ThaiNGO

ISSARA INSTITUTE

Job Description  |  Regional Finance and Administration Officer

Job Title:                     Regional Finance and Administration Officer

Duration:                     1 year, with possibility of extension

Responsible to:             Regional Finance and Administration Manager

Duty Station:               Bangkok, Thailand

OVERVIEW

The Regional Finance and Administration Officer will play a critical role in ensuring that the work of the Institute is streamlined, cost-effective, efficient, and in adherence to donor and partner policies, procedures, and regulations.  The ideal candidate will have Quickbooks and accounting experience, be detailed oriented and able to work within our multi-national team.

BACKGROUND

The Issara Institute is an independent non-profit organization based in Thailand, Myanmar, and the United States tackling issues of human trafficking and forced labour in global supply chains through data, technology, partnership, and innovation.  The Institute was established in 2014 by a team of anti-trafficking experts coming out of the United Nations who created an alliance of private sector, civil society, and government partners committed to addressing labour issues in global supply chains with practical, measurable, and scalable results.  It is staffed by leading regional and international experts in labour rights, business consulting, and ethical sourcing, with additional technical advisors in the US and UK supporting the Institute’s work on an ongoing basis.

Issara Institute programming is run by four inter-linked teams:

1. Outreach and Empowerment – The O&E Team is comprised of professionals who are the nationality of the workers in the country of operations.  Together the team has expertise in counseling, case management, hotline management, and digital communications, and are the key team linking Issara operations to the populations we aim to empower - jobseekers and workers.

2. Business and Human Rights - The BHR Team is comprised of locally-based, locally-informed professionals in the country of operations.  The BHR Team’s main objective is to provide ongoing support and technical assistance to suppliers, recruiters, and industries to improve ethical labour recruitment and management practices, taking guidance from worker feedback and other empirically-based means of risk assessment.

3. Strategy and Global Partnerships - This team cultivates the connection and engagement between global brands, retailers, and importers, and the situation on the ground in their supply chains and more broadly.  Transformations in how responsible sourcing is done globally are not possible without global buyers understanding and incentivizing more ethical labour recruitment and management systems within their supplier base.

4. Technology and Innovation includes research, technology, and worker voice tools and channels (the Issara multi-lingual hotline, Golden Dreams Android smartphone app, and social media) to better understand labour conditions in supply chains.  People – including worker voice and feedback – are at the center of Issara’s data and intelligence work, and we conduct a wide range of research, analytics, and technology development related to human trafficking and global supply chains – the people, the policies, the impact, and how to eliminate it.

SCOPE OF WORK

Specific aspects of the scope of work of the Officer include:

1. Support to accounting and finance systems

• • Provide accounting and finance support to Issara’s Bangkok and Yangon offices, including the tracking of monthly expenses and reconciliation. 
  • Help develop forms and procedures, and train and monitor staff usage of required finance and administration procedures and forms.
  • Ensure clear documentation and approval processes for all Issara expenses. 
  • Support monthly expense clearing for staff, and monthly reconciliation of expenses for Bangkok and Yangon offices, including clear tracking of payments and entry into Quickbooks.
  • Lead the monthly Budget and Activity Tracking approval process, ensuring adherence to Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for monthly budget planning and approval of activities and travel.
  • Support Issara budgeting, including for ongoing activities and budget vs. actuals, as well as budgeting for program development. 
  • Support the Regional Finance and Administration Manager in documentation and work with Thai auditors.

2. Support office and program administration

• • Procurement: Assist with vendor selection and vendor relationships, ensuring good value for money.  Contact with vendors to provide good service for Issara and other support as needed to the team.
  • Human resources: Assist with the work permit and visa application processes and documents for international staff as necessary.
  • Liaise with Yangon office staff to ensure consistent policies and compliance across all offices, including for subgrant reporting.
  • Provide other support as needed to field teams, including support in the field.

REQUIRED SKILLS & EXPERTISE

We have a lean, dynamic, seasoned team that is committed to change, innovation, and impact.  We are conscientious, we hold a high standard of care for our beneficiaries, and understand that we have to be able to work effectively with partners spanning the largest multinational corporations to the smallest grassroots CBOs.  Our work ecosystem is multicultural, respectful, and energetic, whether we are working on tasks in teams, or working alone.  We aim to ensure that there are many opportunities for sharing, learning, and growth on our team, and are looking for individuals who would flourish in our unique environment.  The Project Assistant should have:

• Bachelor degree in a relevant discipline such as accounting, finance and public administration required. 

• Minimum 5 years’ experience working related to accounting and finance with background in administration preferred experience working with international NGO.  Knowledge of Quickbooks software and standard accounting procedures required; knowledge of budgeting preferred.

• Personal interest and sensitivity in working with local communities and ability to work in a fast-paced, multicultural environment.

• Familiarity with Microsoft Office applications.

• Fluency in English required, with excellent written and verbal communication skills.

If you are interested in applying for this position, please send a CV, the names and contact details of three references, and a cover letter explaining your interest in the position and relevant expertise to admin@issarainstitute.org.

Closing Date               :      19 April 2026 (11:59 PM, Bangkok Time)