Application Guide

How to Apply for CONSULTANCE - PRÉPARATION DES ÉTATS FINANCIERS SYCEBNL

at Norwegian Refugee Council

🏢 About Norwegian Refugee Council

The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) is a globally respected humanitarian organization dedicated to protecting and assisting refugees and internally displaced persons. Working here means contributing to life-changing missions in over 30 countries, with a strong commitment to accountability and transparency in financial management.

About This Role

This role focuses on translating NRC’s internal financial records into statutory SYCEBNL-compliant financial statements for multiple countries. It is critical for ensuring legal compliance, donor trust, and audit readiness, directly supporting NRC’s ability to secure funding and operate effectively in francophone Africa.

💡 A Day in the Life

A typical day involves reviewing NRC’s general ledgers from multiple countries, mapping accounts to SYCEBNL codes, and preparing adjusting entries. You’ll coordinate with NRC country finance teams via email or video calls, oversee your team’s progress on reconciliations, and draft statutory financial statements and reconciliation notes. Periods leading up to audits involve intensive support to external auditors and responding to queries.

🚀 Application Tools

Generate Cover Letter

AI-powered, tailored for Norwegian Refugee Council

Interview Prep

Practice questions for this role

🎯 Who Norwegian Refugee Council Is Looking For

  • A certified expert-comptable registered in a SYCEBNL-adopting country (e.g., Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon) with at least 5 years of post-qualification experience.
  • Demonstrated expertise in preparing SYCEBNL financial statements (balance sheet, income statement, cash flow) and reconciling them with non-SYCEBNL ledgers.
  • Proven track record working with international NGOs, understanding their fund accounting, donor restrictions, and multi-currency operations.
  • Ability to lead a qualified team (including at least one other expert-comptable) and manage multiple country assignments simultaneously under tight deadlines.

📝 Tips for Applying to Norwegian Refugee Council

1

Highlight specific experience preparing SYCEBNL financial statements for NGOs, including the exact types of statements (bilan, compte de résultat, flux de trésorerie) and reconciling differences between NRC’s chart of accounts and SYCEBNL codes.

2

Explicitly state your registration with the Ordre National des Experts-Comptables (or equivalent) and the country where you are registered, as this is a mandatory requirement.

3

Provide examples of managing audits of SYCEBNL accounts, particularly for international donors like UNHCR or ECHO, and mention any experience with NRC or similar organizations.

4

Detail your team composition in your application, confirming that at least one other expert-comptable is part of your team and how you coordinate work remotely across multiple countries.

5

Submit a concise cover letter and CV in French, as the role requires fluency in French (implied by the job description and SYCEBNL context).

✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter

['Emphasize your deep understanding of SYCEBNL norms and your ability to map NRC’s internal codes to SYCEBNL, including identifying necessary adjusting and closing entries.', 'Showcase your experience with international NGOs, particularly in complex humanitarian settings, and your ability to handle multi-country assignments with remote coordination.', 'Highlight your audit support experience, specifically how you have helped external auditors certify SYCEBNL accounts, and your commitment to transparency and accuracy.', 'Mention your leadership of a qualified team and your capacity to deliver high-quality work under pressure, aligning with NRC’s values of accountability and efficiency.']

Generate Cover Letter →

🔍 Research Before Applying

To stand out, make sure you've researched:

  • → Familiarize yourself with NRC’s global structure, its country programs in francophone Africa (e.g., Mali, Burkina Faso, DRC), and the specific financial challenges they face.
  • → Review the latest SYCEBNL accounting framework (Acte Uniforme OHADA) and any recent updates, as well as NRC’s own financial policies (available on their website).
  • → Understand NRC’s donor base and typical funding instruments (e.g., UNHCR, ECHO, DFID) to anticipate specific reporting requirements.
  • → Look into NRC’s audit history and any public financial reports to understand the scale and complexity of their operations.
Visit Norwegian Refugee Council's Website →

💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics

Based on this role, you may be asked about:

1 Walk us through how you would create a SYCEBNL grand livre from NRC’s general ledger and identify the key adjustments needed.
2 Describe a time you reconciled significant differences between an NGO’s internal accounting and statutory SYCEBNL requirements. What challenges did you face?
3 How do you stay updated on changes to SYCEBNL regulations, and how have you applied recent updates in your work?
4 Explain how you would manage the preparation of financial statements for multiple countries simultaneously, ensuring deadlines are met.
5 What is your experience with donor-funded projects and ensuring that SYCEBNL financial statements meet donor requirements (e.g., UNHCR, EU)?
Practice Interview Questions →

⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Failing to provide proof of registration with the Ordre National des Experts-Comptables or equivalent in your application.
  • Applying without demonstrating specific SYCEBNL experience—generic accounting experience will not suffice.
  • Not mentioning your team’s qualifications or assuming you can handle the workload alone; the role explicitly requires a team with at least one other expert-comptable.

📅 Application Timeline

⏰ Deadline: May 25, 2026

We recommend applying at least a few days early to avoid last-minute technical issues.

Typical hiring timeline:

1

Application Review

1-2 weeks

2

Initial Screening

Phone call or written assessment

3

Interviews

1-2 rounds, usually virtual

✓

Offer

Congratulations!

Ready to Apply?

Good luck with your application to Norwegian Refugee Council!

← Back to Job Listing Apply Now →