Project Finance and Administrative Assistant

Introduction

The Indian MSME sector generates around 100 million jobs through over 63 million registered units.  The sector contributes approximately 38% to the nation’s GDP and accounts for 40% and 45% share of the overall exports and manufacturing output respectively. It is the second largest employer after agriculture, though it also accounts for more than 90% of the informal economy in the country. While globalization and technological innovations have in recent year boosted growth of MSMEs, including rise in entrepreneurship culture, it has also increasingly made them vulnerable. Only 4% of MSMEs are job creators and majority of around 70 %  are micro enterprises employing less than 10 employees. Gender inequality is stark in the sector. A little over 10% of MSMEs are women-owned and 20% of employees in MSMEs are women. Significantly, the number of MSMEs reporting non-performance and insolvency have also doubled in the last four years.  The COVID pandemic related market disruptions has further hit hard this sector. 

In this backdrop, the  project ‘ Promoting Sustainable Enterprises in India (PSEI)’ will attempt at boosting local economic growth and generation of more and better quality jobs by promoting sustainable micro, small and medium enterprises, in alignment to ILO’s Decent Work Agenda, by strengthening their integration in the supply chain in two sectors – food processing, especially, fishery and, textiles and garments, in two states, Odisha and Andhra Pradesh. It envisages doing this through enhancing capacity of policy makers, workers and employers’ organizations on global policy intervention models, especially from South Korea, and directly supporting MSMEs to upgrade management practices to improve productivity, and promote entrepreneurship among youths. The project will engage with state-level institutions to support in strengthening design and delivery of MSME business development services by demonstrating application of ILO enterprise tools, SCORE and SIYB. 

The project will be implemented within the 5-year programme framework of ILO, ‘India Decent Work Country Programme – 2018-22’ a commitment agreed and signed jointly by the ILO, Government of India, employers and workers organisations, the constituents of ILO. 

The Project admin and finance assistant will oversee and provide administrative, secretarial and financial support for the management and implementation of the project activities in accordance with ILO policies and procedures.

Reporting lines: 
The Project admin and finance assistant will work under the direct supervision of the Project Manager of the PSEI project. The incumbent will work with the guidance of Administrative and Finance unit   in ILO DWT/ CO New Delhi. 
 

Description of Duties

1.    Assist in monitoring the development plans and priorities, reports and other relevant information of project implementing partners with a view of identifying potential areas for cooperation.

2.    Provide programming and administrative support to activities undertaken by the implementing partners and prepare briefs, periodical reports, media updates and statistical data on status of project activities, to contribute to the preparation of technical and progress reports.

3.    Draft correspondence, letters, emails, meeting notes, memoranda and reports on administrative matters in accordance with standard office procedures.

4.    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.

5.    Responsible for all logistical support to the project partners/ experts engaged by the project in India and Korea, including travel arrangements, visas, hotel reservation, etc. for implementation of project activities.

6.    Assist the project team in the programming and preparation of budget estimates and expenditure forecasts by analysing and monitoring the situation of resources as compared to planned activities, including budget revisions and rephrasing as per timeline agreed with donor and in accordance with ILO internal procedures .

7.    In coordination with Finance and Administration unit, and in liaison with project team members, provide financial and administrative support for the effectiveness of the project. Assist the project team  in financial planning including compiling cost estimates, budget analysis, projections and monitoring.

8.    Assist the project team in maintaining project financial transaction and reporting systems in accordance with the ILO financial rules and regulations. Prepare administrative and finance related briefing materials for the reporting purposes and meetings with donors. Keep abreast of the progress report requirements and timetable, providing support for the preparation of the submission.

9.    Process contracts for financial clearance and payment. Review and build capacity of contractors/ implementation partners to manage finances in compliance with ILO rules and ensure compliance before submitting to the Finance Unit. Follow-up with them for timely submission of reports / invoices in compliance with ILO rules. Inform the Project Manager of potential difficulties that may arise from the administrative and finance management capacity and competence of implementing partners to address the problem in timely manner.  

10.    Assist in maintaining contact and person liaison duties with concerned technical units in the ILO New Delhi office, ILO HQ and regional office, national stakeholders in India.

11.    Review incoming correspondences, which requires action by the Project Manager and other project team members; monitor that deadlines for responses are met; follow up with team members and other organisational units / entities to facilitate response flow on time

12.    Provide interpretation and informal and formal translation.

13.    Assist in the preparation of project documents such as terms of reference for papers, concept notes, and conduct background primary and secondary research as required by the team members. 

14.    Assist the Project team in formatting the official documents using desktop publishing tools. 

15.    Perform other duties as may be assigned by the supervisors.

Required qualifications

Education

Completion of secondary school education

Experience

•    Five (5) years of progressively responsible administrative, secretarial and finance work. 
•    Experience of working with an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system. 
•    Professional training in finance and administrative field would be an added advantage. 
•    Proven experience of supporting implementation of technical cooperation projects and working effectively with government bodies, bilateral / multilateral agencies including UN would be an asset.

Languages

Excellent command in English and Hindi. Knowledge of Telugu would be an advantage.

Competencies

•    Knowledge of programme and budget and thorough understanding of wide range of administrative policies and procedures.
•    Ability to take responsibility, prioritize work assignments, organize own schedule, perform routine work independently, watch for details, meet deadlines and adapt to changing demands and multitask. 
•    Proficient in basic computer software (Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Adobe Reader) and ability to use other software packages required by the Office including desktop publishing tools. 
•    Excellent report / document formatting and designing skills
•    High standards of ethical conduct and honesty, integrity and transparency
•    Orientation to learning and knowledge sharing and openness to change
•    Ability to obtain services from other work units inside or outside the office for completion of tasks
•    Ability to work as a member of a team 
•    Ability to search and retrieve information from databases and compile reports;
•    Ability to deal with confidential matters with discretion
•    Sensitivity to diversity and client orientation 
•    Thorough knowledge of in-house procedures for the preparation of documents and administrative forms, and for the creation and maintenance of filing systems.  
•    Good communication skills, both orally and in writing and ability to communicate with people in a polite, courteous and cooperative manner.
•    Ability to work under pressure and to meet the deadline.
•    Must demonstrate responsible behaviour and attention to details

•    Ability to work in a multicultural environment and to demonstrate gender-sensitive and non-discriminatory behaviour and attitudes.