Under the direct supervision of AICS Regional Representative in Tunis, in collaboration with the Team Leader (Programme Technical Coordinator), and in close consultation with relevant AICS and Embassy officials in Tunis and Tripoli, the Compliance Officer will be responsible for the correct implementation of budget, procurement, administrative and financial procedures for the management of the Italian Cooperation component of the Programme.

In particular, he/she will perform the following tasks:

1. Initiate and coordinate administrative and financial processes, to ensure timely and effective delivery of the expected outputs;

2. Fulfill financial reporting and accounting obligations, both external (for the EU) and internal;

3. Initiate and coordinate procurement processes in collaboration with the Team Leader. This includes preparing documentation for calls for tenders and calls for proposals in compliance with the Italian Procurement Law, AICS regulations and the Practical Guide to Contract Procedures for EU External Action (PRAG), and ensuring adequate visibility of the tender;

4. Monitor the execution and closure of contracts and grants, and coordinate the preparation of any related documentation, in order to timely identify bottlenecks and advise on possible solutions and necessary adjustments to the budget and workplan;

5. Advise on the application and interpretation of Italian and European Law, acting preventively in order to identify and address any conflicting stipulations;

6. Act as the focal contact point for all financial and administrative issues, in collaboration with the Programme Officer, and organise information sessions and trainings for consultants and grant beneficiaries, in particular INGOs partners, on administrative and financial procedures;

7. Support AICS Regional Representative during internal and external audit/evaluation missions, in collaboration with the Team Leader and in consultation with the relevant AICS and Embassy officials in Tripoli; 8. Perform other duties as required.

Candidates will be considered eligible for selection on the basis of the following essential requirements (points 2.1 and 2.2), to be fulfilled by the deadline for applications:

2.1 Qualifications and skills:

• Bachelor’s level university degree in Public Administration, Law, Economics, Political Science or similar field of study (level 6 European Qualification Framework EQF). Other degrees (level 6 or 5 European Qualification Framework EQF) may be accepted when matched with highly qualified professional experiences in the humanitarian and/or development sector;

• Fluency in written and spoken English (C1 Level – Common European Framework of Reference);

• Fluency in written and spoken Italian (C1 Level – Common European Framework of Reference).

2.2 Professional experience and competencies:

• At least 5 years of relevant professional experience working with international organizations, governmental and/or non-governmental aid bodies in a Legal / Grant / Procurement / Finance and Administrative position, of which at least 2 years in developing countries;

• Proven experience as compliance responsible officer, working on projects funded by the Italian Cooperation, international organisations and/or the European Union (e.g. EuropeAid, ECHO, Trust Funds);

• Previous experience managing grant and tender processes, and thorough knowledge of rules, regulations and procedures in use by the EU (e.g. reporting obligations; PRAG);

• Proven experience of strategic financial planning, management and accounting, budgetary control and monitoring (and related reporting);

• Proven experience in staff management and supervision of an administrative team;

• Excellent writing and communication skills;

• Computer literacy in Microsoft Office packages (MS Word, Excel, Outlook);

• Knowledge of relevant accounting softwares (e.g. Gecopro).

The following preferred requirements will also be taken into consideration:

• Postgraduate courses and/or additional training in Accounting, Finance, Law, Public or Business Administration, or related fields;

• Specialised training in International Cooperation and/or Development Studies; • Previous experience in the management of EU funds, particularly through EU Delegation Agreements, and related reporting;

• • Previous experience with administrative and financial auditing;
• • Previous experience working with the Italian Cooperation (MAECI DGCS / AICS);
• • Previous experience working with international organizations, the EU, and governmental and nongovernmental aid bodies (i) in fragile states and emergency contexts, (ii) in the Middle East and North Africa region, (iii) in Libya;
• • Experience building and maintaining relationships with stakeholders, donors, international/national counterparts;
• • Knowledge of Arabic.

Before submitting their application, candidates should assess whether they fulfil all the essential requirements specified in this vacancy notice. Professional experiences indicated in the curriculum vitae are accounted for only from the time the candidate obtained the degree required for the position. Start and end dates of all previous positions and indication on whether they were full- or part-time should be clearly stated in the curriculum vitae. Details of any professional experience, training, research or studies must be provided in the application. Upon request, candidates must be able to provide supporting documentation clearly indicating the duration and nature of these experiences.