Finance and Administrative Assistant -

The Egyptian higher education system is a contributing factor to the economic growth of the country. High youth unemployment rates and long periods of transition between graduation and employment suggest gaps in the quality and relevance of university curricula and the lack of efficient career advisory services. Unemployment and under-employment are even more severe for young women, low-income youth, and young people with disabilities. Equal access to higher education is a further challenge. Significantly, the growth areas of the economy depend on skills in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). Employers are also demanding better core skills for employability, such as English language, communication skills, 21st century skills and business skills.
To respond to the above, the HELW project brings together a consortium of international (ILO, British Council) and national organizations (Al Alfi Foundation and ICareer), public and private sector and NGOs to deliver an innovative programme that leverages existing reform strategies and builds a lasting legacy of public-private collaboration to improve STEM Higher Education participation and outcomes for the most disadvantaged, while simultaneously building Egypt’s capacity for growth in the future economies.
The HELW project proposes a range of innovative responses, based on the experience and capacities of its partners, to address the three strands of the UK call.
For Strand 1- Equity: Promote equitable access to higher education, particularly for low-income youth, young people with disabilities and young women from poor communities, who wish to pursue further studies at public universities in underrepresented subjects such as Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM). HELW will support participating universities to assess and address barriers affecting the target group students, will develop career guidance and outreach marketing, and develop programmes to assist target group youth in meeting the educational and financial requirements to qualify for admission.
For Strand 2 – Quality: Improve the core skills ecosystem within public universities by equipping undergraduates and post-graduates with in-demand and employability skills. HELW will support the development of a common definition for core skills, the identification of priority skills and will pilot the delivery of innovative approaches to teaching, assessment and certification. Because English language (specifically for work in STEM fields) and business skills have already been identified as priorities, these two areas will be piloted. Other core skills will be identified and prioritized for piloting based on research and the guidance of the High Level Working Group for higher education and industry.
 

Strand 3 – Relevance: Work with UK and Egyptian industry to improve the pathways of transition from higher education to employment, particularly in STEM careers, for the target groups outlined above. HELW will involve a number of elements. Under the general Framework for Employability which will be developed and endorsed by the High Level Working group, HELW will facilitate the creation of partnerships and processes better to connect universities with relevant employer and industry groups, to enable better mutual understanding of needs and expectations. Practices such as staff exchanges and work experience for students will be supported. Finally, more active, more effective career guidance services will be developed to aid in the transition from education to employment, again drawing on UK expertise. Data is key to determining the effectiveness of programme activities, so developing a baseline and subsequent tracer studies for STEM student and graduate outcomes is a critical element which will inform the whole programme. Data will include gender, social inclusion, disability status and other measures to ensure that the impact on target groups can be analysed.
It introduces a fourth over-arching outcome which aims to build a sustainability framework and collaborative process for orienting higher education towards employability by establishing a High Level Working Group for higher education and industry, and a number of partnerships at the university level which will build and reinforce higher education/industry links and partnerships between the British and Egyptian university sector. The High Level Working Group will also develop and adopt an Employability Skills Framework which will anchor interventions under the HELW programme and will serve as a guide for ongoing reform in the sector. This will be complemented by a leadership development initiative, drawing on UK expertise, and the establishment of a challenge fund to support innovation at individual universities. Over the course of the HELW project this group will be supported to become self-sustaining.

2. Reporting Lines:
Under the overall responsibility of Director of the ILO Decent Work Team and Country Office in Cairo, the incumbent will work under the direct supervision of the Senior National Project Coordinator based in Cairo.
 

3. Description of Duties
Undertake and complete a range of specialized finance support functions and services. Initiate, process, review and follow up on administrative actions, including verifying that information and documentation is in compliance with financial rules and regulations, policies, procedures and applicable standards.
 

1. Maintain project financial records and monitoring systems to record and reconcile expenditures, balances, payments, statements and other data for daily transactions and reports.
2. Process contracts for financial clearance and payment. Ensure the correctness and appropriateness of types of contracts used with each activity, and ensure all necessary supporting documents are attached.
3. Prepare correspondence on own initiative to verify data, address and answer queries and follow-up as necessary with project and ILO staff, consultants and counterparts. Draw the attention of the joint project manager to matters requiring immediate attention.
4. Review and request additional information on the financial reports of project implementing partners, ensuring compliance with ILO rules and EU financial reporting guidelines, before submitting to the Finance Unit.
5. Classify and assign budget codes, verify and process claims for payment, and check payment vouchers, prices and claims invoices.
6. Make travel arrangements, hotel reservations and make travel authorization forms for technical experts and Partners.
7. Provide administrative and financial backstopping and guidance for project staff and consultants, with respect to payments, entitlements, travel claims, and other requirements relating to accounts and finance.
8. Consult with Finance Unit and project team on rules, regulations and procedures, and inform project staff, partners, consultants, interns of new or revised procedures and practices.
9. Prepare recurring reports as scheduled and special reports as required for donor reporting, for budget preparation, audits or other reasons.
10. Provide support, when necessary, in the preparation and running of project workshops and meetings.

11.Perform other duties as assigned by the supervisor

• Assist in the follow-up on internal audit recommendations, draft responses to external audit inquiries and observations, for the consideration of the supervisor.
• Keep abreast of changes to financial rules and regulations, policies, procedures and other
developments and provide guidance and deliver training to staff with the view to building
knowledge. Oversee and guide the work of support staff performing finance-related work as required.
• Evaluate and propose improvements to work methods and processes with a view to ensuring optimum efficiency and effectiveness. Liaise closely with other administrative areas to ensure effective and smooth service design and delivery, recommending improvements on interrelated processes.

 

Completion of secondary school education plus formal training in accounting or finance from a

recognized commercial school or equivalent.

• Minimum of six years of operational or administrative support work experience, the majority
of which in the provision of financial operations support services.
• Experience of working with an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system, in particular
finance modules
• Previous Experience working on DFID-Funded projects is an advantage
 

Excellent command of English. Good working knowledge of Arabic.

• ITC proficiency: word processing, spreadsheet, PowerPoint, data base software, as well as computer software packages required for work.
• Ability to organize own work and efficiently manage time.
• Ability to maintain records and prepare reports and financial statements.
• Ability to evaluate correspondence and inquiries for best course of action.
• Ability to obtain services from other work units inside or outside the office for completion of tasks.
• Capability to adapt own behaviour to professional requirements and contexts
• Excellent knowledge of the accounting and finance procedures and regulations of the office.
• Demonstrated ability to apply finance and accounting methods.
• Good analytical skills.
• Ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing.
• Ability to deal with clients and to respond to their queries.
• Ability to work in a team and to work under pressure.
• Good organizational skills.
• Ability to work with confidential material.
• Supervisory skills.
• Must demonstrate responsible behaviour and attention to detail.
• Ability to work and communicate with people in a polite, courteous and cooperative manner.
•  Must display high standards of ethical conduct.
• Must demonstrate honesty and integrity.
• Ability to reason and make sound judgements.

Candidates assessed by the Panel and considered eligible for appointment but who are not selected for this vacant post may be offered an assignment to another position at the same or lower grade provided that they meet the minimum qualifications required.