Introduction

he project on “Eliminating Workplace Discrimination, Harassment, and Child Labour in Lao PDR to support trade and compliance” 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. Funded by the Government of Canada’s Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC), this 36-months project will run from 2025 to 2028.

As Lao PDR prepares to graduate from LDC status in 2026, it will increasingly engage in Free Trade Agreements (FTAs), which emphasize compliance with international labour standards as a condition for preferential trade access. Compliance with fundamental principles and rights at work (FPRW) are key component of many trade agreements, for attracting foreign direct investment (FDI), and for accessing preferential opportunities into larger markets. Failure to address FPRW issues not only undermines workers’ rights but could hinder Lao People’s Democratic Republic’s ability to benefit from FTAs and attract responsible trade and investment. Laos’ ability to leverage trade as a tool for inclusive and sustainable economic growth is therefore tied to its ability to ensure respect for FPRW.

Challenges with FPRW persist in Lao PDR despite efforts to establish regulatory frameworks and enforcement mechanisms. Contributing factors include difficult transitions to decent work for children over the minimum working age, insufficient awareness among employers, workers and communities, and weak capacity of labour law enforcement in informal economy sectors and rural areas.

The project aims to address these issues, focusing on trade sectors, through strengthened social dialogue and building the capacity of tripartite constituents. The ILO will work with its tripartite constituents while introducing two tracks of interventions to:

1. Uphold protections against non-discrimination and workplace harassment: This includes technical assistance to strengthen social dialogue and labour relations (mechanisms and practices) to address violence and harassment at work, labour law amendments, advocacy, and targeted training.
2. Combat child labour: This support is to enhance engagement of tripartite constituents and stakeholders in implementing the National Plan of Action on Child Labour in trade sectors, including NPA validation, awareness campaigns, sector-specific enforcement guidelines, and strengthened monitoring systems.

Within the policy and procedural requirements established by the ILO and the Project on “Eliminating Workplace Discrimination, Harassment, and Child Labour in Lao PDR to support trade and compliance”, 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 Vientiane, Lao People’s Democratic Republic. 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 the overall guidance from the Director of the ILO Decent Work Technical Support Team for East and South-East Asia and the Pacific and ILO Country Office for Thailand, Cambodia and Lao PDR (DWT/CO-Bangkok). Administrative and financial guidance will be provided by the Senior Operations Officer and programme-related guidance will be received from CO – Bangkok. S/he is required to work in close collaboration with other ILO staff members.

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.

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. 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.
3. Prepare correspondence (in English and Lao language) 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.
4. Review and request additional information on the financial reports of project implementing partners, ensuring compliance with ILO rules, 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, Programme and project team on rules, regulations and procedures, and inform project staff, partners, consultants, interns of new or revised procedures and practices.
7. Provide project-related information as inputs to CO – Bangkok’s country programme implementation plan and report and other required external reports (UN, developments partners), in coordination with the National Project Coordinator.
8. 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.
9. Prepare recurring reports as scheduled and special reports as required for donor reporting, for budget preparation, audits or other reasons.
10. Calculate and compile cost estimates and participate in budget analysis and projections as required by the supervisors.
11. Support the National Project Coordinator in preparing budget revision requests, when needed.
12. 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.
13. Prepare draft presentations for project briefings, progress reporting and other related purposes.
14. 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.
15. Perform other relevant duties as assigned.

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.
• 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.