Role information                                                                                                   

Role type

Pay band

Duration

Business Delivery

Grade 4 / H

Indefinite 

Role purpose

The post holder is responsible for the provision of efficient and effective administrative support. The Office Administrator will be responsible for assisting the Office Administration Manager with the timely and accurate recording of the accounting transactions and adjustments making sure that all corporate and audit standards are achieved. They will support with facilities and resource management as required by the country office to ensure an efficient, secure and appropriately controlled operating environment and delivered to British Council corporate standard.

This requires a well organised, adaptable, self-starter, with great attention to detail and good communication skills.

Role context

British Council is the UK’s international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities. We create friendly knowledge and understanding between the people of the UK and other countries. We do this by making a positive contribution to the UK and the countries we work with – changing lives by creating opportunities, building connections and engendering trust.

We work with over 100 countries across the world in the fields of arts and culture, English language, education and civil society. Each year we reach over 20 million people face-to-face and more than 500 million people online, via broadcasts and publications. Founded in 1934, we are a UK charity governed by Royal Charter and a UK public body.

Rwanda (see country plan and visitor notes for more)

Vision Statement – By 2024, our work in English & Exams, Education & Society will create opportunities for Rwandans, link them to the UK and position us as a partner of choice for educational and cultural interventions. This will lead to stronger bonds, built on a foundation of mutual trust and respect, between the people in Rwanda, the East African Community and the UK.

• The UK is keen to see a safe, secure, democratic Rwanda, acting as a regional force for stability in the Great Lakes and East African region, contributing to regional economic growth and development.

• In achieving its economic growth ambitions, Rwanda will develop as a trade and investment partner for the UK, which in turn supports Rwanda’s goal of increasing foreign direct investment.

British Council has a firm presence in Rwanda’s Education Sector, with strong and established relationships with the Ministry of Education, Rwanda Education Board, as well as key education development and implementing partners. We have demonstrated, in Rwanda, regionally and through UK links, expertise and professionalism in the fields of English language teaching, training & assessment, in English Medium Education, Language Policy, Curriculum Reform, Global Education and School Leadership. We are therefore well placed to offer quality support to equip policy makers, school leaders, teachers and learners, and professionals to achieve improved learning outcomes, thereby equipping the current and future workforce with relevant skills for economic development.

Context

In 1994 Rwanda was a country devastated by a brutal genocide. Fast forward 29 years and today it is one of the fastest growing economies in Sub-Saharan Africa with a vision to achieve middle income status by 2023. To support this vision, the Government of Rwanda announced its decision to shift to English medium education in 2008 and joined the Commonwealth of Nations in 2009.

The British Council has operated in Rwanda since 2008 becoming a full country directorate in 2012 with the aim of building cultural and educational relations between Rwanda and the UK. British Council Rwanda is based in its Kigali office and offers a range of British Council services and programmes including Exams, Education, English in Education Systems and

Arts.

Main accountabilities

Main duties and responsibilities will be in line with our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, Child Protection and other overarching corporate policies and will be to provide assistance and support to the Office Administration Manager in the following areas:

Financial accounting support:

• Liaising with the respective stakeholders in the business, the Accountant and Shared Services in providing necessary documentation.

 Invoices scanned and sent to the HUB daily to ensure vendors are paid on time

• File management of key documents including contracts, invoices, delivery notes etc • Maintenance and reconciliation of petty cash.

• Provide support as required during the month-end processes; (Pre-closing, Reviewing, Closing and Reporting).

• Assist Accountant with preparation of monthly/yearly returns to local authorities; includes filling and following up tax refunds from authorities i.e. VAT.

• Support the Senior Accountant in processing staff vendor’s reconciliations, staff debtor management; e.g. reconciliation of mobile bills.

•  Assist in monitoring the existing data on vendor line item display on SAP in order to ensure that planned remittances can be processed.

Facilities and Resources Management 

• Premises and asset management;

• IGRM (Information Governance Records Management) and assisting with the implementation of regional plans for the country office

• Updating the ERMF to manage risk for the Rwanda office.

• The provision of professional, cost-effective and quality contracted services for premises, maintenance and security, providing a comfortable, healthy and safe working environment for all staff.

• Assisting with the implementation of the Business Continuity Plan.

•  Health and Safety – Ensuring that procedures are in place and communicated to staff

Any other duties 

• That may reasonably be requested by your line manager, for example: ad hoc requests from the cluster, or region, assisting with preparing for NAO and Internal Audit visits, external auditors’ requests, any special change projects or initiatives to change procedures, etc.

• Support, as required, any administrative tasks regarding management of facilities and disposal of resources as/when appropriate

Condition of employment 

Proof of Identity requirements/right to work in country

Candidates are expected to have researched whether they have the right to live and work in the country in which the role is based. Given that our offices have different legal status depending on the work we do in those countries, we recommend that you contact HR in country for additional information on the likelihood of securing a visa. Only at its discretion will the British Council provide support so please check first whether visa support is offered.

Shortlisting

Language Requirements 

Assessment stage

Good written and spoken English and Kinyarwanda (Aptis – B1)

Shortlisting

Additional job requirements  

Occasional unsocial hours, weekend work, flexible working, availability to travel when required, possible travel for training/work

Person specification

Qualifications

Minimum/essential

Desirable

Assessment stage

•  First Degree

•  Part qualified chartered accountant

(ACCA/CPA/CIMA or equivalent)

Shortlisting

Role specific knowledge and experience

Minimum/essential

Desirable

Assessment stage

•  Basic accounting knowledge

• At least 2 years working experience in Finance and Resources

•  Knowledge of local payroll regulations and processes

•  At least 1 years’ experience in a SAP operated accounts department

Shortlisting

AND/OR interview

Role specific skills

Assessment stage

• Good working knowledge of Microsoft packages

Shortlisting AND /OR interview

British Council core skills

Assessment stage

Planning and Organising (level 2) 

Plans ahead

Able to organize own work over weeks and months, or to plan ahead for others, taking account of priorities and the impact on

Shortlisting AND /OR interview

other people.

Managing Finance and Resources (level 2) 

Uses financial systems and processes

Uses corporate financial systems and processes appropriately as part of the job and on behalf of the team

Managing Risk – (level 1)

Follows good practices

Demonstrates understanding of risk management policies and procedures and record of following them

Analysing Data and Problems (level 1) 

Is systematic

Breaks down problems into a list of tasks to be done and decides on appropriate action

Using Technology (level 2)

Operates as an advanced user

Works as an advanced practitioner in the use of office software and/or British Council standard platforms and trains and coaches others in their use

British Council values and behaviours  

Assessment stage

British council values and behaviours are applicable across our organisation, in all roles and at all levels. They are important because they say what we stand for at the British Council and help us to deliver our strategy. We use them to guide our decision making, as well as guiding how we treat one another and the people we work with. These will be assessed in the selection process. Our values are:

Open and Committed; Expert and Inclusive; Optimistic and Bold.

The behaviours for each values pair can be found on our Intranet SharePoint site for internal staff and at our Careers portal for external applicants.