Finance and Administrative Assistant at G5(DC) ILO – International Labour Organization: (Deadline 8 August 2023)

Introduction

The ILO is looking to recruit a Finance and Administrative Assistant to be based in Kigali (Rwanda) for a new development cooperation project, titled “Boosting Decent Jobs and Enhancing Skills for Youth in Rwanda’s Digital Economy.”

Rwanda’s Vision 2050 formulates the ambition of fully developing the country’s economic and social potential. The blueprint recognizes the critical importance of the Rwandan “demographic dividend” as young people (16 to 30 years old) make up 27 per cent of the total population. However, young people face a severe lack of decent and productive employment. Many youth in Rwanda are un- and under-employment, with young women being considerably over-represented. At the same time, Rwanda has highly prioritized digitalization as means to transform Rwanda’s socio-economic development. The digitalization of the Rwandan economy is conceived as a cross-cutting enabler for the growth of other sectors of the economy but also and a source for the creation of decent and productive jobs within and beyond the ICT sector.

The project “Boosting Decent Jobs and Enhancing Skills for Youth in Rwanda’s Digital Economy” (the Project) will support Rwanda’s structural transformation and contribute to a just transition towards a digital economy. It is financially supported by the Government of Luxembourg with an implementation period of four years. Its main goal is to enable more young women and men in Rwanda to access decent jobs in Rwanda’s digital economy, focusing on the youth between the age brackets of 16 and 30 years from Secondary Cities as well as Kigali.

The three main components of the project are:

• Promoting job creation and entrepreneurship opportunities in the digital economy, including through supporting employment policy development and implementing interventions that stimulate enterprise growth.
• Improve digital skills of young women and men, including by supporting Technical and Vocational Education and Training institutions in developing and implementing digital skills trainings.
• Facilitate young people’s transition to decent work in the digital economy, including through digital internship and career guidance schemes as well as strengthening online job search platforms.

The project thus takes a systemic approach focussing on labour demand, labour supply and labour mediation. Implementation will be based on evidence and research and will emphasise public-private partnerships, collaboration with national and sectoral stakeholders and development partners and involvement of young people.

Reporting Lines  

The Finance and Administrative Assistant (FAA) will work under the direct supervision of the Project Manager of the “Boosting Decent Jobs and Enhancing Skills for Youth in Rwanda’s Digital Economy” project. They will work under the general supervision and guidance of the Director of the ILO Country Office for the United Republic of Tanzania, Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda. The Country Office will provide programmatic and operational support to the project team. The team will receive technical support from relevant technical specialists of the ILO.

The incumbent will be working in a project team consisting of an International Project Manager, a National Project Officer and a Driver.

Description of Duties

The activities will involve administrative and financial aspects of the project. Specific duties to be performed include the following:

Administrative tasks

• Perform administrative work including interpretation, maintenance of official documents and files, manage project correspondence (drafting, sending, filing) and assist the Project Manager and National Project Coordinator in setting up an appropriate electronic filing system covering the entire project;
• Participate in the organization and preparation of meetings and make all important administrative arrangements for the organization of workshops and seminars and provide administrative and/or secretarial services for such meetings, seminars and/or workshops;
• Research and prepare administrative documents for the project team members for use during official missions, special meetings;
• Prepare the necessary documentation for service contracts, external collaboration contracts as well as contracts with suppliers of goods and services and any type of contract required by the project, assist in monitoring such contracts;
• Make travel arrangements, hotel reservations and prepare travel authorization and security clearance forms for project staff, settle travel claims for office staff or others as appropriate

Financial tasks

• Maintain financial records for the project and monitoring systems to record and reconcile expenditures, balances, payments, statements and other data for daily transactions and reports;
• Prepare cost estimates and budget forecasts as well as requests for commitments, payments and budget revisions in close collaboration with Programme and Finance Units in the ILO Country Office. Ensure timely discharge of financial responsibilities of the project’s contractual obligations to third parties based on ILO rules;
• Provide procedural and registration support to analyse, document, classify, record and process various financial transactions;
• Calculate and compile cost estimates and projected budget expenditures and collaborate in the preparation of project budget statements, verify project budget allocations;
• File and archive project financial documents and maintain project administrative and financial records, including for possible audits and verifications required;
• Draft all correspondence related to the administrative and financial management of the project in accordance with the regular procedures of the office, ensuring follow-up;
• Perform any other relevant duties as assigned by the Project Manager and National Project Coordinator.

Required qualifications

Education

Completion of secondary school education supplemented by a formal training in accounting and/or finance such as ACCA Level I and administrative field.

Experience

At least five years of progressively responsible financial and administrative work, and some training in an administrative field. Experience in donor funded projects and with the UN system or an International NGO and in addition experience of working with an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system is a strong advantage.

Languages

Excellent knowledge of English. Working knowledge of French is an asset.

Competencies

• Knowledge and understanding of a complex body of financial and administrative rules, guidelines and procedures.
• Knowledge of or willingness to learn in-house procedures for the preparation of documents and administrative forms, and for the creation and maintenance of filing systems.
• Knowledge of International Accounting standards such as International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS) or other international or national accounting standards.
• Good analytical skills. Ability to reason and make sound judgements.
• Ability to maintain financial records and prepare clerical accounting reports and statements.
• 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.
• 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.
• Ability to work in a multicultural environment and to demonstrate gender sensitive and non-discriminatory behaviours and attitudes.