Programme Assistant - G5 (DC)

The DWT/CO-POS provides advisory services, capacity building and technical assistance to ILO’s constituents (government, employers’ and workers’ organizations) to fourteen (14) member States and nine (9) territories (Antigua and Barbuda, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago; along with Anguilla, Aruba, the British Virgin Islands, Bermuda, Cayman Islands, Curacao, Montserrat, Saint Maarten and Turks and Caicos).

The Peacebuilding Fund Project in Haiti seeks to support conflict-sensitive programming that enhances community resilience, strengthens dialogue mechanisms and reduces drivers of instability. It contributes to laying the foundations for long-term peace and more effective governance. The PROFIT Project in Haiti seeks to enhance income generation by improving market linkages, upgrading local value chains and equipping communities with the skills and resources needed to participate more effectively in economic activities. The Project Business Support Centre for Sustainable Livelihoods, which is funded by the Ministry of Finance, aims to establish an Enterprise Support Centre in Northern Haiti (Cap‑Haïtien) to promote sustainable enterprise development, decent job creation, local economic growth and peace and stability.

The position of  Programme Assistant will provide support for the PROFIT, Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) and the Business Support Centre for Sustainable Livelihoods (MEF) Projects implemented in Haiti. The position will be based at the ILO Decent Work Team and Office for the Caribbean in Port of Spain (DWT/CO-POS), Trinidad and Tobago.The Programme Assistant provides administrative support to the project activities, ensuring that the projects progress in a timely manner and remain within approved budgets. The Programme Assistant is responsible for performing and following up on programme and administrative support services in an efficient, effective and client-oriented manner. 

The Programme Assistant works under the supervision of the Senior Programme Officer in Port of Spain. Supervision received is focused on facilitating service delivery, ensuring that agreed results are achieved and that work is coordinated and integrated with related services within processing timelines. The incumbent works with a moderate degree of independence. Work is reviewed for correctness in the application of rules, regulations, policies, procedures and guidelines. Work involving the handling of complex and intricate finance-related matters including those affecting other related activities of the work unit is also reviewed.  

The support to be provided, will be focused on the three projects mentioned at the beginning of this job description:

• Follow-up on programme and project-related matters, including the timely submission of terms of reference (TOR) for external collaborators, coordination of project activities and tracking of implementation in line with approved work plans and timelines.
• Perform programme support for project implementation, including coordinating programme documentation for external collaborators, ensuring the appropriateness of engagement modalities and maintaining complete and accurate supporting documentation for project activities.
• Prepare and track programme and project related transactions in IRIS, including contracts, travel authorizations and procurement requests required to support project implementation.
• Provide administrative and programme backstopping to project staff and collaborators, liaising with the relevant units as needed to ensure project activities are implemented in line with applicable rules, procedures and approved work plans.
• Assist with the programming and preparation of budget estimates and expenditure forecasts by analyzing and monitoring the situation of resources as compared to planned activities.

• Completion of secondary school education.

• Minimum of five years of office support work experience, including in programme and budget support work and project administration. Experience of working with an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system. 

Will be considered as an asset:

• Proven experience of supporting implementation of technical cooperation projects and working effectively with government bodies in charge of policy making and with development partners.
• Similar experience with the United Nations Common System or an international organization.

• Excellent knowledge of English.
• Working knowledge of French or Spanish will be considered as an asset.

ILO Core Competencies:

Candidates applying for the position should note that the nine core competencies of the ILO, listed below, may be assessed during the selection process: (i) Integrity and transparency, (ii) Sensitivity to diversity, (iii) Focus on learning and knowledge sharing, (iv) Customer focus, v) Communication, vi) Change orientation, vii) Accountability for performance, viii) Quality orientation and ix) Collaboration.  

Other competencies:

• Knowledge of programme and budget, project administration and evaluation concepts and procedures.
• Thorough knowledge of practices and procedures for the preparation of project programme related  documents and maintaining filing systems.
• Strong analytical skills including the ability to justify requirements, resolve problems and produce clear written outputs.
• Proficiency in standard office software and systems including Microsoft Office applications and database tools.
• Knowledge and understanding of a complex body of financial and administrative rules, guidelines and procedures.
• Knowledge of the operational context and challenges related to the areas of expertise for the projects.
• Ability to interpret project information as well as to identify and analyze implementation issues
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Proven capacity to work collaboratively in a team environment and manage a high workload under pressure.
• Experience and ability to work effectively with a multicultural and multidisciplinary team, as well as to work on own initiative.
• High standards of integrity and ethical conduct.
• Ability to work under pressure, manage competing priorities and meet deadlines with accuracy.
• Client-oriented approach with the ability to provide courteous, prompt and efficient service.
• Ability to work effectively in a multicultural environment, demonstrating gender-sensitive and non-discriminatory behaviour and attitudes.