Job Opportunity at International Labour Organization

Introduction

The Finance and Administrative Assistant will be responsible for providing support to the “Strengthening capacity to promote gender-responsive investments in the provision of decent care services in Thailand Project (in short – The ILO Thailand Care Economy Project)”

Women in Thailand perform over 3X as much unpaid care work as men. In particular, women are drawn out of the labour force for family responsibilities, caring for children and aging family members, what is even more impactful in a fast-ageing society.  Further, COVID-19 has hit women harder – and has increased unpaid care burdens due to lockdowns, home schooling, etc. With a lack of publicly funded, accessible, affordable and skilled care options, most families adopt one of two strategies: redistributing care burdens to other women or if they can afford it, hiring domestic workers in informal working conditions, without adequate skills, social status, pay or social protection.   Care infrastructure investments are required to provide collective, accessible, professional and sustainable solutions to support families to manage unpaid care duties alongside work. Further, promoting a comprehensive approach to care economy in Thailand proposes a ‘build back better’ solution, and potentially generates new jobs. This work builds on ongoing efforts to expand social security coverage to informal care workers and by improving skills and working conditions of marginalised groups of workers in particular sectors.

This Project aims to provide ILO Constituents with an integrated approach to investments in the care economy (childcare and long-term care), addressing both the supply and demand sides and identifying and addressing gaps in policies, investments, service provision, skills and decent work. The Project’s three-pronged approach identifies service gaps and required investments in childcare and long-term care services, including opportunities for employment creation potential, while advancing policy dialogue and action in this key area; promotes enhanced social protection for vulnerable care workers (mainly informal domestic workers in the care economy) and; contributes to upskilling and recognising skills competencies required for professional childcare and long-term care jobs thus further valuing care work and improving domestic workers’ conditions. The strategy will demonstrate to tripartite constituents and other key stakeholders, the viability, benefits and knock-on effects of care investments on the economy, society, gender equality, job creation, working conditions and women’s labour force participation, through social dialogue. This policy dialogue will increase the likelihood that care service provision and investments will be prioritised and increased. The Project will end in January 2023.

Reporting lines
The Finance and Administrative Assistant will work under an overall supervision of the Senior Specialist on Gender, Equality and Non-discrimination, and a direct supervision of the National Project Coordinator.

Description of Duties

1.    Maintain project financial records and monitoring systems to record and reconcile expenditures, balances, payments, statements and other data for daily transactions and reports.
2.    Contact and negotiate with suppliers / service providers, prepare necessary documents and follow the office’s process in line with the ILO’s financial rules and regulations.  Process contracts for financial clearance and payment. Ensure the correctness and appropriateness of types of contracts used with each activity, ensure all necessary supporting documents are attached, and ensure all payments are made correctly and in a timely manner.
3.    Prepare correspondence on own initiative to verify data, address and answer queries and follow-up as necessary with ILO staff, consultants and counterparts. Draw the attention of the supervisors to matters requiring immediate attention.
4.    Review and request additional information on the financial reports of project implementing partners, ensuring compliance with ILO rules in close collaboration with the National Project Coordinator, before submitting to the Finance Unit.
5.    Classify and assign budget codes, verify and process claims for payment, and check payment vouchers, prices and claims invoices.
6.    Consult with Finance Unit and project team in Bangkok on rules, regulations and procedures, and inform project staff, partners, consultants, interns of new or revised procedures and practices.
7.    Provide administrative and financial backstopping and guidance for project staff and consultants, with respect to payments, entitlements, travel claims, and other requirements relating to accounts and finance.
8.    Prepare recurring reports as scheduled and special reports as required for donor reporting, for budget preparation, audits or other reasons.
9.    Calculate and compile cost estimates, and participate in budget analysis and projections as required by the supervisors.
10.  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.
11.  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, workshops and meetings.
12.  Perform other duties as assigned by both supervisors.

Required qualifications

Previous experiences with ILO’s administrative and financial rules and regulations and familiarity with IRIS operation system would be desirable.

Education

Completion of secondary school education with formal training in accounting and/or finance and administrative field.

Experience

Five years of progressively responsible financial and administrative work, especially the experiences to perform and achieve the tasks with short deadline.

Languages

Excellent command of English and Thai.

Competencies

Knowledge and understanding of a 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 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. Organizational skills.
Ability to clarify information.
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.