Introduction

The International Labour Organization (ILO) joined hands with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the International Trade Centre (ITC) to form a programme titled, “Inclusive, Competitive and Responsible Digital Philippines (Digital-PINAS).” The three-year joint UN programme (hereinafter JP), to be funded by the Digital Transformation Window of the Joint SDG Fund, aims to enhance digital skills of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), promote meaningful digital adoption, and create an enabling and gender-responsive policy and regulatory environment, thereby facilitating a holistic and sustainable digital transition in the Philippines. The JP adopts a three-pillar strategy— Digital Empowerment of MSMEs, Inclusive Connectivity and E-services, and Facilitative Environment —ensuring a comprehensive and integrated approach to digital empowerment.

With regard to the ILO assistance under JP, the programme will build on the experience of supporting the digitalization of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) under the preceding ILO project, “Bringing Back Jobs Safely under the COVID 19 Crisis in the Philippines: Rebooting Small and Informal Businesses Safely and Digitally (BBJS)” as well as other relevant projects and activities on skills and entrepreneurship (Skills for Prosperity; Women in STEM; Rebuilding Better), digital wage payment (Global Centre on Digital Wages for Decent Work), and social protection and the informal economy (Rise from Multiple Crises through the Integrated Formalization of Informal Economy with Social Protection and Decent Work in the Philippines; Support to the Social Protection Floor; Study on Shock-Response Social Protection under the Global Crisis on Food and Energy; Rollout of ILO R204 to the Regional Development Councils) among others.

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ILO’s role under the JP will include: i) demonstrating capacity building at scale through the training-of-trainer (ToT) for the local capacity building partners, ii) supporting specific elements of the e-government services/educational resources/business support tools to MSMEs and entrepreneurs, and iii) supporting the policy dialogue based on the systemic assessment. Some of the important details of each will be as follows:

Under i):

• Massive ToT and coaching on AI-aided digital entrepreneurship (building on the SIYB training programme which incorporated digital apps and AI use cases under BBJS)
• ToT and coaching on digitally- and AI-empowered productivity training for MSMEs (building on the SCORE training programme first introduced to the Philippines under BBJS).
• ToT and coaching on digital financial literacy (building on the Global Financial Education programme that included digital financial services basics under BBJS).

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• Replication of ToT and awareness-raising on digital wage payment (in collaboration with the Global Centre on Digital Wages for Decent Work project).
• Training and coaching on ICT hard skills and soft skills in collaboration with the Digitaljobs.PH program of Department of ICT (DICT) (building on the collaboration through Women in STEM).

Under ii):

• Support the introduction of the digitalized Labour Market Information System (LMIS) and digitalized career counselling services by the select local governments.
• Demonstrate digital access to social security as part of the e-government services in remote areas (in collaboration with Rise from Multiple Crises through the Integrated Formalization of Informal Economy with Social Protection and Decent Work in the Philippines).
• Support operationalization of the AR/MR-aided TVET training and certification at a TESDA Innovation Center.

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Under iii):

• Update the MSME digitalization ecosystem analysis (building on the preliminary mapping study under BBJS).
• Promote policy dialogue on the topics covered by the ILO under the JP.

Within the policy and procedural requirements established by the ILO and the SDG Fund Secretariat, the Programme and Administrative Assistant will help ensure the JP objectives are met by providing programmatic and administrative support and contributing to delivering the expected outputs under the purview of ILO. Note that there will be an overall project management unit under the purview of UNDP, and that the ILO’s Programme and Administrative Assistant will be responsible for the ILO activities while closely coordinating with the project management unit and the concerned officials of the three participating UN organizations (PUNOs).

Reporting lines

The Programme and Administrative Assistant will be based in Manila, Philippines. Duty station may change depending on the regional priorities to be agreed with other UN partners.

The Programme and Administrative Assistant will report to and work under the supervision of the MSME Digitalization Coordinator who leads the management of the ILO part of the JP. 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, as well as the JP project management unit, concerned officials of PUNOs. The Programme and Administrative Assistant will also coordinate with the Resident Coordinator’s Office (RCO) and DICT, both of which are the Co-Chairs of JP Steering Committee, 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 MSME Digitalization 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.

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• 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 MSME Digitalization 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.

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• Calculate and compile cost estimates, and participate in budget analysis and projections as required by the supervisors.
• Support the MSME Digitalization 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 MSME Digitalization 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.