Senior Finance and Administrative Assistant, Labour Law Reform

Introduction

The Labour Law Reform Project has an overall objective to provide technical support and training to the government, workers and employers in the field of labour law reform, labour inspection and industrial relations in order to protect all workers and ensuring that national laws are respected. It must collaborate with workers’, employers’ and their organizations to better understand the compliance gaps and to leverage their voice in community outreach and awareness raising, particularly with respect to the new laws and regulations that are expected to be adopted.

The Senior Finance and Administrative Assistant will be based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The Senior Finance and Administrative Assistant will work under the supervision of the Project Manager and the National Project Coordinator of the Labour Law Reform Project. Administrative supervision will be provided by the ILO Deputy Regional Director who oversees the ILO program in Malaysia.

Description of Duties

Specifically, the Senior Finance and Administrative Assistant will undertake the following duties and responsibilities:

1. Guide the development and maintenance of 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. Identify and ensure the correctness and appropriateness of types of contracts used with each activity, and ensure all necessary supporting documents are attached.

3. Prepare routine correspondence to verify data, answer queries and obtain additional information, follow-up as necessary with project and ILO staff, consultants and counterparts. Draw the attention of the Project Manager and, where necessary the  National Project Coordinator, to matters requiring immediate attention.

4. Review, identify the need for and request additional information on the financial reports of project implementing partners, ensuring compliance with ILO rules, 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. 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.

7. Consult with Finance Unit and relevant project team in Bangkok on rules, regulations and procedures, and inform project staff, partners, consultants, interns of new or revised procedures and practices.
 8. Prepare recurring reports as scheduled and special reports as required for donor reporting, for budget preparation, audits or other reasons, in accordance with guidance from Bangkok and Geneva finance teams.

9. Calculate and compile cost estimates, and participate in budget analysis and projections as required by the Project Manager and National Project Coordinator.

10. Maintain and update databases.

11. Respond to, or redirect to the most appropriate source, complex administrative queries. Draft correspondence, faxes, memoranda and reports on administrative matters from oral instructions, previous correspondence or other available information sources in accordance with standard office procedures.

12. Responsible for all administrative tasks, including logistical support to the project personnel, travel arrangements, visas, hotel reservation, etc. and provide logistics arrangements for conferences, seminars, workshops and meetings.

13. Provide support in the preparation and running of project workshops and meetings in Malaysia and ensure the appropriate disbursement of DSA where necessary.

14. Oversee and guide the work of other support staff as required.

15. Perform other duties as assigned by the Project Manager and National Project Coordinator.

Required qualifications

Education

Completion of secondary school education with additional training in accounting and/or finance and administrative field.

Experience

Six years of progressively responsible clerical and administrative work, and some training in an administrative field. Proven experience in management of budgets and events in Malaysia. Familiarity with UN administrative and financial procedures constitutes an advantage.

Languages

Excellent command of English and Bahasa languages.

Competencies

• Thorough knowledge and understanding of a complex body of financial and administrative rules, guidelines and procedures.
• Knowledge of in-house procedures for the preparation of documents and administrative forms, and for the creation and maintenance of filing systems.
• Strong analytical skills. Ability to reason and make sound judgments.
• Ability to maintain financial records and prepare clerical accounting reports and statements.
• Must demonstrate responsible behaviour and attention to detail.
• Ability to deal with confidential matters with discretion.
• Must display high standards of ethical conduct.
• Proficient in basic computer software (Microsoft Word, Powerpoint, Excel, Adobe Reader) and ability to use other software packages required by the Office.
• Proven ability to evaluate correspondence and inquiries for best course of action.
• Ability to respond to work related inquiries in an appropriate manner.
• Ability to obtain services from other work units inside or outside the office for completion of tasks.
• Ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing.
• Ability to work on own initiative as well as a member of a team.
• Organizational skills.
• Ability to clarify information.
• Ability to deal with people with tact and diplomacy.
• Ability to work in a multicultural environment and to demonstrate gender-sensitive and non-discriminatory behaviour and attitudes.

optional section (if needed)

Conditions of employment:

Starting salary: Ringgit 65,493. - per annum
Allowances & benefits: Affiliation to the United Nations Joint Staff Pension Fund
Affiliation to the ILO-ITU Staff Health Insurance Fund Dependants’ allowance
30 working days of annual leave