Job Vacancy Announcement: Director of Administration and Finance

Deadline: 31^st March 2025

The Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa (CODESRIA) invites applications from suitably qualified nationals of African countries to fill the vacant position of Director of Administration and Finance in its pan-African Secretariat located in Dakar, Senegal. This position is one of the senior management posts in the Council and the successful candidate will join a team of staff members functioning under the direct supervision of the Executive Secretary.

Recognised as the premier centre on the continent for the generation and dissemination of multidisciplinary social science and humanities knowledge, CODESRIA has, over the years, undergone an exponential growth in programmes, finances and membership. The Administration and Finance department has, as its primary responsibility, providing leadership in the development of medium and long-term plans for the council, the overall management of its administrative and financial affairs, including banking and accounting services, the preparation of financial reports for submission to the Council’s partners, budget monitoring and control, human resources (staff recruitment, training, evaluation, discipline and welfare), protocol services, the maintenance of the headquarters building, the monitoring of the Council’s physical assets, the internal and external audits of the Council’s financial statements and other accounts, and all aspects of the procurement of goods and services for use by the Council.

The Department is also involved in the implementation of a long-term strategy for the financial stability and sustainability of the Council, including developing the CODESRIA Endowment Fund.

Furthermore, the Director of Administration and Finance (DAF), working in close collaboration with other staff, is responsible for preparing the annual workplan of activities and budgets of the Council, and for monitoring expenses and programme implementation. The successful candidate will also be called upon to initiate, develop and apply new human resource management tools, lend support in the implementation of an IT plan, contribute to the organisation of donor conferences, and manage aspects of the Council’s relations with the public administration services of the host country as may be entrusted to her/him. In all, the candidate who will be chosen will be expected to work towards the efficient and result-oriented administration of all aspects of the mandate of the Council.

The key day–to-day  responsibilities of the DAF include the following: provide strategic leadership and guidance in administrative and financial management; lead a team of staff in delivering CODESRIA’s administrative and financial obligations; remain up-to-date with the latest methodologies and best- practices, and donor requirements; ensure improved service to the Secretariat and community; work with other departments to execute programmes and projects within agreed calendar and timelines; develop suitable and sustainable strategies in administrative and financial management; plan and manage budgets. An interest in and willingness to learn and engage in social science and humanities debates is an added strength.

More information about CODESRIA and its programmes can be obtained from the Council’s website: www.codesria.org.

Qualifications

Applicants must:

• Have a sound university education in the field of business/financial administration, accounting and/or human resource management (an MBA or Masters in Finance and Administration will be an advantage) with at least five years post-graduation experience in a similar position;
• Hold a post-graduate professional qualification in accountancy or in a related field, and have a demonstrable knowledge of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) in their current application;
• Have experience in fund management, preferably in a not-for-profit organisation;
• Be familiar with accounting and budgetary systems and software employed by international 
non-governmental organisations;
• Have a demonstrable capacity to initiate and supervise internal and external audit processes;
• Be conversant with the international research funding environment and the requirements of various funding agencies especially in terms of reporting;
• Be knowledgeable and skilled in the management of all aspects of personnel matters, bearing in mind that CODESRIA is a multi-cultural pan-African environment and is committed to the 
promotion of gender equality;
• Demonstrate a sound knowledge of procedures linked to the diplomatic immunities enjoyed by international organisations;
• Have a demonstrable knowledge of labour laws in an African context;
• Have a capacity to be innovative and forward-looking in the management of the administrative processes and procedures of an organisation like CODESRIA;
• Have good organizational and time management skills (highly desirable).
• Personal attributes should also include strong analytical skills and ability to formulate unique 
solutions based on knowledge and understanding of the challenges;
• Be strategic, innovative and creative thinker; planning and problem-solving in both short-term and long-term; results-driven; team player; inclusive, flexible, and sensitive to multi-culturalism;
• Have strong communication skills; be self-motivated; possessing the ability to lead and motivate a team is crucial; be a professional with high integrity and good stewardship of resources; and
• Be fluent in French or English and have a good working knowledge of the other language.

Working Conditions

The salary level that will be offered will depend on the successful applicant’s experience and qualifications and will be comparable to those of similar posts in other international organisations.

How to Apply

Applicants must supply the following documents:

1. A written application;
2. A detailed CV describing the contents of their training and professional experience;
3. Three reference letters, two of which must be professional references.

All application materials must be submitted via the submission portal available at https://submission.codesria.org/director-of-administration-and-finance/

An automatic confirmation will be generated upon successful uploading of the application. PLEASE NOTE THAT ONLY APPLICATIONS RECEIVED VIA THIS LINK WILL BE CONSIDERED. The Council will, however, accept reference letters that are emailed directly to: executive.secretary@codesria.org (emails with reference letters attached to them should have the words ‘CONFIDENTIAL REFERENCE’ written in the subject line).

The Executive Secretary

CODESRIA

Avenue Cheikh Anta Diop x Canal IV

B.P. 3304, CP 18524,

Dakar/SENEGAL

Email: executive.secretary@codesria.org

Closing Date

All applications must be received by 31^st March 2025. Any application received after this date will not be considered.