COOPI is looking for a Country Administrator in Niger
COOPI has been present in Niger since 2012 with a coordination office in Niamey, and from ground bases to Diffa, Agadez, Tahoua, Maradi and Tillabery. Currently, COOPI works in the Diffa region in the areas of protection, mental health, and’education in emergency situations, including, in Niamey and Agadez in mixed migration with the management of the passage boxes and the’ psychosocial support of refugees and migrants, in the regions of Tillabery and Tahoua with interventions in the field of nutrition/health and’emergency education, in Maradi with a protection project. The main donors are ECHO, the European Union’, Swiss Cooperation, FHRAOC, Italian Cooperation (AICS), USAID/BHA, SRF and the United Nations agencies (UNHCR, UNICEF, etc, IOM).
Position objective
The Country Administrator :
- is responsible for the correct administrative/financial management and the sustainability of country coordination, and of area coordination, by preparing coordination budgets and controlling the drafting of project budgets; and;
- takes care of the balance sheet control and the correct arrangement of financial reports in accordance with COOPI procedures and the procedures of the donors;
- is the guarantor of the seat, accuracy and completeness of the information.
Responsibilities
Budget planning and control
- Prepare, in collaboration with the Head of Mission and periodically check the progress of the budget relating to the costs of general coordination and possible area coordination in the country;
- Check the sustainability of the coordination and bases under the responsibility of the head of mission and check the correct allocation/distribution of fixed costs on projects.
Economic and logistical control
- Supervise new project budgets in line with the planning and sustainability of the country/head office coordination in Milan;
- In collaboration with project managers, potential area managers and the Head of Mission, periodically identify economic and financial commitments for the implementation of project activities; and;
- Administrative management of the projects in charge of coordination;
- In collaboration with the project managers and/or the coordination administrators and the country/area coordinators, and, monthly check the economic and financial management of projects: statement of balance sheets, prospective expenses, financial forecasts for the realization of activities;
- Provide consultancy support to project managers and project and coordination administrators and monitor the correct application of the administrative procedures of COOPI and donors;
- Verify the sustainability and correct management of COOPI property assets in collaboration with the country logistics function;
- Verify the correct application of the organization’s procedures relating to the purchase of goods and their management;
Financial management
- Supervise and control liquidity management (cash and bank) and sending funds to projects according to requests;
- Supervise funding from donors for the implementation of projects (anticipations and grants) by updating the information to be sent to headquarters;
- In agreement with the Head of Mission, take action to ensure compliance with deadlines for the receipt of funding;
- In accordance with the desk and the head office area administrator, in addition to the Head of Mission proposing priorities for the financial reporting schedule; and;
- To ensure the proper management and control of the General Coordination fund and the bases;
- With the Head of Mission, have the responsibility of signing on the current accounts of the organization;
Reports and audits
- Finalize and control financial reports intermediate and final items to be presented to donors, before forwarding them to headquarters;
- Be responsible for the accuracy of the reports and ensure the correct archiving of the data of all projects managed in the country;
- Be responsible for the preparation and conduct of audits carried out in the country and for sending documents relating to projects to be audited in Italy to headquarters;
- Be responsible for the preparation of the annual audit, if it is planned in the country;
- Ensure proper administrative functioning and the co-oridnation of the various bases present in the country, also carrying out on-the-spot verification missions; and;
HR Management
- Manage and supervise local administrators/accountants who work at the Coordination;
- Provide training for administrators of bases/coordination of areas under the responsibility of the country coordination and all expatriate staff involved in the administrative process and periodically controls the work done;
- Assist the Head of Mission with standards for local staff management and ensure proper maintenance of personnel administration documentation;
- Supervise and control the work of the human resources office for both the national staff and’expatriate;
- Be in charge of the’assessment of the administrative staff;
Others
- Periodically produce and transmit the information and data requested by Milan headquarters in accordance with the deadlines set;
- &ensure the correct archiving of the administrative documentation of the country (central and peripheral level) in compliance with the procedures of the organization;
- In collaboration with country coordination, the, deal with bureaucratic relations and procedures with the public and administrative bodies of the country and with the administrative and financial offices of the off-centre delegations of institutional donors.
Candidate profile
Essential
- Preferable Bachelor or Diploma in Economic Disciplines;
- Certified experience of’at least 5 years, in the economic-financial sector,administrative coordination in international cooperation organizations;
- Good knowledge of the following donor procedures : EU, FH, Unicef, IOM, ECHO, WFP, AICS, UNHCR, BHA, WFP;;
- Good knowledge of the french language;
- Good knowledge of the english language;
- Excellent Office knowledge;
- Excellent organizational skills;
- Ability to work in a team and achieve goals;
- Ability to build positive relationships with employees;
- Ability to work in a multicultural environment, under pressure and in difficult security contexts ;
- Ability to involve beyond the simple task assigned;
- Motivation to work in a non-governmental organization in accordance with its principles and values;
Desirable
- Experience working in’Africa countries ;
- Previous experience with COOPI and knowledge of its procedures;
COOPI reserves the right to close a recruitment before the date of’ expiry of the announcement. Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. Interviews will be ongoing and the position will be closed as soon as it is filled, thank you for your understanding.
COOPI Cooperazione Internazionale is a secular and independent Italian humanitarian organization that fights against all forms of poverty to improve the world. Founded in 1965, COOPI is now present in 33 countries in Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean and the Middle East, with emergency and development projects conducted by expatriate staff – on average more than 270 people per year – and national staff. The main institutional donors are the European Union – ECHO and INTPA – USAID, UN agencies, the Italian government, local authorities and other European governments.