Expertise France is the public agency of French international technical
cooperation. The agency operates around four priorities:
* democratic, economic and financial governance;
* security and stability of countries in crisis/post-crisis situations;
* sustainable development;
* strengthening health systems, social protection and employment.
In these areas, Expertise France carries out engineering and implementation
missions for capacity building projects, mobilizes technical expertise and
acts as an aggregator of projects involving public expertise and private know-
how.
With an activity volume of 233 million euros, more than 400 projects in
portfolio in 80 countries, and 63,000 days of expertise, Expertise France
focuses its action towards France 's solidarity policy, influence and economic
diplomacy.
To support the implementation of the "Sustainable Cities" project, Expertise
France is looking for an Administration and Finance Manager.
Under the management of the Project Leader who supervises its role, and within
the project team based both in Accra and Tamale, the Administration and
Finance Manager will oversee overall financial, contractual, accounting, and
administrative aspects of the project. She/He will also support the setting up
of the project offices in Ghana. She/He will be responsible for the proper
application of administrative and financial procedures.She/He will report to
the Project Leader and will also work closely with EF headquarter in Paris (in
particular the Administrative and Finance Project Officer in the Sustainable
Development Department), to harmonise practices and coordinate the
administrative and financial management of the project.
Indicative tasks to be carried out would include:
Financial, budgetary and accounting management
* Responsible for the proper financial management of the project office
* Manage and support project assistants as required on the administrative and financial tasks assigned to them (participation in the preparation of budgets, analysis of financial reports, verification and validation of financial pieces etc.)
* Support to the Project Leader in managing the budget of the whole project in its various activities and actions planned throughout the duration of the project
* Participate in the creation, supervise the implementation of and manage dashboards and other financial tools for the project (budget monitoring, budget forecasting, cash flow monitoring, etc.)
* Analyse and present financial reports and communicate monthly and annual financial statements in a clear manner as required
* Reconcile monthly field cash statements (cash and bank)
* Supervise the implementation of and check the proposed budgets before financial commitments, the amount of payments to be made and budget closures
* Coordinate and monitor the annual audit process, liaising with internal/external auditors
* Effectively communicate and present critical financial issues to management.
* Manage VAT exemption processes.
Administrative management and procurement
* Ensure the development of the procedures manual and be responsible for its application in collaboration with EF HQ
* Ensure that due diligence procedures are followed in the project's procurement activities
* Oversee the planning and execution of the project's procurement activities (the technical part will be drawn up by the project leader and project experts): preparation of tender documents, publication, organization of selection committees, negotiation and awarding of contracts etc.
* Ensure the financial follow-up and execution schedules of contracts and grants awarded by the project
* Ensure the administrative and financial management of local staff: preparation of job cards, organization of recruitment, follow-up of the wage portage contracts, leave, payment of salaries and expenses etc.
* Plan, control, and monitor the equipment and furniture (inventory management, use of vehicle, fuel, insurance, maintenance, etc.)
* Support the logistics of missions and workshops (hotel bookings, purchase of air tickets etc.)
* Ensure that registration requirements are kept up to date and that statutory declarations and renewals are submitted
* Liaise closely and transparently with all external partners including third party suppliers, service providers and consultants to support the delivery of project objectives
* Supervise and support the logistics of missions and workshops (hotel bookings, purchase of air tickets, visa requests, organization of events etc.), in liaison with the safety department when necessary.
Transversal
* Ensures compliance with internal accounting, financial and legal procedures within its scope
* Accompanies and trains the project team in the appropriation of procedures and tools proposal force for the improvement of procedures.
With a total population of 30.4 million people in 2019 and more than 55%
living in cities, Ghana has a dense network of urban areas mostly concentrated
along the Atlantic coast and in the Ashanti Region. The country is halfway
through urbanisation, and has benefited from an urban economic network more
advanced than other countries in West Africa. While the first period of
urbanisation has generated job creation and opportunities, improved living
conditions and reduced poverty for many Ghanaians, the country now faces the
challenges of economic efficiency and social inclusion within its urban areas,
where globally basic services are still lacking. In addition, unplanned
spatial expansion of urban and metropolitan areas and their limited
connectivity within and across Ghana's cities is a challenge, increasing
social and environmental costs, unequal and inadequate access to basic
services, health risks and ecological damages.
To address these challenges, an integrated programme is proposed by the
European Union to meet demands in infrastructures and services by working both
on the institutional and legislative framework at central level, and on the
urban growth at local level.
As a second largest technical cooperation agency in Europe, Expertise France
(EF) has been entrusted by the EU with the design and implementation of the
"Sustainable Cities - Phase 1" project. The action proposed by Expertise
France will address the need for capacity building and data collection of the
Ministry of Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development (MLGRD);
at decentralised level the action will target selected Regional Capitals - Wa,
Damongo, Nalerigu, Bolgatanga, Tamale - and the secondary city of Yendi.
The Sustainable Cities in Ghana - Phase 1 is funded by the European
Union (EU) to support both national and local authorities enhancing
sustainable cities in Ghana. The project will support the development of more
sustainable and inclusive cities, with a particular focus on 6 cities of the
Northern regions during 48 months.
The Overall Objective of this action is to improve urban prosperity for
all.
The Specific Objectives of this action are to:
* Improve governance and implementation of urban policies
* Increase accessibility to quality urban services and accountability of local authorities
In order to achieve this objectives, EF will pursue the following actions:
* Encourage coordination mechanisms between local and national authorities: strengthening capacities, setting up of an urban observatory, inclusion of climate change and inclusivity issues in the urban policies, peer-to-peer dialogue etc. ;
* Structurally improve urban governance by strengthening the capacity of central and local governments to coordinate, design and implement urban policies, planning and regulation ;
* Enhancing and building the technical capacities of local authorities and promoting participatory approach;
* Supporting local authorities in planning and implementation process to improve water, sanitation and waste management services in the 6 cities of the project.
Education / Skills
* University degree (master's degree or equivalent) in management, business administration, finance, economics or any other relevant discipline
* Fluent in spoken and written English and French
Professional Experience
* A minimum of 5 years of experience in administrative and finance management, including proven experience in financial and contract management
* At least 1 experience in overseeing the administrative development and establishment of an office, programme or project
* Knowledge of international project management
* Excellent knowledge of the administrative, financial and legal components (project cycle, financial and legal rules)
* Experience of international projects implementation
* Demonstrated management skills in a multicultural environment and experience in a leadership role
* Experience in EU financed projects would be an asset
Qualifications and skills
* Technology literate with experience in the use of accounting and reporting software (in particular Excel) and other office software (Word, Outlook, other web software).
* Personal qualities of integrity, impartiality and commitment to the mission of the organisation/project
* A strong sense of organisation, rigour and autonomy is required
* A strong ability to be dynamic, proactive and a creative force is expected
* A successful track record in setting priorities; strong analytic, organisational and problem-solving skills that support and enable informed decision-making
* A multi-tasker and a team player with the ability to wear many hats to support the project team in achieving its overall objectives
* Strong judgement and time management skills
* Diplomacy, patience and adaptability