Company Profile

Equity program (support for fair trade dynamics in West Africa) began in January 2016. This program has already run over two phases (2016-2019 and 2019-2024), and the third phase will begin in October 2024. Based in Abidjan, it will operate in Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Benin and Togo. Its aim is to contribute to the sustainable economic development of low-income countries, fight poverty and strengthen family farming by supporting the development of fair and sustainable value chains in West Africa. AVSF (Agronomes et Vétérinaires Sans Frontières) manages the program on behalf of Commerce Equitable France (CEF). In order to monitor the program's activities in Ghana, AVSF is looking for a bilingual project manager to support the project's beneficiary producer organizations (POs) in implementing their activities.

Context and Duties of the Technical Assistant
Agronomes et Vétérinaires Sans Frontières (AVSF) is a professional international solidarity association recognized as a public utility, which has been working to support peasant agriculture since 1977. In Africa, Asia and South America, the association works with peasant communities to promote agro-ecological transitions to overcome food insecurity and the economic vulnerability of peasant families. AVSF also contributes to the consolidation of producers' organizations and their growing participation in both local and export sectors (fair trade, organic and quality sectors) to ensure fairer remuneration and a consequent improvement in the living conditions of farming families. To find out more about AVSF, visit our website: www.avsf.org

The phase 3 of Equity project in West Africa aims to transmit and disseminate the results and innovations from the previous phases. Its purpose is to contribute to poverty reduction by strengthening equitable value chains for small producers, supporting agroecological transition, and professionalizing fair trade-certified cooperatives in West Africa. In the case of the cocoa sector, it will specifically contribute to implementing the new European regulation against “imported” deforestation (RDUE), which requires full traceability of cocoa placed on the European market by 2025 : programme-equite.org

Job Description

• Ensure the budgetary management of the project, ensure the eligibility of expenses in accordance with the financial rules of the grant contract and keep all supporting documents in accordance with the accounting procedures in force,
• Develop and monitor the annual budget and funding requests,
• Prepare financial reports and manage cash flow,
• Manage funding (allocation, fundraising and co-financing),
• Organize project audits,

• Ensure accounting management (general and analytical) and guarantee the reliability of accounting information by respecting internal and external procedures,
• Control monthly accounting, carry out integration and annual closing,
• Participate in the development of budgets for new projects,

• Manage the obligations and contracts binding AVSF to its partners, and maintain relations with the institutions concerned (administrations, banks, insurance companies, etc.),
• Participate in the animation, monitoring, technical support and training of administrative staff and partners on the various projects,
• Coordinate administrative activities,

• Contribute to the definition and implementation of an HR policy (salary scale, internal regulations, training policy, etc.),
• Administratively manage the project's human resources (contracts, social and tax declarations, payroll, absences, etc.),

Internal Control:

• Ensure the implementation and monitoring of internal project control: dissemination and compliance with procedures, commitment of expenditure, security of funds, organization of accounting controls, etc. ,

• Supervise the logistical management of the project: management of premises, equipment and supplies.

• Participate in defining AVSF's strategic cooperation orientations and ensure their consistency with financial opportunities or constraints,
• Contribute to the analyses necessary for the selection and contractualization with new partners,

• Actively participate in AVSF actions and community life

Required Skills or Experience

• Diploma (Bac+5) in accounting, administrative and financial management,
• Be a national of an ECOWAS member country;
• At least seven (5) years of relevant experience in the relevant business areas (finance and accounting),
• Preferably at least five (05) years of experience as head of financial and accounting management of projects in an international non-governmental organization,
• Proven experience in the financial and accounting management of development projects financed by the French development agency would be an asset.
• Proficiency in conventional IT tools (Word, Excel, Powerpoint, etc.) and accounting software is required.

• Ability to write and communicate clearly and precisely, good organizational skills, analysis, identification of priorities and proposal of solutions.
• Perfect oral and written command of French and English is mandatory.
• Ability to manage tasks under stress and teamwork spirit, as well as rigor and organizational skills are essential.

• Creativity, initiative, autonomy, sense of responsibility, rigor, ethics are essential qualities for this position.
• Availability for field missions and flexible hours, in particular presence required during the office hours at the end of December for the closing of accounts.
• Good ability to develop in an international multicultural environment.