Administrative and Financial Manager

Title: Administrative and Financial Manager (AFM)

Services Designation: Administrative and Financial Manager (shared unit)

Starting date: 16.10.2023 

Duration: 36 months

1. Background

The main objective of Luxembourg's general cooperation strategy "Towards 2030" is to contribute to the reduction and eradication of extreme poverty through support to sustainable economic, social and environmental development. It is structured around four interconnected priority themes:

• improving access to quality basic social services;
• strengthening the socio-economic integration of women and youth;
• promoting sustainable and inclusive growth; and 
• promoting inclusive governance.

On 22 July 2022, the Government of Kosovo (GoK) and the Government of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that defines the continuation of the bilateral support provided by the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg to Kosovo for the period 2023-2025 and foresees a total budget of 35 000 000 EUR. This new commitment shows the importance of Kosovo as a partner of Luxembourg in the Balkans, although it should be noted that Luxembourg is seeking to diversify its bilateral relations with Kosovo and move away from a strictly development cooperation perspective towards multiple bilateral relations including the development of trade relations among others. 

The sectors considered as priorities for joint development cooperation between the two governments are: 

• vocational education and training;
• health; 
• sustainable and inclusive growth;
• strengthening Kosovo's civil society.

The Luxembourg cooperation will support the following specific objectives:  

• an innovative, circular and internationally competitive economy;  
• a clean environment and better use of natural resources; 
• accessible and quality education; 
• an inclusive labour market and job creation; 
• improved health and well-being; and  
• an active and creative society and promotion of culture.  

In December 2022, LuxDev was mandated by the Luxembourg Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs (MFEA), Directorate for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Affairs, to prepare the formulation of four projects:

• KSV/021 – Skills for sustainable jobs in Kosovo;
• KSV/022 – Innovative and quality health services in Kosovo;
• KSV/023 – Sustainable and inclusive growth and
• KSV/024 – Energy transition and climate mitigation.

Besides these four upcoming interventions, the LuxDev portfolio in Kosovo entails projects in the health sector (KSV/017), in relation with the European integration (KSV/019) and in the VET sector (KSV/020 and KSV/801)

2. OBJECTIVES

To improve the performance and effectiveness of interventions, the establishment of a shared unit for administrative and financial management, procurement, delegation agreements, human resources and logistics is foreseen within the portofolio managed by LuxDev in Kosovo.

As far as the Administrative and Financial Manager (AFM) is concerned, it is expected to support the projects managers in charge of the implementation of the different interventions in administration, finance, procurement, delegation agreements, human resources, and logistics. This is done in a client-supplier logic and with the aim of relieving the project manager of these tasks, in order to allow a better focus on the technical aspects of the implementation and in particular on the capacity development of national partners.

3. RESPONSIBILITIES

The different supports will be implemented through three types of modalities:

·       direct management: implementation follows the procedures and processes established by LuxDev;

·       delegation of funds to a partner in the framework of an agreement: the establishment and monitoring of the agreement are done in accordance with LuxDev's procedures, but its implementation is done according to the procedures of the partner, respectively procedures established by mutual agreement;

·       delegation of funds to a partner according to the "programme" modality via national execution.

As the responsibilities and tasks of the AFM and his/her team are different according to the modality, the description of responsibilities and tasks below will take this into account, where appropriate.

The same applies to the management of the resources of his/her team for which he/she has direct responsibility, and of the resources of the various projects/programmes for which he/she ensures the mobilisation and operation for the benefit of the projects managers at the request of the latter.

The different responsibilities can be summarized by the management of the following components for the programme :

•         control and audit ;
•         administration ;
•         human resources ;
•         finance and accounting ;
•         procurement ;
•        delegation agreement ;
•          other support to project managers.

4. PROFILE

•       university degree relevant to the position, MBA or equivalent ;
•       at least 5 years of professional experience in the management of international cooperation projects ;
•       professional experience in the management of European Union funded projects and in the Balkans are an asset ;
•       methods and tools for planning, financial management, monitoring and control of projects and programmes ;
•       excellent spoken and written English skills.

How to apply:

Please apply via our website: https://careers.luxdev.lu/job-invite/1298/

Deadline: 25 July 2023