Project-Program Administrative Assistant

Introduction

The new Project on “Strengthening freedom of association and action against child labour in the Philippines” aims to strengthen the promotion and enforcement of labour laws compliance with international labour standards, with focus on the fundamental principles and rights at work, especially as they are applied in trade sectors.  The Project will run from 2024 to 2029, with funding from the Government of Canada, particularly the Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC). 

The initiatives concentrate on two domains: Freedom of Association and Child Labour. The emphasis on Freedom of Association and labour relations arises from the recommendations of the 2023 High-Level Tripartite Mission to the Philippines and initiatives under the project will help realize the FOA Roadmap. The Project will also support the Philippine Programme Against Child Labor in helping the country recover from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic which reversed the progress in reducing child labour.   The Project will address gender-related issues/gaps surrounding freedom of association and labour rights drawing from the priorities under the women workers’ agenda as well as gender-related vulnerabilities of children in child labour.

The Project will provide technical assistance aligned with ILO conventions on FOA and child labour, support institutional capacity-building on addressing FOA and child labour, and facilitate social dialogue and sharing of learnings or good practices among ILO’s tripartite and bipartite social partners to promote fair labour practices and labour rights and core labour standards including collective bargaining, discrimination, and occupational safety and health, especially on trade sectors. 

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The Project will run parallel to the ILO’s regional project on Trade, Labour, and FPRW in Southeast Asia which is also proposed to be funded by ESDC. In particular, the Philippine project will complement the regional project in the capacity building initiatives to improve compliance of ASEAN Member States (AMS) with fundamental principles and rights at work; development of tripartite FPRW roadmap; and assessment of labour compliance gaps in trade sectors.  The Philippine project will facilitate the participation of Philippine workers’ and employers’ organizations in the regional peer to peer learning and training initiatives.  It will also be aligned to the regional communication and advocacy strategies on labour rights as well as on child labour.  Similar to the regional project, the Philippine project aligns with Canada's Indo-Pacific strategy, to improve the enforcement of labour provisions, including on forced labour, in current and future free trade agreements between Southeast Asia and Canada.

Within the policy and procedural requirements established by the ILO and the Project on “Strengthening freedom of association and action against child labour in the Philippines”, the Programme and Administrative Assistant will help ensure the Project objectives are met by providing programmatic and administrative support and contributing to delivering the expected outputs.

Reporting Lines

The Programme and Administrative Assistant will be based in Manila, Philippines.

The Programme and Administrative Assistant will report to and work under the supervision of the National Project Coordinator of the Project. S/he will receive overall guidance from the Country Director of ILO in the Philippines. Administrative and financial guidance will be provided by the Senior Operations Officer and programme-related guidance will be received from the Senior Programme Officer.

S/he is required to work in close collaboration with other ILO staff members, as required.

Description of Duties

The Programme and Administrative Assistant will be responsible for a range of specialized Programme and Administrative support services in an efficient, effective and client-oriented manner. The incumbent performs at a fully operational level and resolves a variety of recurring and non-recurring operational issues, requiring the correct application of financial rules and regulations, policies, procedures and guidelines.

• Maintain project financial records and monitoring systems to record and reconcile expenditures, balances, payments, statements and other data for daily transactions and reports.
• Process contracts for financial clearance and payment. Ensure the correctness and appropriateness of types of contracts used with each activity, and ensure all necessary supporting documents are attached.
• Prepare correspondence on own initiative to verify data, address and answer queries and follow-up as necessary with ILO staff, consultants, implementing partners and counterparts. Draw the attention of the Project Manager/National Project Coordinator to matters requiring immediate attention.
• Review and request additional information on the financial reports of project implementing partners, ensuring compliance with ILO rules, before submitting to the Finance Unit.
• Classify and assign budget codes, verify and process claims for payment, and check payment vouchers, prices and claims invoices.

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• Consult with Finance Unit, Programme and project team on rules, regulations and procedures, and inform project staff, partners, consultants, interns of new or revised procedures and practices.
• Provide project-related information as inputs to CO-Manila’s country programme implementation plan and report and other required external reports (UN, developments partners), in coordination with the National Project Coordinator.
• Provide administrative and financial backstopping and guidance for project staff, implementing partners and consultants, with respect to payments, entitlements, travel claims, and other requirements relating to accounts and finance.
• Prepare recurring reports as scheduled and special reports as required for donor reporting, for budget preparation, audits or other reasons.
• Calculate and compile cost estimates and participate in budget analysis and projections as required by the supervisors.
• Support the National Project Coordinator in preparing budget revision requests, when needed.

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• Draft correspondence, faxes, memoranda and reports on administrative matters from oral instructions, previous correspondence or other available information sources in accordance with standard office procedures.
• Prepare draft presentations for project briefings, progress reporting and other related purposes.
• 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, trainings, workshops, meetings and webinars.
• Perform other relevant duties as assigned by the National Project Coordinator and/or the Director of CO-Manila.

Required qualifications

Education

Completion of secondary school education with formal training in accounting and/or Programme and Administrative field.

Experience

Five years of progressively responsible financial and administrative work, and some training in an administrative field. Familiarity with UN administrative and financial procedures constitutes an advantage.

Languages

Excellent command of English.

Competencies

• Knowledge and understanding of complex body of financial and administrative rules, guidelines and procedures.
• Knowledge of in-house procedures for the preparation of documents and administrative forms, and for the creation and maintenance of filing systems.
• Good analytical skills. Ability to reason and make sound judgements.
• Ability to maintain financial records and prepare clerical accounting reports and statements. Must demonstrate responsible behaviour and attention to detail.
• Ability to deal with confidential matters with discretion. Must display high standards of ethical conduct.
• Proficient with Microsoft Office and statistical software packages.

optional section (if needed)

• High standards of integrity, professionalism, personal discipline and impartiality.
• Excellent organizational skills.
• Ability to work on own initiative as well as a member of a team.
• Ability to work under political and time pressure, and meet deadlines.
• Ability to deal with people with tact and diplomacy.
• Ability to work in a multicultural environment and to demonstrate gender-sensitive and non-discriminatory behaviour and attitudes.