Finance and Administrative Officer at the Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ)

The Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH (German Agency for International Cooperation) is an international enterprise owned by the German Federal government, operating in many fields across more than 130 countries.

In Nigeria, GIZ’s portfolio includes among others, a programme to support the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in its regional integration goals. The programme aims to strengthen sector-specific capacities in the areas of Peace and Security, Customs and Trade as weir as Strategic Management and Organizational Development in the ECOWAS Commission.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Finance and Administrative Officer

Vacancy No.: 058
Location: Abuja
Organization: GIZ Nigeria, ECOWAS Agricultural Trade (EAT) project

Background
GIZ. Solutions that work:

As a service provider in the field of international cooperation for sustainable development and international education work, we are dedicated to shaping a future worth living around the world.
GIZ has over 50 years of experience in a wide variety of areas, including economic development and employment promotion, energy and the environment, and peace and security.
The diverse expertise of our federal enterprise is in demand around the globe – from the German Government, European Union institutions, the United Nations, the private sector, and governments of other countries.
We work with businesses, civil society actors and research institutions, fostering successful interaction between development policy and other policy fields and areas of activity.
Our main commissioning party is the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).

The Project
GIZ EAT – a vibrant new project for the ECOWAS region:

The BMZ funded regional project ECOWAS Agricultural Trade (EAT) is implemented by GIZ and officially started in January 2022 with a funding of 10 Mio. EUR for 5 years. The project management unit is based in Abuja. Major activities will start from January 2023. The project focuses on five countries, Nigeria, Côte d’Ivoire and three others to be determined with the partner.
The objective of EAT is to improve institutional and technical requirements for intra-regional agricultural trade in the ECOWAS region and selected countries. The main partner is the ECOWAS commission (Directorates for agriculture, trade and customs), regional organizations and national line ministries or trade associations.

EAT works on 3 components:

Strengthen the role of the ECOWAS Commission in coordinating sustainable gender-sensitive agricultural trade instruments with ECOWAS Member States
Support sustainable gender-sensitive agricultural trade facilitation measures and services for traders at border posts and along agricultural trade value chains.
Improve regional agri-trade promotion services and business performance of the traders.
The target group of the project comprises trade companies, organizations and actors in agri-food sector trade in the ECOWAS region. The supported agricultural commodities are raw, semi-finished and finished products that are traded form farm gate, factory or warehouse to consumer markets.

Profile

You are highly motivated to take over responsibility for managing a team of 2 other Financial and Administrative officers under the supervision of the Project Leader of the ECOWAS Agricultural Trade (EAT) project.
You are support the Project Leader in planning and steering the annual and monthly project funds, to produce regular financial reports and analysis on costs, expenditures, open and residual costs and expenditures and remaining funds.
You are passionate to set up, manage, operate the financial and administrative management system (procurement, events and travels, cash payments) in a new project.
Controlling and accounting tasks are major responsibilities as part of your qualification and experience to essentially contribute to a sound project planning and implementation.
You are open to both perform as financial manager with supervision and controlling tasks in the Financial and Administrative team as well as to act as accountant.
One of your key tasks is to assure compliance with GIZ rules and standards.
Your do this with the right balance of a controller, a service provider and a solution-oriented manager.
You assure efficient communication and collaboration with GIZ Financial units at GIZ Head Quarters, Country Office Nigeria and other GIZ Country offices in the ECOWAS region.
This comprises interaction with implementing partners in Nigeria and other ECOWAS Countries on financial and accounting aspects.

Responsibilities and Tasks
As an Finance and Administration officer with controlling and accounting tasks, you will have the following responsibilities and tasks:

Financial and Administrative Management:

Organizes the setup of the financial and administrative management system (procurement, services, travels, events) assuring supervision of compliance with GIZ accounting standards and rules, incl. establishing internal procedures and tools
Management of the bank account of the project
Supports the Project Leader in planning and steering the annual and monthly project budgets and funds incl. regular financial adaptations, organisation of monthly calls for funds at GIZ country office
Advises the Project Leader on improving the efficiency of financial and administrative procedures
Give advice to the technical project team and supervises/ controls to the Financial and Administrative team of EAT in administrative and financial processes related to project activities
Produces regular financial reports and analysis on costs, expenditures, open and residual costs and expenditures and remaining funds
Represents the project during financial management, monitoring and steering meetings and calls at various levels within GIZ and with implementing partners
Communicates with the GIZ country office and other country offices in the ECOWAS region on procurement, events and travels by applying the code of cooperation
Assesses implementing partners on eligibility and financial management capacities and give advice on GIZ accounting requirements
Assure efficient procedures, establish routines and change ineffective procedures.

Controlling and Accounting:

Set up a efficient and audit proof and risk sensitive controlling and accounting system using SAP, Cosoft and Prosoft Share point, filing system (DMS / digital and physical) according to GIZ rules and standards
Assures accounting, controlling and monitoring tasks of all administrative and financial project procedures and operations according to GIZ rules and standards; this comprises all appraiser and consulting firm contracts, financing agreement, local subsidy and service contracts (cleaning services, Internet services, rents)
Ensures a sourcing strategy and contract management in accordance with GIZ standards procedures
Assures the project inventory with the assistance of the Administrative and Financial Officers
Assures the check of consumption of project cars’ fuel/diesel, generators’ diesel, the balance of the cash box and develop/ apply anti-fraud measures
Monitors credit letters of the project
Ensures financial transactions (purchase of consumables, goods, and services) and accounting activities of the program, including end of the month account.
Performs SAP invoice checks (Cosoft & Prosoft) and checks of the driver logbook
Checks vouchers and receipts submitted by the projects for completeness and correctness, allocation to cost units and categories where necessary.
Monitors real accounts (payables, receivables) and reports regularly to the Head of Finance and Administration and Head Quarters’ Controlling Unit.
Carries out internal controls in accordance with GIZ’s internal controlling manual
Prepares the administrative and financial team for audits and financial revisions and accompany the process
Ensures proper management of assets and timely handover where required;

Required qualifications, Competences and Experience
Qualifications:

MSc (or comparable) in Accounting, Business Administration, Financial Management or Economics.

Professional Experience:

At least 5 years’ professional experience in a comparable position preferrable in an international organisation, public institution, private company or auditing consulting
At least 7 years professional experience in accounting and controlling
Experience in working in the West African context, preferably in other West African countries with a deeper understanding of the specific context

Skills and Competences:

In-depth knowledge and skills in handling accounting software
Fluent in business English (level C2), knowledge of French (at least level B2) would be an add on
Good working knowledge of Office applications esp. MS Excel, MS Word, MS Outlook, MS Teams.
Excellent communication and management skills in a team and within a company
Proactive in monitoring, reporting, passing information and initiating new and efficient procedures
Assertive in enforcing financial rules, but flexible, adaptive and solution-oriented when encountering problems
Ability to give advice and to train staff and implementing partners
Capability to perform under pressure
Confidential handling of data and information
Working in a regional context within the ECOWAS region with a willingness to travel occasionally and to collaborate with other countries.