Administrative and financial secretary

Briefly explain what you do for a living.

I am responsible for administrative and financial management tasks in the Orthodox Parish of Joensuu. My tasks include preparing agendas and minutes for meetings and acting as a meeting secretary. With regard to financial management, I take care of, for example, checking invoices, monitoring of finances and preparing the budget. I also manage HR tasks, such as drawing up employment contracts and monitoring working hours.

How have you ended up in the profession of your choice?

Mathematics was my strength in school, but I never thought I would work with numbers. I was interested in personnel and general administration, and also studied them.  I have worked as a restaurant manager, tax official and cashier before moving on to administrative duties. Although I have not actually looked for financial management jobs, I have often ended up in tasks that require financial management competence. When I have worked in tasks in which financial management has not been involved, I have missed it as part of my work. When I noticed that my current position in the Joensuu Orthodox Parish was open, I immediately knew that this was exactly the kind of versatile task I had been looking for.

Describe your typical working day or week.

My working days are mainly spent at the computer. My weekly duties include the preparation of documents and decisions, as well as the processing of payroll materials, in addition to which I manage archiving and case management tasks. My working days also include the preparation of meetings and the related documents.

What kind of work environment or working hours do you have?

I work mainly at the parish centre, and I also work remotely. I have flexible working hours, which provides flexibility in reconciling work and private life. I also work in the evenings, as the meetings of the parish institutions are usually held in the evenings.

What kind of competence or qualities are required in the profession?

This profession requires precision, organisational skills and the ability to manage several entities simultaneously. It is essential to know certain laws and regulations, to be able to apply them in practice. Interaction skills help in cooperation with different stakeholders. Flexibility and problem-solving skills are also important.

What is the best thing about your profession?

The best part of this profession is the versatility of work assignments.

What are the downsides of the profession or what seems challenging?

The work can be hectic from time to time. Flexibility and organisational skills help in busy situations. It is not always possible to plan and carry out tasks according to one's own schedule, as their progress is often linked to the activities of others.

What would you tell a person considering the profession of an administrative and financial secretary?

The administrative and financial secretary must continuously monitor what is happening in the organisation and search for and share information with others. If you like problem solving and are prepared to continuously develop your competence, this work could be suitable for you.

How do you see the future of your profession?

With technological development, automation and new systems can facilitate and streamline the performance of many tasks. Despite this, human attention, decision-making skills and interaction skills will continue to be needed.