Level 3)

Models flexibility - responds to changing circumstances by innovating and altering behavior to better fit different situations. Learns new skills and performs work in different ways. Remains calm in stressful situations and influences others do so. Professionally deals with personal discomfort in a changing work environment.

Planning & Organizing (Level 3)

Works well independently and in teams. Plans and prioritizes work effectively, making adjustments as needed to accommodate changes. Sets and meets individual and team deadlines. Works well under pressure and against tight timelines, and still delivers high -quality work. Foresees risks and identifies mitigation strategies and contingencies.

Grant Process & Operational Policy Knowledge (Level 3)

Strong knowledge of the grant lifecycle, instruments, and associated processes. Experience in one or more of the following areas: grant implementation modalities, program evaluation, or other areas relevant to the work. Solid understanding of grant related operational policies, such as conditions and processes to access GPE grants and requirements with regards to implementation & reporting. Experience developing, supporting, managing, and evaluating education-related programs. Some knowledge of procurement and disbursement, fiduciary, safeguard, governance and anticorruption - and their application to the grant cycle. Ability to advise Secretariat teams and country partners on appropriate use of policies, procedures and instruments.

Foundational Technical Knowledge in Education & Development (Level 2)

Some experience working on education and/or development issues in low and middle income countries. Some exposure to the policy process. Awareness of unique considerations in fragile and conflict affected contexts. Knowledge of stakeholders, major issues and challenges.

Grant Portfolio Tracking & Reporting (Level 3)

Thorough understanding of the grant lifecycle, from pre-grant through grant close, and of grant instruments and processes; Able to be a advise more junior team members. Extensive experience tracking, analyzing and reporting on grants and grant portfolios at all stages, including pipeline and grant implementation. Deep understanding of key milestones and related data and metrics; Excellent data manipulation and reporting skills and attention to detail. Adept at working cooperatively with multi-disciplinary teams and staff and managers at all levels and communicating and representing the team’s products and work.

Knowledge of Aid Alignment (Level 2)

Working knowledge of aid effectiveness and the alignment of aid with national systems, Knowledge of alignment modalities. Understands importance of aid alignment to system transformation.