Regional Administrative and Financial Technical Advisor (West Africa) At Belgian Red Cross

Location : Niamey, Niger

Desired start date : March 2025

Duration and type of contract : 1-year renewable fixed-term contract

Other : unaccompanied post

What does the Belgian Red Cross offer you?

• A full-time contract with a one-year renewable fixed-term contract;
• A position to be filled at the beginning of March 2025 and based in Niamey , with travel in Niger and internationally;
• A salary scale related to your experience;
• A package of extra-legal benefits consisting of:
  • Monthly bonuses related to cost of living and complexity of the position;
  • Contribution to housing costs (covering 90% of the rent, payment of a monthly housing allowance and a one-off moving allowance);
  • 20 days of statutory leave + 5 additional days of leave to be taken every 3 months;
  • Registration with the Belgian Overseas Social Security (SSOM) scheme for you and your dependents; Supplementary health insurance and medical repatriation insurance;
  • Family allowances for children, based on 100 euros / month / child under 18.

The International Department of the Belgian Red Cross has the mission to contribute to the strengthening of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement with a view to improving the resilience and living conditions of vulnerable people and their communities. To this end, we support the development and action of Red Cross partners abroad. In Belgium, we advocate for respect for International Humanitarian Law and carry out Restoring Family Links activities.

Context :

CRB in West Africa

The Belgian Red Cross has been supporting programmes in West Africa since 1997. Currently, the Belgian Red Cross maintains close partnership relations with four national Red Cross societies in Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger and Senegal. As part of its strategy, it wishes to strengthen its regional approaches and its collaborations with other actors of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.

The CRB in Niger

The Belgian Red Cross has been working alongside the Niger Red Cross (CRN) since 2012, to support the humanitarian response, disaster risk reduction and the protection of the most vulnerable populations in Niger.

This partnership is implemented through three key initiatives:

1. The PPP emergency humanitarian response programme, carried out in coordination with the CRN, the Red Cross and Red Crescent Federation, the Luxembourg Red Cross and the French Red Cross;
2. The AMoPAH multi-sectoral response to basic needs programme aimed at strengthening the protection of the most vulnerable communities, implemented with the CRN and the Danish Red Cross;
3. The five-year development programme aimed at strengthening the resilience of households and communities.

In this context, the Belgian Red Cross is recruiting a Regional Administrative and Financial Technical Advisor (CTR-AF) in Niger. The CTR-AF is based in Niamey but will make frequent trips within the country, as well as to the other CRB partner countries in West Africa (Burkina Faso, Mali and Senegal).

The coordination of human resources of the Belgian Red Cross (CRB) in Niger is based on a collaborative and well-defined structure. A country representative, accompanied by a deputy country representative, provides support to the National Society (Nigerian Red Cross) as well as supervision of ongoing programs. The CRB team to which the CTR-AF will be integrated works in close collaboration with the Niger Red Cross (CRN) and its staff, in the formulation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of programs. The management methods applied are delegated management and joint management, according to the needs of the different programs.

Responsibilities:

Under the responsibility of the West Africa Geographic Unit in Brussels;

In close collaboration with the Nigerien Red Cross;

In close collaboration with the ICRC, the Partner National Societies and the IFRC;

In accordance with the fundamental principles and general rules of the Red Cross Movement and with the procedures of the Belgian Red Cross (CRB)

In accordance with the General Partnership Agreement between the CRN and the CRB

The Regional Administrative and Financial Technical Advisor (CTR-AF) is an extension of the CRB in the field. The main purposes of the position are divided into four aspects:

1. Implement the CRB strategy and approaches in administrative, financial and logistical aspects and ensure their relevance over time, at the level of the West Africa region.
2. Support the coordination and management of financial resources for programs and partners.
3. Develop quality relationships with the administrative, financial and logistical services of the Nigerian CR; with the Partner National Societies, the IFRC and the ICRC.
4. Develop, capitalize and disseminate administrative, financial and logistical knowledge.

More specifically he/she,

• Provides input into strategic thinking on admin-fin-log at the regional level and at the International Department level, in close collaboration with the Administrative and Financial Service (SAF) and with the Quality Compliance Control Unit (CCCQ);
• Participates in the development and revision of admin-fin-log procedures based on field realities and lessons learned in the sub-region;
• Contributes to the definition of annual “support plans”, enabling the prioritization of support and expertise to be mobilized in terms of admin-fin-log within the framework of the partnership with the National Partner Societies, and participates in its implementation;
• Supports the expatriate Technical Admin-Fin Assistant (ATAF) present in Burkina Faso in her daily activities and ensures that her position is in line with what is prescribed in the delegated management guide;
• Supports the Financial Manager and the Program Coordinator in compiling budgets and setting up multi-country monitoring tools;
• Ensures the establishment of cross-functional and multi-country budgets submitted to donors, in conjunction with the Coordinator of the West Africa Unit and the SAF;
• Participates in the drafting of Special Partnership Agreements concluded with partners;
• Ensures good knowledge of the lessor rules and the minimum requirements of the CRB within the framework of delegated management by the field teams, and organizes capacity building activities (e.g. training) where appropriate;
• Has a role of coordination, support, and respect for the financial deadlines set;
• Participates in the multi-country financing reporting process, in coordination with the SAF;
• May participate in the validation committees of Call for Tender Documents (DAO) for countries in the West Africa region;
• Can support the CCCQ in exercising internal controls;
• Supports the partner in understanding and implementing recommendations from internal/external controls, in conjunction with Country Representatives in the field, Financial Managers and the CCCQ at headquarters;
• Participates in the preparation of donor audit visits in the field, in particular the preparation of the partner (more specifically on financial and logistical services);
• Maintains close ties with the partners’ financial and logistics teams and may, in the event of unavailability of the Financial Managers, act as a point of contact for the project accountants (in charge of budget execution) and the administrative staff made available to the representation;
• Contributes with the Country Representatives and the rest of the Geographic Unit to updating the “partner files”;
• Coordinates with Movement actors for the strengthening of Partner National Societies, and participates in possible IFRC working groups in its field;
• Proposes new ideas and initiatives to promote learning and the dissemination of good practices;
• Supports external audit and evaluation processes;
• Maintains a constructive, dynamic and regular dialogue with the Geographic Unit at headquarters.

Profile :

• Holder of a university-type Higher Education Diploma related to the position (Economic Sciences or other);
• Minimum 5 years of professional experience in accounting and financial management, ideally acquired in the humanitarian environment;
• Desired experience in supporting a local partner (organizational development, capacity building);
• Knowledge of institutional donor procedures desired (DG ECHO, DGD – Belgian Government);
• Experience working abroad, preferably in an NGO;
• Knowledge of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement;
• Ability to work independently, taking initiative and proposing improvements to procedures, in collaboration with the Partner;
• Adaptability, good resistance to stress;
• Methodical and rigorous;
• Excellent multicultural and interpersonal skills;
• Very good sense of diplomacy;
• Communication skills, analytical mind, mastery of IT tools (Excel, accounting software, etc.);
• Very good writing style and excellent oral and written expression in French;
• Previous experience in Niger or the region is an asset.