ThaiNGO

ADMINISTRATION & FINANCE OFFICER

Pai Seedlings Foundation — Pai, Mae Hong Son 

Full-time, on-site in Pai | THB 30,000–40,000 per month | 3-month probation | Apply NOW 

About us

Pai Seedlings Foundation is a registered Thai foundation working with Karen smallholder farming communities in the mountains of Mae Hong Son. We run an education and ecotourism farm and three connected programs — regenerative agriculture, education, and ecotourism — supporting farming families to build sustainable livelihoods on their own land.

We are small, and deliberately so. Around ten people. Decisions get made quickly, work is visible, and nothing disappears into a bureaucracy. Our field teams work directly with farmers; our office exists to make that work possible and to keep the Foundation properly and transparently run.

We are also an organisation that puts people first — the farmers, the team, each other. That is not in tension with what this role does. It is why this role exists. Clean books and filings that land on time are not bureaucratic virtue; they are how a farming family in Muang Noi can trust that the Foundation will still be standing next year, and how ten colleagues can do their work without wondering whether the ground under them is sound. Rigour, here, is a form of care. 

Why This Position Matters

Pai Seedlings Foundation is growing fast—supporting farmers, running educational programs, and building new community partnerships. To succeed, our Directors and team need someone who can hold the legal, financial and administrative backbone of the organization.

This role matters because it ensures: 

• Our two foreign Directors can focus on vision and strategy while staying well-connected with local partners.
• Our Foundation stays legally compliant and respected by government agencies.
• Our projects run smoothly, with clear organization and timely coordination across languages and cultures.

In short: this position is the glue that holds the team together, keeping our daily work structured, lawful, and flowing—so that our mission to regenerate land, culture, and livelihoods can truly flourish

We are honest about what this job is. It is not a passive administrative post. Our systems are documented but need a capable owner to run and improve them. You will inherit structure, not chaos, but you will be expected to strengthen it.

What you will do

Accounting and finance

• Maintain the Foundation's books: ledger entries, bank reconciliation, petty cash, expense records
• Manage payroll and social security contributions and filings
• Prepare and coordinate withholding tax and annual tax filings
• Work with our external accounting firm and auditor: prepare and hand over source documents, respond to queries, support the annual audit
• Maintain the assets register 
• Support budget tracking across programs 

Document management and preparation

• Own the Foundation's filing systems, physical and digital, so that any document can be found when it is needed
• Prepare official documents, letters and forms, including bilingual Thai/English documents to our house standard
• Maintain board minutes, resolutions, and the Foundation's legal and registration records
• Manage contracts: employment contracts, supplier agreements, insurance policies, leases 

Deadline and compliance calendar

• Own the compliance calendar and be accountable for it: monthly tax and social security filings (in coordination with the accounting firm), the annual foundation registrar submission (amphoe, social welfare), audit deadlines, insurance and vehicle renewals, employment contract expiries, visa and work permit renewals (social welfare, immigration, labour department)
• Flag what is coming, early, without being asked. Be pro-active.
• Keep the Directors informed of progress status, not only of problems 

Liaison and research

• Represent the Foundation and assist the Directors in day-to-day dealings with government offices: District Office, Provincial Social Development Office, Revenue Department, Social Security Office, banks, and Immigration
• Act as the bridge between our foreign Directors and our Thai institutional partners, translating not only language but expectations in both directions
• Research regulatory requirements, procedures and suppliers online, and present findings clearly and concisely

What we are looking for

We will prioritise demonstrated practice over formal credentials. 

Essential

• Practical accounting experience and the confidence to maintain a full set of books without supervision
• Working knowledge of Thai payroll, social security and withholding tax obligations
• Professional English, written and spoken — you will work daily with English-speaking Directors and produce documents in both languages
• Thai fluency and the ability to deal directly and effectively with Thai government offices
• Genuine organisational discipline: you track deadlines because you find it intolerable when things slip, not because someone reminds you
• Comfortable working in Google Workspace (Drive, Sheets, Docs), Notion and Claude AI, which is where the Foundation's documents, records and trackers live.
• Based in or willing to relocate to Pai

Valued

• Experience with a Thai foundation, association or NGO
• Experience with visa and work permit processes
• A degree in accounting, finance or business administration 

What we offer

• THB 30,000–40,000 per month, depending on experience; plus social security and staff accident insurance
• 25 days paid annual leave — well above the Thai statutory minimum, because we think rest is part of doing careful work
• Full ownership of your own domain, in a team of ten rather than a department
• An annual professional development budget for training, courses or certification you choose
• Work whose consequences you can actually observe — the distance between your spreadsheet and a farming family in Muang Noi is short enough to see

To apply

Send your CV and a short covering note in English to damien@seedlings-foundation.org. 

Subject line: "Administration & Finance Officer — [Your name]"

• In your note, please answer this question: “How do you personally relate to the Foundation’s mission, and how would working with us participate in your professional and personal growth?” 
• Shortlisted candidates will be asked to complete a short practical exercise.

Pai Seedlings Foundation is committed to fair and transparent recruitment. We welcome applications from members of the communities we work with.