Project Technical Officer, Co-Creating Network for Protecting the Human Dignity of Migrant Workers

Introduction

The ILO and JICA are strengthening their collaboration to protect the rights of migrant workers in the corridor from South-East Asia to Japan. As of the end of October 2024, there were over 2.3 million foreign workers in Japan. These workers often face various challenges, including language barriers, discrimination, and precarious immigration status. Those challenges often attribute to lack of information and miscommunications among migrants, recruitment agencies, employers, and other various stakeholders involved in the labour migration systems.

The Co-Creating Network for Protecting the Human Dignity of Migrant Workers in South-East Asia project is financed by the Government of Japan, notably the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). This project aims to promote migrant workers’ rights by creating a network of stakeholders and facilitate more information sharing. Prior to this project, the former survey project developed the Joint Work Plan to improve access to remedy for migrant workers from South-East Asia to Japan. 

This project will utilize the Joint Work Plan and promote collaborations by key stakeholders based on the four pillars. 
1)    Grievance mechanisms, 
2)    Empowerment of migrant workers, 
3)    Fair and ethical recruitment, and 
4)    Implementation mechanism and enabling environment. 

Based on the Joint Work Plan, the project will discuss migration policies, promote mutual learning, and enhance information sharing among key stakeholders, including the governments, employers, trade unions, recruitment agencies, bar associations, and civil society.
 

Reporting lines: 

The Project Technical Officer will be based in Bangkok, Thailand. The Project Technical Officer will work under the supervision of the Deputy Regional Director, through the Chief Technical Advisor and Overall Coordinator of the ILO/Japan Multi-bilateral Programme. 

The Project Technical Officer will also liaise and work in close cooperation with the relevant technical specialists in ILO Decent Work Technical Support Team for East and South-East Asia and the Pacific and the directors and colleagues in the ILO Country Offices covering Cambodia, Indonesia and Viet Nam as well as ILO Office for Japan to ensure necessary coordination and synergy.
 

Description of Duties

Within the policy and procedural requirements established by the ILO, the Project Technical Officer will be responsible for managing the day-to-day implementation and coordination of activities to ensure the delivery of output towards the achievement of the project objectives. The incumbent will maintain close contacts with relevant representatives of the government, employers’ and workers’ organizations in the project countries and provide technical support in promoting ILO policies in the project-related technical areas and other components of the ILO Decent Work Agenda.

1. Manage the day-to-day implementation and monitoring of the activities by provided technical guidance and closely coordinating with the project staff in all project countries, while ensuring conformity with ILO policies and procedures, and promoting respectful, inclusive and non-discriminative behaviours.
2. Provide technical advice and support to project staff and national partners in the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the project activities, in coordination with the ILO Field Offices and HQ.
3. Develop training materials and conduct seminars and workshops. 
4. Maintain close liaison with government, workers’ and employers’ organisations, and non-governmental organizations, to discuss matters and follow up on a range of activities.
5. Maintain close communication with the Chief Technical Advisor and Overall Coordinator of the ILO/Japan Multi-bilateral Programme to ensure conformity with donor requirements.
6. Plan and organize knowledge sharing of migrant protection workshop with relevant stakeholders.
7. Promote the integration of “Co-creation Network” a platform for disseminating information and sharing tools with migrant workers as specific considerations in all activities and strategies in the project.
8. Work closely with National Project Coordinators/Consultants in country offices in South-East Asia to ensure regional/national linkages and vice-versa where relevant, in the implementation of the project.
9. Prepare monthly report, concept notes and completion report for annual meeting, workshop in Japan and online platform, semi-annual report, technical and financial progress report and final reports on project delivery.
10. Participate in relevant meetings to share the knowledge and experiences from the project and collaborate with relevant organizations for efficient implementation.
11. Co-ordinate, promote linkages and share best practices and lessons learned with other relevant ILO projects/programme, ILO units and external stakeholders.
12. Undertake missions in relation to project implementation.
13. Undertake other duties as required by Chief Technical Advisor and Overall Coordinator of the ILO/Japan Multi-bilateral Programme. 

Required qualifications

Education

Advanced university degree (Master’s or equivalent) in international relations, development studies, economics, geography, demography, or a relevant field. A first-level university degree (Bachelor’s or equivalent) in one of the afore-mentioned fields or other relevant field with an additional two years of relevant experience, in addition to the required experience stated below, will be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree.

Experience

At least five years of relevant professional experience. Strong background in successfully managing projects that involve the implementation of activities at both grassroots and policy levels. Proven experience in addressing inequalities and promoting migrant workers’ rights in programmes/projects. Familiarity with ILO policies and procedures would be an advantage.

Languages

Excellent knowledge of English language, both written and spoken. 

Competencies

• Ability to provide technical advice and to guide and coordinate the work of external collaborators, general service staff and young professionals in the area of specialization.
• Ability to conceptualise and design research techniques and analyse complex cross-national practices and data sets covering a wide range of issues in the specialized technical field.
• Ability to formulate new concepts and methodologies.
• Ability to draft well reports and prepare guidelines relating to programme development and implementation. Draft clearly and concisely, both for the purposes of preparing communication materials and project proposals, providing advisory services and preparing reports and studies.
• Ability to provide technical support to senior specialists, carrying out research, project formulation and implementation. 
• Proven ability to take ownership of all responsibilities, to act with integrity and transparency by maintaining social, ethical and organisational norms, and to meet all commitments within the prescribed time, cost and quality standards, conceptualise, plan, coordinate and conduct straightforward research work, discussion papers, studies and reports, and communication and visibility materials;
• Ability to participate effectively in technical missions and to provide technical inputs for the ILO Decent Work Agenda.
• Ability to organize meetings, workshops and events at the national and regional level for the tripartite constituents of the ILO and key project stakeholders
• Excellent analytical skills and knowledge of analytical tools and qualitative and quantitative techniques.
• Good computer skills.
• Ability to share information and knowledge with a wide range of ILO colleagues, constituents and key project stakeholders in an efficient, systematic and engaging manner.
• Ability to communicate effectively with HQ and field structures, ILO constituents, key project stakeholders and the donor and other development partners
• Ability to negotiate persuasively with donor representatives. Ability to justify requirements and approaches to problem resolution.
• Ability to work in a multicultural environment and gender-sensitive behaviour and attitudes are also required.