Finance and Administrative Assistant - G5(DC)

Introduction

General information about the context in which the official will work

The ILO (International Labour Organisation) is the United Nations specialized agency whose mission is to promote social justice through improved access of men and women to decent and productive work in conditions of freedom, equity, security and dignity.

The project “Expanding Social Security to Support the Formalization of the Angolan Economy” (ESSAFE Angola) is anchored under the European Union Delegation program “Support to formalisation of the economy including social protection and support to Public Finance Management”, including a Budget Support Operation and complementary measures, to be carried out under the 2021-2027 Multiannual Indicative Programme (MIP) for Angola, with the general objective to contribute to accelerating the transition from the informal to the formal economy in Angola, by expanding Angola’s contributory social security coverage and benefits. 
Within the overall framework of the programme, the Project focuses particularly on the extension of social security as a means to facilitate the transition to the formal economy, in conjunction with employment and formalization policies as well as improvement of the public finance management.  
The incumbent provides a range of administrative and project support services that contribute to the smooth and efficient running of the ESSAFE Angola project. Areas of work include general administration and office support and HR-, finance- and procurement-related support, requiring the use and application of ILO administrative and financial rules, regulations, policies, procedures and processes (applicable standards).

Reporting lines

Under the overall responsibility of the Director of the ILO Country Office for Angola, Cabo Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique and Sao Tome and Principe (CO-Luanda), the incumbent will report directly to the ESSAFE Angola Project Manager. The Project Manager will provide technical and strategic supervision. 

The incumbent will work in coordination with ESSAFE Angola project staff. He/she will also collaborate with the administrative and finance units of CO-Luanda. He/she will also collaborate with technical experts in the regional Decent Work Technnical Support Teams (DWTs), the Universal Social Protection Department (SOCPRO), the Global Technical Team (GTT) on social protection.

Description of Duties

1.Perform and coordinate a broad range of administrative and project support tasks, ensuring compliance with applicable standards.  Check, review, process and prepare all administrative and financial documents, including contracts, and ensure accuracy and precision for financial approvals and payments. 
2.Maintain project financial records and monitoring systems to record and reconcile expenditures, balances, payments, statements and other data for daily transactions and reports. 
3.Provide administrative and financial backstopping support to project-related missions and activities, including preparing budgets, coordinating travel and lodging of officials and participants, recruitment and payment of resources persons, and taking notes at meetings/seminars. Provide guidance to project staff and consultants with respect to  requirements relating to accounts and finance.
4.Keep informed of pertinent administrative and financial rules, regulations, procedures and processes and provide guidance and support on these, where required. Keep informed of the project’s activities and work priorities.
5.Draft correspondence, memoranda and administrative reports based on oral or written directives, previous correspondence or other available sources of information, in accordance with normal office procedures. Handle administrative and general information requests. Prepare, draft, perform quality control, finalize and/or upload to webpages/disseminate outgoing general and administrative correspondence, reports, publications and other documentation. Provide informal translations.
6.Prepare, on own initiative, correspondence to verify data, respond to queries and ensure necessary follow-up with project and ILO staff, consultants and counterparts. Bring issues requiring immediate attention to the attention of relevant officials.
7.Ensure information and records management systems and electronic workspaces are maintained, updated, accessible and efficiently structured.
8.Process and follow up on a wide range of transactions using the enterprise resource planning (ERP) system, verifying that information is complete and in compliance with applicable standards.
9.Prepare procurement on the basis of specifications and cost estimates of planned activities in accordance with ILO procedures.
10.Examine the financial reports of the project's implementing partners and request additional information about them, ensuring that these reports comply with ILO rules before submitting them to the Finance Unit.
11.Review and request additional information on the financial reports of project implementing partners, ensuring compliance with ILO rules before submitting to the Finance Unit.
12.Perform other relevant duties as assigned.

Required qualifications

Education

The candidate must have completed secondary education.  Formal training in accounting and/or finance and administrative field would be an asset.

Experience

At least five years of financial and administrative work, with increasing responsibility. Similar experience with the United Nations Common System or an international organization is desirable.

Languages

Excellent command of English or French. Working knowledge of Portuguese.

Competencies

-Knowledge and understanding of a complex set of financial and administrative rules, guidelines and procedures. 
-Knowledge of the organisation's procedures for preparing documents and administrative forms and for creating and maintaining filing systems. 
-Good analytical skills. 
-Strong reasoning skills and the ability to make sound judgments.
-Ability to maintain financial records and prepare accounting reports and statements.
-Sense of responsibility and ability to pay attention to detail. 
-Ability to handle confidential matters with discretion. 
-High ethical standards. 
-Proficiency in computer software (Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Adobe Reader) and ability to use other software required by the Office (e.g. IRIS). 
-Ability to assess mail and requests for information in order to decide on the most appropriate course of action.
-Ability to respond appropriately to work-related enquiries. 
-Ability to obtain the services of other internal or external work units to carry out certain tasks. 
-Good oral and written communication skills. 
-Ability to work alone and as part of a team. 
-Organisational skills. 
-Ability to deal tactfully and diplomatically with third parties. 
-Ability to work in a multicultural environment and to adopt a gender-sensitive attitud