Chief of Finance, Personnel and Administration / Administrator
Switzerland, Bern, Zollikofen
Nonprofit/Community/Social Services/International Cooperation
Other
Date of last update: 2026-02-18 2026-05-18
Company presentation
The SDC's Humanitarian Aid is an expression of Switzerland's solidarity with people in need. It focuses on emergency relief, reconstruction and rehabilitation of affected areas, and disaster risk reduction. In a spirit of neutrality, independence and impartiality, it places the victims at the centre of its efforts.
The Humanitarian Aid prioritises the protection of people affected by crises, violence, armed conflicts and disasters, with a focus on safeguarding their safety, dignity and rights. Respect for international humanitarian law is therefore inseparable from humanitarian aid.
The SDC's Humanitarian Aid pursues the following thematic priorities:
- Protecting civilians;
- Disaster risk reduction;
- Water and sanitation;
- Gender-based violence;
- Food security and cash transfer programming.
The Swiss Humanitarian Aid Unit (SHA) is the operational arm of the SDC's Humanitarian Aid. Its specialists are deployed to implement projects of the SDC or its United Nations (UN) partners before, during and after natural disasters, crises and conflicts.
Please note that not all types of contracts and advertisements are listed in cinfoPoste. Find all of them here.
Job description
Verify your compatibility with this job ad
The compatibility is only an indication and should not discourage you from applying if you think your profile matches. It is also not taken into consideration for recruitment.
The Head of Finance, Personnel and Administration (CFPA) ensures that managers and their teams can carry out their tasks efficiently and effectively. She/He oversees the smooth functioning of the representation and leads all human resources processes. She/He supports the Head of Cooperation / Head of the Humanitarian Office in ensuring that resources are used transparently, economically and in line with organisational requirements. The CFPA is responsible for key services such as project cycle management (PCM), the internal control system (ICS), and the management of the office's assets. She/He implements the defined strategy and takes on essential operational duties. The CFPA is normally a member of both the senior management team and the Security Management Team (SMT).
Tasks
Deployed within a Swiss Cooperation Office/Humanitarian Office, your main responsibilities may consist in:
· (Management) Leading the team in line with strategic priorities and ensuring effective use of resources. Defining roles, supporting staff development, and fostering strong communication and teamwork. Maintaining productive relations with authorities and partners.
· (Financial Management) Overseeing budgeting, cash and financial planning, and ensuring accurate SAP/Esprit data and timely financial closure. Supporting audits and strengthening control tools. Integrating financial insights into reporting and managing constraints linked to financial sanctions.
· (Administration and Logistics) Ensuring robust internal controls and improving administrative tools and processes. Overseeing archiving, assets, inventories, and building management with IT and logistics partners. Maintaining emergency preparedness and coordinating compound and infrastructure needs.
· (Project Cycle Management) Reviewing and approving budgets and accounts, ensuring compliance with SDC standards. Assessing financial and operational risks, analysing reports, and monitoring projects. Supporting procurement, contract management, institutional assessments, proposal development, and final reporting.
· (HR Management) Acting as HR focal point and ensuring smooth HR workflows. Coordinating staff training, supporting recruitment and employment conditions, and maintaining local staff management frameworks. Advising supervisors and coordinating the MbO process.
· (Support to Partners) Providing partners with training and guidance in finance, HR, administration, ICS, and PCM. Supporting audit processes and monitoring implementation of recommendations. Strengthening partners' systems for compliance and effective delivery.
Examples of recent assignments
- CFPA deployed to the Swiss Cooperation Office in Juba, South Sudan
- Administrator deployed to the Humanitarian Bureau in Bangui, Central African Republic
Skills and requirements
- 5 years of professional experience, at least two of which must have ideally been abroad in the humanitarian context.
- Ideally, knowledge and experience in using SDC operational instrument, in particular PCM, financial, administrative and logistical management, budget management tools.
- Proven ability to work effectively within a multidisciplinary team in complex and dynamic environments.
- Political and diplomatic flair in relations with different parties and interest groups and ideally experience in collaborating with multilateral organisations, civil society and authorities.
Qualifications
- University degree or equivalent professional training in finance, business administration or any related field.
If you are interested in taking part in SHA field missions, please consult the SHA page and send this curriculum vitae (SHV CV (DOCX, 4 Pages, 59.8 kB, English)) along with a motivation letter stating the competences you bring to the SHA specialist group(s) of your interest to:
SDC – Humanitarian Aid Department and SHA
SHA Personnel Division
Mrs Selina Lüthi
More information
Download attachmentView details
Working hours (%): 80-100% / 100%
80-100% / 100%Will manage other people: Yes
Type of contract: Staff (Temporary)
Driving licence: Car driving licence
Macro-area: Multiple
Level of experience: Senior Professional, more than 5 years
Area of work Definition: Leadership and Management
Area of work: Banking and Finance
Area of work: Human Resources Management
Type of organisation: Governmental Actors
Telecommute: No

