Senior Finance and Administrative Assistant, UKPFSEA

Introduction

In 2015, the Department for International Development announced the Cross-Government Prosperity Fund to support the UN Sustainable Development Goals as well as the 2015 UK Aid Strategy by promoting growth and prosperity in developing countries.  The Cross-Government Prosperity Fund’s focus is on Official Development Assistance (ODA)-eligible middle income-countries and provide expertise and technical assistance in sectors and countries where there is the highest potential for inclusive growth.  

The UK Prosperity Fund for Skills Programme in South East Asia (UKPFSEA) project falls under the Cross-Government Prosperity Fund’s Global Skills Programme where ODA is granted to support middle income countries to address skills shortages.  The Global Skills Programme takes a partnership approach and draws on UK expertise to promote sustainable and inclusive growth by improving the affordability, quality, relevance and equity of Higher Education (HE) and Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in the partner countries.  

The UKPFSEA project is implemented by the ILO, led by the Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (ROAP) and the Decent Work Technical Support Team for East and Southeast Asia and the Pacific (DWT-Bangkok).  The UKPFSEA project aims to increase national capacity to achieve sustained inclusive growth through the enhancement of skills development and technical and vocational education training (TVET) systems.  These systems will offer relevant, quality and inclusive programmes that support both industry upgrading and transformation, and improvements in employability, employment and the livelihood opportunities of beneficiaries.  The project targets three middle-income countries in Southeast Asia: Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines.  Across all countries, the project will support national efforts to facilitate reform at the policy and system levels for broad national impact and sustainability.  At the same time, it will ensure impact at the individual level by contributing to poverty reduction and address inequality.  In short, the project combines interventions at the upstream level (e.g. policy and structure) and the downstream level (training delivery, certification and employment facilitation).  The intended impact is the increased capacity for inclusive growth in Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines due to more productive and equitable skills systems and TVET systems, improving employability, employment opportunities and the livelihoods for the beneficiaries.

Within the policy and procedural requirements established by the ILO and the UKPFSEA project, the Finance and Administrative Assistant will be responsible for the administrative and financial support to the project, with focus on the Malaysia component of the project.  As a team member, the incumbent provides senior level administrative and finance support and is responsible for performing, completing and/or overseeing specialized administrative and financial management support services in an efficient, effective and client-oriented manner.  The incumbent performs a wide range of administrative actions related to the financial operations of the project.  Work involves using the enterprise resource planning (ERP) system.  The incumbent performs a range of administrative actions related to the financial operations of the project.  The incumbent ensure the correct application, interpretation and adaptation of established financial rules and regulations, policies, procedures and guidelines.  The incumbent evaluates and provides inputs into the design and development of improved administrative and financial services and delivery processes.  The Finance and Administrative Assistant will be based in the Joint Projects Office for Malaysia, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

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Reporting lines: 

Under the overall responsibility and supervision of the Chief Technical Advisor, the incumbent will work with all the project staff and under the indirect supervision of the Skills & Employability Specialist in DWT-Bangkok and the Programme Officer for Malaysia and will receive technical guidance from the concerned technical department.  Work is reviewed for feasibility of recommendations and correctness of end results.  Work involving the handling of complex and intricate programming matters including those affecting other related activities of the project is also reviewed (i.e. regional, Malaysia, Indonesia and Philippines components of the project).  The incumbent will work in close collaboration with the colleagues of the UKPFSEA project based in Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines and Thailand and the donor.

Description of Duties

a)    Undertake and complete a range of specialized finance support functions and services.  Initiate, process, review and follow-up on administrative action, including verifying that information and documentation is in compliance with financial rules and regulations, policies, procedures and applicable standards.  Maintain project financial records and monitoring system to record and reconcile expenditures, balances, payments, statements and other data for daily transactions and reports.

b)    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 document are attached.

c)    Prepare correspondence on own initiative to verify data, address and answer queries and follow-up as necessary with ILO staff, consultants and counterparts.  

d)    Review and request additional information on the financial reports of partners, ensuring compliance with ILO rules, before submitting to the Finance Unit.

e)    Classify and assign budget codes, verify and process claims for payment, and check payment vouchers, prices and claims invoices.

f)    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.

g)    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.

h)    Perform targeted analytical reviews and trend analysis of specific types of activities, ensuring proper authorization and complete supporting documentation, and check for fraudulent documents and transactions.  Contribute to the preparation of financial analytical reports.

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i)    Review reports, proposals, and expenditure data to ensure that financial transactions, commitments and authorizations are in conformity with financial rules and regulations.  Prepare reports on budget performance comparing approved budgets against actual expenditures and indicating any discrepancies.  Prepare recurring reports as scheduled and special reports as required for donor reporting, for budget preparation, audits or other reasons.  

j)    Calculate and compile cost estimates, and participate in budget analysis and projection as required by the Chief Technical Advisor and Project Officers.

k)    Maintain and update databases and the filing system, including both soft and hard copy.

l)    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.

m)    Keep abreast of changes to programme/project related policies, procedures, guidelines and processes and provide guidance and deliver training to staff with the view to building knowledge.  Oversee and guide the work of the project and other support staff as required.

n)    Evaluate rion and propose improvements to work methods and processes.  Assess the impact of changes and make recommendations on follow-up actions.  Liaise closely with other administrative areas to ensure effective and smooth service design and delivery, recommending improvements on interrelated processes.

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

p)    Provide support in preparing and running project seminars, workshops, meetings and other events in Malaysia and ensure the appropriate disbursement of DSA where necessary.

q)    Undertake other duties as assigned by the Chief Technical Advisor.

Required qualifications

Education

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

Experience

At least six years of progressively responsible financial and administrative work, and some training in administrative field.  Experience of working with an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system, in particularly monitoring and management modules. Familiarity with UN administrative and financial procedures constitutes and advantage.

Languages

Excellent command of English.

Competencies

-    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.
-    Good 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 (MS Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Adobe Reader).
-    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 initiatives 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 multicultural environment and to demonstrate gender sensitive and non-discriminatory behaviour and attitudes.