Employment Policy Specialist

Introduction

The position is located in the ILO Decent Work Technical Support Team and Country Office for the Andean Countries (DWT/CO-Lima) in Lima, which provides technical assistance to the ILO’s constituents in the Plurinational State of Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. 

The main role of the position is to provide high quality technical assistance to the ILO’s constituents and other national institutions in the Andean countries primarily in the areas of comprehensive employment policy frameworks, including youth employment policies, labour market programmes, employment services, transition to formality, and in the design and implementation of Decent Work Country Programmes (DWCPs), as identified. The incumbent will be the office’s focal point for green jobs programmes and will provide support in coordinating with relevant technical units to facilitate technical assistance on wage policies, competences and skills for work, including employment policies for the older population, especially in emerging processes of transition, and in policies and programmes for integrating the migrant population into the labour market, as required.

The incumbent will work under the direct supervision of the Director of the DWT/CO-Lima. He or she will receive technical advice and guidance from the Chief of the Employment, Labour Markets, and Youth Branch of the Employment Policy, Job Creation and Livelihoods Department (EMPLOYMENT) at ILO headquarters and will be part of the EMPLOYMENT Global Technical Team.

The incumbent will work in collaboration with other specialists in the team at the Office for the Andean Countries who are project coordinators and will be responsible for establishing collaborative partnerships with multilateral development banks, international financial institutions and United Nations (UN) agencies at the national and regional levels.

Key Duties and Responsibilities

1.    As primary specialist in the area(s) of comprehensive employment policy frameworks, especially for young people, women and older adults in processes of transition in the labour market, in the design and development of labour market programmes, employment services, and transition to formality, the incumbent will be responsible for substantial segments of the work programme. Identify priorities in the areas of youth employment, labour formalization and the strengthening of national institutions responsible for implementation, among others, and develop strategies, as well as deliver and coordinate high-quality technical support at the national and subnational levels in the Andean countries to advance the Decent Work Agenda and social justice, taking into account the integration of cross-cutting policy drivers, including international labour standards, social dialogue, gender equality and non-discrimination, and a just transition towards environmentally sustainable economies and societies. Lead work streams/teams involved in this work and ensure the effective management of staff and consultants in accordance with ILO standards and the results-based management framework, and through the timely and effective use of the Performance Management Framework and other feedback mechanisms, as applicable.
2.    Review and facilitate the strengthening and effective implementation of inclusive institutional, legal and policy frameworks. Provide expert policy and technical advice, especially on employment policies aimed at young people and women, the strengthening of public employment systems, transition to formality programmes and green jobs programmes, to the ILO’s constituents and other concerned stakeholders with a view to promoting the formulation of inclusive and gender-responsive policies and programmes, and their impactful implementation and monitoring to ensure equitable outcomes. Promote relevant international labour standards.
3.    Support the ILO’s constituents in identifying their needs and provide adequate technical support, including through comparative policy analyses. Facilitate the effective participation and advocacy role of employers’ and workers’ organizations in policy design, implementation and evaluation of decent work programmes and projects.
4.    Provide technical inputs to the design and implementation of DWCPs as well as UN and other development cooperation frameworks. Participate in the design and organization of multidisciplinary initiatives, events and activities with a view to ensuring an integrated approach for the delivery of the Decent Work Agenda.
5.    Initiate, design, conduct/commission and/or coordinate innovative and gender-mainstreamed research and analysis that meets the evolving needs of the constituents and other key stakeholders in the world of work for the design of public employment policies and the strengthening of institutions to implement them and that leads to the formulation of proposals, recommendations and technical guidelines on employment policies, and the development of new and/or enhancement of existing methodologies and concepts in the area of comprehensive employment policy frameworks in the Andean countries.

optional section (only if needed)

6.    Develop and lead/coordinate the development of policies, initiatives, strategies and a range of original and evidence-based technical and policy knowledge products and tools on elements relevant to comprehensive employment policy frameworks in the Andean countries responding to the constituents’ needs and priorities and advancing the Decent Work Agenda. Promote and facilitate their dissemination at the national, regional and global levels and provide advice and technical support to the constituents and other stakeholders on effectively using such tools. Contribute to Office-wide efforts to analyse, document and disseminate lessons learned and information on innovative practices. 
7.    Provide technical inputs to, oversee the drafting of/draft, peer review and edit reports, publications and other Office documents, including for the Governing Body, International Labour Conference and regional, sectoral and expert meetings.

8.    Support the strengthening of the capacity of the ILO’s constituents to design and implement policies and measures linked to comprehensive employment policy frameworks including youth employment policies, labour market programmes, transition to formality strategies and green jobs policies, as well as monitor the impact of policies and measures, to provide recommendations with a view to refining and improving policies and measures as required. Oversee the design of tools and learning materials, pilot new guidelines, lead and/or coordinate workshops, meetings and other events, using innovative methods, digital platforms and communication tools. Develop and run/implement global and/or regional capacity development programmes, knowledge-sharing and training events including in collaboration with the International Training Centre of the ILO in Turin and/or with other relevant partners, as applicable.

9.    Identify opportunities for technical and strategic partnerships in the context of comprehensive employment policy frameworks in the Andean countries and related areas and develop new and reinforce existing partnerships and collaborative relationships with other entities of the UN system and other international organizations, development partners, multilateral development banks, international financial institutions, research institutions, academic institutions and other key stakeholders, with a view to advancing the ILO’s strategic objectives and ensuring policy coherence and joint programme design and implementation, promoting awareness of the ILO’s values and strategic objectives, resource mobilization, influencing policy and financing decisions in support of decent work objectives in the Andean countries. 

.

10.    Organize, facilitate and make technical contributions at seminars, conferences and other events. Represent and engage the ILO as a key player in meetings, conferences and forums at the international, regional, national and subnational levels concerned with strategies, policies or programmes in the field of comprehensive employment policy frameworks in the Andean countries. 
11.    Conceptualize, formulate, discuss and submit development cooperation project proposals, taking into account the ILO’s priorities in the Andean countries and in the region on comprehensive employment policy frameworks in the Andean countries and the need to position these within relevant cooperation frameworks. Provide technical backstopping for development cooperation projects and promote and facilitate coherence and knowledge-sharing among projects.
12.    Play a key role in resource mobilization efforts to secure funding for new projects and activities in the field of comprehensive employment policy frameworks in the Andean countries. Ensure effective coordination with concerned headquarters departments and field offices.
13.    Perform other relevant duties as assigned.

Required qualifications

Education

Advanced level university degree (Master’s or equivalent) in economics.
A first-level university degree (Bachelor’s or equivalent) in economics with an additional two years of relevant experience, in addition to the experience stated below, will be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree.
Additional specialization or postgraduate studies in labour economics, green jobs or sustainable development, political science or law would be considered an advantage.

Experience

At least seven years of experience in the design and implementation of public policies or experience working in the development of projects, programmes or initiatives relating to employment promotion, labour formalization or the inclusion of young people and women in the labour market, including experience at the international level.
Experience of working at the ILO or any other UN agency or international organization would be considered an advantage.

Languages

Excellent command of Spanish and a working knowledge of English. 

In addition to the ILO core competencies, the following are required:

Knowledge and technical/behavioural competencies

Excellent knowledge and understanding of theories, trends and approaches in areas related to comprehensive employment policy frameworks, such as youth employment policies, labour market programmes, employment services, transition to formality and green jobs, with the ability to plan, coordinate and guide the development and implementation of new concepts, policies, techniques and procedures in response to evolving technical needs.

Good knowledge of the substantive nature of Organization’s work programmes and activities and ability to address broader issues outside the field of specialization.

Ability to lead and manage individual and group assignments and to supervise those undertaking the work.

Ability to share knowledge and provide technical advice and guidance on latest policy developments in the technical area.

Excellent research and analytical skills.

Excellent drafting skills.

Excellent communication skills, excellent presentation skills, negotiation, promotion and advocacy skills. Ability to adapt communication style to diverse audiences.

Ability to adapt quickly to new software and systems.

Ability to network and build and maintain effective and collaborative working relationships with key stakeholders and to create and promote synergies across the Organization and with external stakeholders.

Ability to represent the Organization and present/promote the technical area of work and the ILO's position on it to partners with a view to gaining their support to advance the desired course of action.

Ability to mobilize resources.

Ability to work effectively in a multicultural environment and to demonstrate gender-responsive, non-discriminatory and inclusive behaviour and attitudes.