Remuneration
Other Secondary Working Conditions
They are expressed in CFA francs per month. The amounts must be approved in accordance with the project budget, the NGO’s HR policy, the job level, the assignment location, and the donor’s rules.
Per Diem and Travel Expense Schedule for Mali
| Type of Mission | Indicative Minimum | Indicative Maximum | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local assignment without overnight stay | 10,000/day | 30,000/day | Meal expenses, short trips. |
| Assignment within the same district involving a long day | 15,000/day | 40,000/day | For field staff, supervisors, and drivers. |
| Assignment with overnight stay — district capital | 25,000/day | 75,000/day | Basic lodging + meals. |
| Overnight assignment — regional capital | 40,000/day | 125,000/day | Depending on city, hotel, and job level. |
| Assignment in Bamako for staff from other regions | 50,000/day | 150,000/day | More expensive accommodations. |
| High-level domestic assignment / donor | 75,000/day | 200,000/day | Experts, coordination, institutional representatives. |
| International mission to Mali according to donor scale | Depending on the donor | Up to approximately 101,700 per day or more | The EU rate for Mali is 155 EUR/day, or approximately 101,700 FCFA. |
Proposal by position level
| Position level | Transport | Communication | Responsibility | Field / Risk | Housing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Support staff: security guard, janitor, courier | 25,000 – 50,000 | 5,000–15,000 | — | 10,000 – 50,000 | — |
| Driver / Field Logistics Specialist | 40,000 – 100,000 | 10,000 – 40,000 | 25,000 – 75,000 | 30,000 – 150,000 | — |
| Administrative Assistant / Accountant / HR | 40,000 – 100,000 | 15,000 – 50,000 | 25,000 – 100,000 | 20,000 – 100,000 | 75,000 – 200,000 |
| Field worker / community organizer | 40,000 – 120,000 | 20,000 – 60,000 | 25,000 – 100,000 | 50,000 – 250,000 | 75,000 – 250,000 |
| Supervisor / Project Manager | 75,000 – 150,000 | 40,000 – 100,000 | 100,000 – 250,000 | 75,000 – 350,000 | 150,000 – 400,000 |
| Coordinator / Branch Manager / RAF | 100,000 – 250,000 | 75,000 – 150,000 | 200,000 – 500,000 | 100,000 – 500,000 | 250,000 – 750,000 |
| Project Manager / Senior Expert | 150,000 – 300,000 | 100,000 – 250,000 | 300,000 – 1,000,000 | 150,000 – 750,000 | 400,000 – 1,500,000 |
Special scale for difficult or humanitarian areas
| Risk/Difficulty Level | Recommended premium |
|---|---|
| Normal area | 0 to 50,000 CFA francs/month |
| Remote rural area | 50,000 to 150,000 CFA francs/month |
| Hard-to-reach area | 100,000 to 300,000 CFA francs/month |
| Sensitive humanitarian area | 200,000 to 500,000 CFA francs/month |
| High-risk area | 300,000 to 750,000 CFA francs per month |
| One-time mission in a red zone | Special daily allowance of 25,000 to 100,000 CFA francs per day |
Recommended Conditions for Awarding
To prevent abuse or disputes, each allowance should be outlined in an HR manual or memo with the following conditions:
| Bonus / Allowance | Recommended conditions for granting |
|---|---|
| Transportation | Granted if no company vehicle is provided. |
| Housing | Granted in the event of an assignment away from the employee’s place of residence or for executive positions. |
| Communication | Granted for positions requiring frequent calls, internet access, business-related WhatsApp use, and reporting. |
| Field Work | Granted upon proof of regular off-site activities. |
| Risk | Granted following official or internal classification of the area. |
| Per diem | Granted only for assignments approved by an assignment order. |
| Performance | Based on a written evaluation and measurable indicators. |
| Responsibility | Based on managerial level, team management, budget management, or partner management. |
| Cash Handling | Granted only to employees who regularly handle funds. |
| On-Call Duty | Granted to positions that must be available outside normal working hours. |
A simple formula for setting bonuses
You can use this method:
| Category | Recommended percentage of base salary |
|---|---|
| Standard allowances: transportation, phone, meals | 5% to 15% |
| Responsibility/Position | 10% to 30% |
| Field work / remote location | 10% to 40% |
| Risk / Safety | 15% to 60% |
| Annual performance | 5% to 20% |
| Special end-of-project bonus | 25% to 100% of one month’s salary |
Sample summary table to be included in an HR manual
| Category | Support Staff | Field staff | Middle management | Senior managers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Transport | 25,000 – 50,000 | 40,000 – 120,000 | 75,000 – 150,000 | 150,000 – 300,000 |
| Communication | 5,000 – 20,000 | 20,000 – 60,000 | 50,000 – 100,000 | 100,000 – 250,000 |
| Meals / Lunch Box | 20,000 – 40,000 | 30,000 – 75,000 | 50,000 – 100,000 | 75,000 – 150,000 |
| Land | 10,000 – 50,000 | 50,000 – 250,000 | 100,000 – 350,000 | 150,000 – 500,000 |
| Risk | 0 – 100,000 | 75,000 – 300,000 | 150,000 – 500,000 | 300,000 – 750,000 |
| Liability | — | 25,000 – 100,000 | 100,000 – 350,000 | 300,000 – 1,000,000 |
| Housing | — | 75,000 – 250,000 | 150,000 – 500,000 | 400,000 – 1,500,000 |
Standard clause to be included in contracts or the HR manual
Allowances and bonuses granted to staff are benefits in addition to the base salary. They are awarded based on the nature of the position, the location of assignment, the level of responsibility, working conditions, exposure to risk, the project’s budgetary availability, and the funder’s rules.
These allowances do not constitute an automatic or permanent entitlement. They may be revised, suspended, or eliminated in the event of a change in position, a change in duty station, a modification of working conditions, project closure, or budgetary shortfall, subject to compliance with the legal and contractual provisions applicable in Mali.
Any assignment giving rise to a per diem or reimbursement of expenses must be authorized in advance by a travel order signed by the appropriate supervisor. Expenses must be documented in accordance with the organization’s internal procedures and the funder’s requirements.
For an NGO or project in Mali, it is important to avoid setting an overly generous scale from the outset. The most prudent approach is to classify benefits into three levels: (1) minimum, (2) standard project, and (3) high-level international donor.