Project Financial Officer – Project EL PAcCTO 2 (H/F)

Mission description

Based in Madrid, Spain, under local contract, the Financial Officer will carry out its functions within the framework of the second phase of the EL PAcCTO Programme (Europe Latin America Programme of Assistance against Transnational Organized Crime), funded by the European Union – DG INTPA. EL PAcCTO is an innovative programme focused on supporting Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) countries in strengthening the rule of law and fighting transnational organized crime.

Under the supervision of the Project Officer and the hierarchical direction of the Senior Executive Manager, the Financial Manager will be responsible for the financial and accounting management of the EL PAcCTO activities entrusted to Expertise France. The financial Manager will technically monitor the Projet assistant in the financial and accouting area

The Financial Officer will have the following non-exhaustive list of tasks:

Financial, budgetary and administration management

• Ensure the financial monitoring of the project according to the formats and procedures established at Expertise France.
• Prepare and participate in monthly and pluri-annual budget planning exercises (landing forecast, indicative budgets) in close collaboration with the Project Officer, the Key Experts and the Senior Executive Manager, as well as with other Financial Officers in the programme.
• Drawing up financial forecasts based on the action plan with the assistance of the Project Officer and the Project Assistant.
• Prepare monthly financial reports for HQ, the Programme Direction and the European Commission.
• Ensure conformity of invoice and supporting documents before payments
• Supervise contractual engagements data base and alert on need for renewals/extension
• Advise the Project Officer and Assistant on financial articles of contract, issues related to TVA or invoicing

Accounting management

• Organise and coordinate audits.
• Ensure necessary controls for the reliability of project financial data.
• Ensure the implementation of payment procedures as well as good accounting recording practices.
• Verify bank and cash journals, including carrying out spot checks.
• Supervise the control of accounting documents.
• Prepare monthly, quarterly, and annual accounting closure documents in coordination with Expertise France headquarters.
• Supervise accounting entries (descriptions, accounting codes, analytical codes, reconciliation, exchange rates, etc.) in available tools: ERP, SAGE, and Excel files.

Other tasks

• Ensure the development and maintenance of a project-level archiving system together with the Project Officer and the Project Assistant.
• Propose and participate in writing or improving administrative or financial procedures.

Project or context description

Within the Peace, Stability, Security Department, under the direct supervision of the Senior Executive Manager of EL PAcCTO and in liaison with the Expertise France Unit Coordinator in charge of Organised Crime, the Project Officer monitors the operational implementation of EL PAcCTO programme and participates in the development of new projects.

EL PAcCTO 2.0 is a programme of an initial duration of 49 months, with a total budget of 53.3 M euros, whose overall objective is to establish an effective partnership between the EU and the Latin American and the Caribbean on strengthening the rule of law and combating organised crime, promoting the security and stability of citizens in LAC and Europe.

The specific objectives of the programme are: 1) consolidation and strengthening of LAC regional structures and EU-LAC bi-regional structures, as well as the justice cooperation mechanism; 2) strengthen the rule of law environment and the capacity of institutions to combat transnational organized crime; and, 3) addressing the specific challenges of key transnational criminal markets

Required profile

Education and professional experience:

· Higher education in accounting, financial management, or any equivalent degree; and/or university degree in Political Sciences, International Relations, Law, Economy, International Cooperation or similar, together with at least 4-years professional experience in a similar position at EU-funded projects would also be elegible.

• At least 5 years of successful professional experience in development and/or international cooperation.
• Work experience with Latin-American countries is desirable.

Competences:

• Proven experience using accounting software.
• Proficiency in office tools, especially Excel.
• Excellent writing and synthesis skills.
• Diplomacy, patience and adaptability to work under pressure.
• Responsiveness, initiative and autonomy is a must.
• Teamwork and good coordination skills.
• Fluent in French, Spanish and English. Portuguese and Italian will be considered assets.

Additional information

Location: Madrid

Sporadic field missions.

Starting date: December/January 2024

Salary: according to profile.

Spanish law contract