SOCIEUX+ Associate Programme Officer (APO) – Western Balkans (M/W)

Mission description

The incumbent will join the Facility Management Team (FMT) responsible for the processing, assessment requests and implementation of short-technical cooperation actions. The position will be located full-time in Brussels, Belgium, with possible international travel. The FMT is currently distributed between Brussels, Paris and Madrid. FMT members based in Brussels include the Team Leader of the FMT, a thematic coordinator, a technical advisor, a communication officer, a coordinator for knowledge development, a knowledge development officer, an associate project officer supporting knowledge activities, a monitoring and evaluation officer and a total of six project officers. FMT members based in Paris include the Deputy Team Leader, a Programme Officer & FCO, an Associate Programme Officer and a Technical Advisor. In addition, an Associate Programme Officer is based in Madrid. The overall FMT is under the supervision of the Team Leader, supported by the Deputy Team Leader.

Under the direct supervision of the Team Leader and the Deputy Team Leader, the incumbent implements tasks and duties for the implementation of short-term technical cooperation actions as per SOCIEUX+ Standard Operating Procedures.

Project or context description

SOCIEUX+ EU Expertise on Social Protection, Labour and Employment (hereafter SOCIEUX+ or the Facility), is the technical cooperation facility set up by the EU through co-funding from France, Spain and Belgium and the resources managed by the European Commission’s Directorate-General for International Partnerships (INTPA). The Facility is implemented by a partnership composed of agencies from EU Member States: Expertise France (the partnership lead), Fundación Internacional y para Iberoamérica de Administración y Políticas Públicas (FIIAPP) from Spain, Belgian International Cooperation on Social Protection (BELINCOSOC) and the Belgian Development Agency (Enabel).

SOCIEUX+ recognizes the impact of social protection and employment in reducing poverty and vulnerability. It supports the efforts of EU Partner Countries, in particular low- and middle-income countries in promoting inclusive and sustainable social protection and employment systems. SOCIEUX+ also complements the efforts made through other European Union initiatives.

SOCIEUX+ is results-oriented and demand-driven only. It responds to the direct requests of public institutions and social partners organizations in EU Partner Countries. SOCIEUX+ actions can be implemented in 155 eligible countries and territories worldwide. New countries from the Western Balkans will also have access to the support of SOCIEUX+ in the coming weeks. SOCIEUX+ fosters the efforts of the partner countries in the reform, development and extension of their social protection and employment systems, and labour policies. It enhances the capacities to better design, manage and monitor inclusive, effective and sustainable employment strategies and social protection systems. The Facility implements short-term technical cooperation actions based on peer-to-peer exchange supporting cooperation between EU Partner Countries’ experts from public administrations, social partners and mandated institutions and their peers from EU Member States.

SOCIEUX+ also develops knowledge by capitalizing on the experience of its actions.

More information about SOCIEUX+ is available on: http://socieux.eu/

Administrative support:

• Handling the administrative aspects of technical assistance missions and the contracting of experts;
• Drafting, publication and follow-up on calls for applications in collaboration with other team members;
• Indexing, filing and archiving documents for annual audits;
• Writing meeting minutes.

Logistical and event management:

• Organizing and ensuring the smooth running of technical assistance missions and specific events: booking of airline tickets, per diems, security instructions, liaison with the French embassies, etc;
• Identifying the service providers needed to hold the events, negotiating and drafting their contracts (hotel, interpreters, etc.).

Financial management:

• Ensuring the follow-up of expenses and invoices (follow-up, reminders, administrative registration, etc.);
• Checking the conformity of supporting documents and invoices;
• Verifying commitments (grant agreements, contracts and agreements);
• Recording expenditures in the financial monitoring system, updating monitoring and accounting tools according to Expertise France’s schedule and in collaboration with the Programme Officer;
• Assisting in the preparation of the financial report submitted to the donor;
• Supporting the team in audit procedures;
• Liaising with the departments in charge of financial affairs and legal affairs of Expertise France;

The Associate Programme Officer may also provide support to the Team Leader and his/her Deputy in other tasks related to the implementation of the project.

International travel is expected

Required profile

Required profile

General requirements:

• Bachelor’s or an equivalent diploma in accounting, administrative management, finance
• 2 years of experience desired
• Oral and written command of English and working level in French.

Technical Skills:

• Good command of Office tools, especially Word and Excel
• Accounting and financial management skills

Transversal skills:

• Methodical, organised, and proactive,
• Great interest in development cooperation;
• Skills in event organization would be an asset;
• Sense of responsibility;
• Ability to work under strict deadlines;
• Good writing and interpersonal skills (numerous internal and external contacts, teamwork).

Assets:

• Working proficiency in one language of the Western Balkans region and knowledge of Cyrillic alphabet would be considered an asset in the selection process.

Location: Brussels, Belgium

Starting date: June 1, 2022

26-month fixed-term contract. The contractual conditions will be adjusted according to the selected profile.