Job title : Financial and Administrative Officer

Reports To : Project Manager

Location : Monrovia – frequent travel to operational counties

Type of contract : Fixed term contract / local contract

Estimated project duration: 2 years 6 months

Expertise France

Expertise France (EF) is a public interministerial agency responsible for technical cooperation that provides project engineering and technical assistance worldwide. EF operates in various fields of development and institutional cooperation including safety and security reform, post-crisis/stability, public health, human rights, strengthening of institutions and NGOs, and governance. Carrying out large-scale, multi-stakeholder programs, EF supports cooperation between individuals, teams, and institutions with very different statuses, cultures, and specialties. EF has acquired sound experience in the administrative and financial management of large-scale international programs.

Project description

The French Development Agency (AFD) a funding partner, and Expertise France (EF) together with the Action Against Hunger (ACF) are contributing to strengthen the Liberia health system. Their efforts are aligned with the Ministry of Health National Health Sector Strategic Plan – A Roadmap to Universal Health Coverage 2022-2026 and the National Health Policy 2022-2031.

The EF’s HEALTH project aims to strengthen the MoH coordination and oversight role at the national level, the leadership, management, and governance skills at sub-national levels, and improve the quality of training offered in midwives’ schools in three counties of Liberia. This project will complement and collaborate with ACF Liberia in implementation to maximize the impact of AFD investment in Liberia.

Job description

Based in Monrovia, Liberia, under a local contract, the Financial and Administrative Officer will carry out its functions within the framework of the HEALTH project funded by AFD.

Under the line management of the Project Manager, the Financial and Administrative Officer (FAO) will supervise the financial, contractual, accounting, and administrative aspects of the project.

FAO will work daily with all the stakeholders involved in the project, whether at headquarters or in the field and will, among other things, be responsible for the management of the local bank account. FAO will collaborate with the Support Department (in particular the Department of Financial Affairs and the Department of Legal Affairs) at headquarters, to harmonize practices and coordinate the administrative and financial management of the project.

Job Responsibilities

The Financial and Administrative Officer will have the following duties and responsibilities:

1. Ensure the financial management of the project

• Supervise the administrative, accounting, and financial management of the project for field expenses, in close collaboration with the Project Manager and consultation with the headquarters of Expertise France in Paris (DAF);
• Ensure the management and control of the local bank account;
• Ensure the compliance of commitments, mandates, and payments at a local level;
• Ensure the development of the procedures manual and its strict application within the project;
• Supervise the implementation of dashboards and financial tools for the project (budget monitoring, cash flow monitoring, etc.);
• Conduct procedural controls and random compliance checks throughout the project;
• Prepare the monthly financial reporting for the head office and partners;
• Participate in the preparation of donor/contractor reporting as well as the conduct of financial years of EF (forecasts, closings, audit) in collaboration with the coordinator and the head office;

1. Administrative and logistical management

Work closely with the project management team at headquarters and the HR department to:

• Ensure the follow-up of the planning of purchases/procurement by EF procedures (choice of suppliers, negotiation of contracts, etc.);
• Ensure the management of the planning, control, and monitoring of equipment and furniture (inventory management, vehicle use, fuel, insurance, maintenance, etc.);
• Support the procurement processes with suppliers in conformity with EF guidelines and regulations;
• Prepare payments through EF’s accounting software;
• Manage the daily finances of the project (reporting of expenses / petty cash);
• Support the team in the budget preparation and forecast;
• Ensure that timesheets and invoices of short- and long-term experts are prepared based on contractual calendars before they are revised by the Project Manager;
• Archive the project’s expenses and supporting documents;
• Assist in the budget follow-up of the project

1. HR Management

Under the supervision of the project manager, he/she is the primary contact for the wage portage company to ensure the follow-up of local contracts as well as the administrative management of the personnel:

• Monitor and control the payment of salaries by the wage portage company in accordance with the legislation of the country;
• Participate in the recruitment of national staff;
• Supervise the follow-up of leave, overtime, recovery, etc. of staff;
• Participate in the improvement of HR procedures and tools and dashboards within the project office in Monrovia;
• Ensure the load plans and work schedule of his/her teams and evaluate the skills and performance, in relation to the project manager;

1. Office management

• Oversee office and fleet management (maintenance, fuel consumption, geolocation, etc.);
• Coordinate office inventory work;
• Supervise aspects of the logistics organization for the missions of Expertise France teams and experts mandated by Expertise France;
• Support, as required, the Project manager in logistical tasks (drafting of technical reports on the inventory and logistics component, support for the preparation of steering committees, etc.).

Profile

Qualifications and skills

• Bachelor’s degree in business administration, accounting, or a related field;
• Strong budget tracking and budget analysis skills (proficiency in Excel required);
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.);
• High degree of organization, attention to detail, and ability to multitask;
• Fluency in written and spoken English;
• Independence and impartiality;
• Outstanding interpersonal skills;
• Excellent knowledge of national financial regulations

Professional experience

• At least three years of experience in financial management, managing payments, financial procedures, and compliance, preferably in the field of international cooperation and development.
• Experience working on an AFD-funded project is an asset.

How to Apply

Interested candidates must submit below to hrvacancy@pmsmainstay.com

• A detailed CV and Cover Letter.
• Copies of diplomas, and certificates of past employments
• Three professional references including emails and telephone contracts.

Evaluation Process

• Short listed candidate will be contacted for a two-phase evaluation process of written test and a video conferencing interview.