Programme and Administrative Assistant

Introduction

The International Labour Organization (ILO) Country Office for the Philippines will implement a new Project on “Enhancing Tripartite Roles to Uphold Just Transitions in sectors undergoing Green Transformations:  Renewable Energy, Transport & Construction” or ENTRUST Initiative. The Project will run from 2024 to 2025, with funding from the Regular Budget Supplementary Account (RBSA) of the ILO.

The expected results include the statistical classifications to generate official green jobs data and aligned government policies with information systems & plans on skills development, labour supply and demand, sectoral Green Jobs Human Resource Development and Just Transition Plans for the three priority sectors, social dialogue mechanisms affirmed by tripartite partners and stakeholders, and the resulting agreements on facilitating Just Transition at the national and  enterprise level, and innovative Just Transition measures (Green TVET, green incentives, sustainable finance) used as transformative solutions to policy and operational challenges to circularity and greening the economy. 

The RBSA-funded intervention aims to increase the capacities of the Philippine tripartite partners (government, workers’ and  employers’ organization) in implementing strategic aspects of Just Transitions in circular and green economy sectors undergoing green transformations and considered as key employment generators – the renewable energy, transport and construction sectors. 

The main implementing partners is the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), with the workers’ and employers’ organizations, Technical Education and Skills Development Agency (TESDA), Philippine Statistics Agency (PSA) and other key government agencies and organizations with relevant mandates to these sectors and areas of work.

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The Project will run parallel to the Just Transition Fund (JTF) component of the ILO-EU Trade for Decent Work (Trade4DW) project and the two (2) joint UN programme (JP) under the “Global Accelerator on Jobs and Social Protection for Just Transitions” (GA) to be funded by the following windows of the Joint SDG Fund: 

• Seed funding for developing Global Accelerator roadmaps; and 
• Multistakeholder Engagement to implement the Global Accelerator on Jobs and Social Protection for Just Transitions and the World Bank Social Protection and Jobs Compass (M-GA)

In particular, the JTF will cover capacity building activities on just transition finance for key strategic partners in the financial ecosystem in the Philippines while the JPs on GA will cover policy support and analysis covering similar sectors under the RBSA project, namely transport and construction.

Within the policy and procedural requirements established by the ILO, 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 under the purview of ILO.

Reporting lines

The Programme and Administrative Assistant (PAA) 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 National Project Coordinator to matters requiring immediate attention.

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• 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.
• 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.

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• 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.

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• Support the National Project Coordinator in preparing budget revision requests, when needed.
• 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/ILO 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.

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• Proficient with Microsoft Office and statistical software packages.
• 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.