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Junior Professional Officer - Labour Migration and Strategic Partnerships


Vacancy No: JPO/Netherlands/3/2015

Title: Junior Professional Officer - Labour Migration and Strategic Partnerships

Grade: P.1/P.2

Contract type: Fixed-term Appointment

Duration of contract:  1-3 years  
Date: 10 November 2015

Application Deadline (midnight Geneva time) 29 November 2015
(11 day(s) until closing deadline)
Currently accepting applications
 
Organization unit:   ADDIS ABABA
Migration and Strategic Partnerships Sector

Duty Station:  Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
 
Note : This post is opened in the context of the Junior Professional Officer (JPO) scheme sponsored by the Government of the Netherlands and is addressed exclusively to people with the Dutch nationality. For criteria see the website of Nedworc Foundation:

http://www.nedworcfoundation.nl/Index.htm?hoofdpath=/NL/JPO/General%20Information.htm&hoofdhash

Please read the criteria and FAQ section carefully before considering applying.

To apply please visit ILO`s e-Recruitment website at https://erecruit.ilo.org. The system provides instructions for online application procedures.

Application deadline: 29th of November 2015 (midnight Geneva Time)

Applicants will receive acknowledgement of receipt of their submission.Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
INTRODUCTION
The ILO Regional Office for Africa has overall responsibility for ILO projects, programmes and activities in all the 54 countries of Africa. The Office works with key regional institutions like the African Union (AU), United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) and African Development Bank (AfDB). It administers a portfolio of considerable importance and complexity with a significant volume of a wide range of technical cooperation programmes, as well as facilitates the development and implementation of Decent Work Country programmes in all countries. At regional level, ILO seeks to advance the Decent Work Agenda in Africa though fostering strategic partnerships and collaboration with regional and international organizations.

ILO's activities in Africa are guided by the continental policies and other frameworks which promote decent work, under the auspices of the African Union Commission (AUC). Hence, the priorities of the ILO are reflected in the decent work outcomes of the AU Agenda 2063 which are further articulated in the 2015 AU Declaration and Plan of Action on Employment, Poverty Eradication and Inclusive Development (Ouagadougou + 10), which was adopted by the 24th AU Assembly. These continental priorities - youth employment, social protection, labour migration governance and effective labour market institutions - fully align with the ILO's priorities for Africa.

In addition to the adoption of 'Ouagadougou+10' which prioritizes labour migration governance for regional development and integration, African Heads of State and Government also adopted the AU/ILO/IOM/ECA Joint Labour Migration Programme (JLMP). This programme, which is technically led by the ILO, aims to strengthen effective governance and regulation of labour migration and mobility in Africa, under the rule of law and with the involvement of key stakeholders across government, legislatures, business, social partners and migrants, international organizations, NGOs and civil society organizations. It seeks to promote decent work for migrant workers with the effective application of labour standards in recruitment and treatment. 
Description of Duties
The JPO shall work closely with the ILO team supporting the AUC and Regional Economic Commissions (RECs) in the area of labour migration as well as the Labour Migration Branch. The overall mission of the Labour Migration Branch is, with the involvement of ILO constituents (governments, employers' and workers' organizations), to work towards the formulation and implementation of effective rights-based and gender-sensitive policies that improve the protection of migrant workers and maximize the contribution of growth and development of countries of origin and destination.

1. Description 1

Summary of duties and expected output

Gather, analyse information and prepare reports and briefs as required in the technical areas outlined above;
Assist in identifying and proposing new relevant activities in the specified areas;
Assist in the organization of sub-regional and regional meetings, workshops and seminars in relation to labour migration;

Description 2

Summary of duties and expected output

Assist in the resourcing and implementation of the JLMP;
Provide and disseminate information, respond to information requests; make presentations; manage knowledge sharing tools;
Assist in liaising and coordinating with ILO constituents, regional partners and donors on matters pertaining to labour migration;

2. Description 3

Summary of duties and expected output

Participate in training activities and seminars as a resource person
Participate in joint missions as required and report on required follow-up;
Assist in identifying and proposing new partnerships in relevant areas with key regional partners

Learning elements and expectations:

The JPO will receive coaching and on-the-job training by the supervisor and designated officials within the Regional Office for Africa on technical, administrative and financial procedures. The JPO will further receive technical backstopping support from the technical specialists in the ILO Decent Work Support Teams in the African region, as well as from the International Labour Migration Branch and relevant technical units in ILO Headquarters.

As applicable, the Associate Expert/JPO will participate in staff training events organised in the African Region and at the ILO's International Training Centre in Turin.

The JPO training programme includes the following learning elements:

By the end of the first year, the JPO will have gained an understanding of the role of ILO within the UN System, its support to the AU and RECs as well as its mandate and the operationalization of this mandate in the African region. The Associate Expert/JPO will further have gained an understanding of the structure and operations of ILO in the African region, including support to strategic policy frameworks, such as Decent Work Country Programmes.

The Associate Expert/JPO will have gained an understanding of ILO's work to promote the ratification and implementation of international labour standards; facilitate the participation of ILO's tripartite constituents in formulating and implementing labour migration policy, and implement various interventions to strengthen the capacity of ILO's tripartite constituents and other relevant partners such as AUC, RECs to deal with a wide range of labour migration issues.

By the end of the second year, the JPO will have gained experience in drafting technical cooperation project proposals, including logical frameworks. The JPO will also have gained experience in working with a network of ILO specialists in the African region and at headquarters, and will have experience in regional joint UN programming support to the AU and its organs by working within the African Regional Coordination Mechanism (RCM). The JPO will, furthermore, have gained practical exposure to the implementation of technical cooperation projects, including, where applicable, the delivery of activities such as training and policy advisory services.

The JPO position includes a Duty travel and training allowance (DTTA) of $4000 per year which may be used for learning activities related to the assignment and career development
Required Qualifications
Education
An advanced university degree / Master's or Post Graduate Diploma in economics, industrial relations, sociology, law or other relevant and related field

A First university degree or equivalent in economics, industrial relations, sociology, law or other relevant and related field (at least 3 years of relevant working experience) may be accepted in line of an advanced university degree. 
Experience
Relevant work experience of 2 to a maximum of 4 years either at national or international level.

Desirable:

Work experience in development cooperation, research and/or in an international organisation.
'Familiarity with the UN System' may be an asset.
Languages
Excellent command of English.

Desirable:

Good knowledge of a second and third working language of the ILO would be an asset.
Competencies 
General competencies include: Excellent analytical skills, very good ability to work in a multicultural setting and in a team; very good ability to carry out assignments in accordance with work plans and guidelines; ability to use analytical tools and qualitative and quantitative techniques; excellent ability to conceptualise, plan, coordinate and conduct research work; ability to draft discussion papers and reports.
Additional Information:
Background information on Agency/Department/Section:

As the UN specialized agency on labour issues, ILO has been dealing with labour migration since its foundation in 1919. The very Constitution of the ILO specifically mandates the organization in its Preamble to give attention to the "protection of the interests of workers when employed in countries other than their own".

ILO's Programme and Budget for 2016-17 contains the following global strategic outcome: "Labour migration governance is strengthened to ensure decent work for migrant workers, meet labour market needs and foster inclusive economic growth and development."
A key expected change is the strengthened capacity of ILO constituents to engage in evidence-based policy-making that results in the implementation of fair and rights-based labour migration policies for all workers, and in well-governed labour mobility in regional integration processes and major migration corridors. This perfectly aligns with the ILO's prioritization of labour migration governance for regional integration and development in Africa.

Supervision:
Daily Supervision by: Director, CO-Addis Ababa
Technical Supervision/Guidance by: Chief, Regional Programming Unit, ROAF
Overall Supervision by: Regional Director for Africa, ROAF
Content and methodology of supervision

The JPO will be placed in the "Liaison Unit" of the ILO's Country Office for Ethiopia, Djibouti, Somalia, South Sudan and Sudan (CO-Addis Ababa).

The JPO will be under the day-to-day supervision of the Director of CO-Addis Ababa but will receive technical supervision/guidance by the Chief of the Regional Programming Unit (ROAF).

A time-bound work plan will be agreed between the JPO and the technical supervisor, in consultation with ILO's Labour Migration Branch in ILO headquarters. Monitoring of progress will take place through regular meetings between the JPO and the supervisor. As necessary, detailed instructions, guidance and coaching will be provided by the supervisor for agreed assignments.

Work will be discussed with, and reviewed by the supervisor at various stages before completion for general accuracy of facts, soundness of analysis and findings, conformity with instructions and policy, and accomplishment of assigned objectives and assignments.

Performance management will be reviewed in accordance with ILO's Performance Management Framework, as applicable to JPOs.

Please note that all candidates must complete an on-line application form.
To apply, please visit ILO's e-Recruitment website at: erecruit.ilo.org. The system provides instructions for online application procedures.
The ILO does not charge any fee at any stage of the recruitment process whether at the application, interview, processing or training stage. Messages originating from a non ILO e-mail account - @ilo.org - should be disregarded. In addition, the ILO does not require or need to know any information relating to the bank account details of applicants.

Depending on the location and availability of candidates, assessors and interview panel members, the ILO may use communication technologies such as Skype, Video or teleconference, e-mail, etc for the assessment and evaluation of candidates at the different stages of the recruitment process, including assessment centres, technical tests or interviews.