Finance and Administrative Assistant - G6(DC)

Introduction

The International Labour Organization (ILO) is implementing a 2 years EU funded project on Enhanced Impact of Public Financial Management on National and Sub-national Employment Governance in the Republic of Kenya. The overall objective of the project is to achieve progress towards Sustainable Development Goal (SDGs) through equitable and inclusive development (in particular productive employment and decent work).

The project falls under Country Office Dar es salaam and the technical responsibility of the DWT Pretoria.

The project will has two intermediary Outcomes as follows:

Intermediary Outcome 1: Pre-conditions for Local Government Employment Governance are established
Intermediary Outcome 2: Capacities at National and Local Government levels are strengthened in Implementation of Employment-sensitive Public Financial Management Tools

The project outcomes are:

• Government will integrate pro-employment indicators in cross-cutting performance measures for LGAP Assessment.
• Government will adopt and implement the National Employment Strategy resulting from this action.
• General PFM reform mechanisms and procedures are properly adopted at the local level, and
• Government will integrate pro-employment guidelines in fiscal decentralisation

The Project is seeking to recruit a Finance and Administrative Assistant (FAA) Position located in the Project Office in Kampala, Ugandai, which is under the ILO Country Office (CO) for East Africa in Dar Es Salaam. The Office also supports technical cooperation projects in a number of areas related to its mandate in close collaboration with the umbrella organizations for employers and workers.

As a team member of the Project, the incumbent provides para-professional finance and administrative services and is responsible for managing the completion of a range of support services in an efficient, effective and client-oriented manner. These relate to the delivery of administrative and office support, and will finance, travel and logistics and other operational related areas. Work involves the use of the enterprise resource planning (ERP) system. She or he ensures the correct application, interpretation and adaptation of established rules, regulations, policies, procedures and guidelines. The position holder evaluates, anticipates needs, determines priorities and provides inputs into the design and development of improved finance and administration support services and delivery processes. Work assignments are carried out under minimum supervision with the incumbent operating with a high degree of independence in delivering and evaluating the finance and administration services provided. Work is reviewed for feasibility of recommendations and impact of end results. 

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Reporting Line
Under the overall responsibility of the Director, ILO Country Office, Dar es Salaam and under the direct supervision of National Programme Manager Project Coordinator (NPC), the incumbent will be responsible for the timely completion of finance and administration support services in a range of Finance and Administrative areas encompassing general administration and office support, travel and logistics and other operational areas. S/he shall evaluate and follow up on service provision to ensure optimum delivery in compliance with applicable standards; as well as ensure strategic and efficient management of project financial resources within the Donor expectations and ILO requirements.
The incumbent is expected to effectively cooperate with CO – Dar es Salaam, especially with Operations Unit. Internal contacts are with staff and managers in field offices, project locations and headquarters to enlist support and cooperation and to provide advice for the resolution of complex issues in compliance with applicable standards. Contacts are also to coordinate activities with other units for the delivery of interrelated services. 

External contacts are primarily with constituents, counterparts in UN agencies and other international organizations, government agencies, and concerned authorities to coordinate and resolve pending issues and seek opportunities for synergies and process improvements aiming at quality and cost effectiveness.
This position will be based in Nairobi.

Description of Duties

Financial

• Review and verify financial reports basing on ILO rules and EU general terms and conditions and guidelines and closely monitoring reported expenditures as a basis for budgetary control in respect of approved budgets.
• Prepare on a monthly basis, expenditure reports related to OFCs received by the projects for the purposes of close monitoring and ensuring that expenditures do not exceed approved allocations.
• Maintain petty cash book and/or records for recording of financial data pertaining the petty cash account
• Prepare payment requests for staff travels allowances and for payments to suppliers
• Prepare payment requests for seminar advances and ensure their prompt accountability, maintaining proper and accurate records for facilitating, reconciliation of the GL Account in order to ensure prompt clearance of outstanding items
• Submit timely replenishment requests to imprest Accounts office to ensure consistent availability of sufficient funds for timely implementation of a wide range of activities under the project
• Advise the National Programme Manager on all aspects of Accounts and financial control procedures in order to ensure compliance with ILO financial rules and regulations and EU general terms and conditions
• Prepare responses in respect of Accounting and Audit queries that may be raised by the verification unit of the Regional Office in Addis Ababa

Administrative

• Process Duty and VAT exemptions for purchase of goods and services by ILO technical cooperation projects
• Provide administrative support services such as hotel booking and ticket reservations and/or confirmations related to ILO travel arrangements
• Assist in office Transport coordination, arrange fuel replenishments, maintain records on car services and ensure good maintenance of office equipment
• Assist in any other administrative and personnel chores related to human resources and office administration e.g maintaining staff leave records, purchase of stationery etc.
• Perform any other duties as assigned by the supervisor.

Required qualifications

Education

Completion of secondary school education supplemented by a formal training in accounting and/or finance and administrative field from a recognized commercial school or equivalent.

Experience

Minimum of five Six years of operational or administrative support work experience including providing financial operations support services. Experience of working with an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system.

Languages

Excellent command of English. Working knowledge of another official language of the Organization or an official national language of the duty station.

Competencies

• Knowledge and competencies (technical and behavioural)
• Knowledge of financial administration and/or accounting techniques.
• Knowledge of international accounting standards such as International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS) or other international or national accounting standards.
• Good knowledge of PC software (including word processor, spreadsheet and presentation software) such as Microsoft Office.
• In addition to the ILO core competencies [Integrity and transparency, Sensitivity to diversity, Orientation to learning and knowledge sharing, Client orientation, Communication, Orientation to change, Takes responsibility for performance, Quality orientation, Collaboration], this position requires:
• Ability to interpret and work within the applicable financial rules and regulations, policies and procedures.
• Ability to adapt quickly to new software and systems.
• Accuracy and attention to detail.
• Sense of responsibility to maintain data integrity.
• Ability to work in a multicultural environment and to demonstrate gender-sensitive and non-discriminatory behaviour and attitudes.
• Ability to deal with confidential matters with discretion;
• Must display high standards of ethical conduct;
• Ability to evaluate correspondence and inquiries for best course of action;
• Ability to respond to work related inquiries in an appropriate manner;
• Ability to organize own work;
• Ability to demonstrate responsible behaviour and attention to detail.
• Supervisory skills. Discernment.
• Excellent time management skills.