Description of the position

Based at the Expertise France (EF) office in Abuja, the Support Functions Manager (SFM) reports hierarchically to the Team Leader of the QUALIMEDS project and works functionally in close coordination with the Financial and Administrative Services at EF Headquarters (HQ) in Paris.

The SFM collaborates regularly with various Team Leaders operating under EF in Nigeria to ensure alignment and consistency of financial and administrative practices across all projects.

The SFM supervises the Abuja-based support team, currently composed of an Administrative and Financial Manager (AFM), an Administrative and Financial Assistant, an Accountant, a Grant Officer, a Logistics and Security Officer, and a Driver. The support team may be expanded as new projects are deployed in country.

The SFM is responsible for ensuring the effective operation of the EF office in Nigeria, with a focus on strategic, administrative, and financial oversight. They ensure compliance with EF standards and donor requirements, while fostering coordination and operational coherence across all projects.

Mission

The key responsibilities assigned to the Support Functions Manager include the following:

Strategic management of the office

• Lead the setup and structuring of the EF office, in close coordination with HQ and project teams;
• Define and implement coordination frameworks (e.g., roles and responsibility matrices, planning tools) to ensure effective collaboration between support services, project teams, and HQ;
• Oversee day-to-day office operations, including infrastructure, IT, equipment, and general services;
• Ensure that all projects—national, regional, and multi-country (e.g., TEI DSSR)—receive appropriate, efficient, and harmonized support services

Oversight of support services

• Lead and manage the support services team (finance, logistics, security, administration);
• Oversee human resources processes: recruitment, onboarding, task allocation, performance appraisal, and professional development;
• Define team objectives, coordinate workflows, and lead coordination meetings to reinforce internal communication and cross-team synergies;
• Foster a high-performance, inclusive, and collaborative team environment aligned with EF’s decentralization strategy.

Financial planning and supervision

• Oversee the preparation, consolidation, and monitoring of budgets, ensuring compliance with grant agreements and EF standards;
• Supervise budget execution, accuracy of forecasts, cost allocations, and financial performance monitoring across all projects;
• Review and validate financial reporting (internal and donor-specific), and ensure audit readiness.

Accounting and treasury oversight

• Supervise accounting operations, validate monthly closings, and ensure analytical accuracy and compliance;
• Approve the monthly accounting pack for submission to EF HQ, ensuring adherence to internal archiving and reporting procedures;
• Oversee treasury operations: approve cash flow forecasts, supervise fund transfers, and ensure liquidity and fund security.

Procurement and grants management

• Support and advise project teams on procurement planning and execution, ensuring donor and internal compliance;
• Monitor contract follow-up (leases, framework agreements, service contracts, purchase orders, grants), in coordination with HQ and field teams;
• Contribute to the development and updating of procurement and contract plans;
• Ensure internal control of procurement processes (ex-ante and ex-post), in liaison with HQ;
• Support compliance monitoring of contract implementation (deliverables, timelines, payment schedules) and contribute to risk management;
• Participate in procurement- and grant-related audits and ensure implementation of recommendations.

Internal control and compliance

• Ensure the implementation and proper functioning of internal control systems.
• Monitor compliance with EF procedures and donor requirements and propose corrective measures where necessary;
• Supervise all audit processes (internal, external, donor) and ensure follow-up of recommendations;
• Promote a culture of accountability, compliance, and risk management, and propose enhancements to internal control and operational systems.

Logistics and security management

• Supervise logistics operations related to office facilities, staff travel, the service vehicle, asset tracking, and the supply chain, ensuring compliance with Expertise France procedures;
• Ensure the implementation, application, and regular updating of logistics procedures in line with EF standards in Nigeria;
• Oversee adherence to Expertise France’s safety and security protocols, in coordination with the Regional Security Coordinator based in based in Ivory Coast;
• Contribute to the development, local adaptation, and regular updating of the office’s security management plan and incident reporting mechanisms.

Administrative, legal, and regulatory supervision

• Ensure compliance with national legal and administrative frameworks (taxation, labor law, procurement, etc.);
• Oversee management of office-level contracts (e.g., leases, service and framework agreements) in coordination with the AFM and EF HQ;
• Monitor changes in local legislation relevant to EF’s operations and ensure internal procedures are updated accordingly;
• Maintain constructive relationships with relevant national authorities, in line with AFD Group's institutional positioning.

This list is not exhaustive, and the tasks and activities mentioned are not restrictive.