Social Dialogue and Industrial Relations Specialist

Introduction

The position is located in the ILO Country Office for the Philippines (CO-Manila). CO-Manila is dedicated to promoting fundamental rights such as Freedom of Association and the right to collective bargaining, supporting the Philippines in strengthening social dialogue and implementing relevant ILO instruments. In 2023, the High-Level Tripartite Mission (HLTM) advanced efforts to prevent threats to freedom of association and address long-standing issues noted by the Committee on the Application of Standards. The current administration supports the HLTM’s recommendations and welcomes meaningful engagement from the Office. Additionally, the Philippines has increasing opportunities to lead in promoting decent work in trade, particularly through freedom of association and collective bargaining, where social dialogue and labour relations expertise are crucial. CO-Manila has identified a need for social dialogue and industrial relations technical expertise at the country level. CO-Manila is responsible for reporting, development cooperation, research, and advocacy functions to assist the ILO Member State in developing and implementing the Decent Work Country Programmes (DWCP) and mainstreaming the decent work agenda in the Philippines Development Plan (PDP), Labour and Employment Plan (LEP), and related programs. Furthermore, the country office plays a key role in formulating and implementing the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) 2024-2028, particularly in Outcome 2 (Sustainable Economic Development, Decent Work, and Innovation), as well as in humanitarian response.

The incumbent is responsible for guiding work on Social Dialogue and Industrial Relations, which includes freedom of association, collective bargaining, and industrial relations. Technical inputs are to be provided in close consultation and collaboration with the Governance Department (particularly DIALOGUE, LABADMIN/OSH, LABOURLAW) at ILO headquarters, the ILO Global Governance Team, DWT Bangkok, and other units and departments in ILO Geneva to ensure policy and operational coherence.

The incumbent will work under the direct supervision of the Director, CO-Manila, and will receive technical guidance and advice from the Chief of the Social Dialogue, Labour Relations, and Governance Branch at ILO headquarters. The Specialist will collaborate with other specialists in the DWT/CO team, multilateral development banks, international financial institutions, and UN agencies at both the country and regional levels. 

Main duties and responsibilities

As the country level specialist, incumbent will lead and coordinate the CO Manila's work on social dialogue and labour administration. This includes promoting fundamental rights, supporting the Philippines in strengthening social dialogue, and implementing ILO instruments and HLTM recommendations. The incumbent will engage with ILO constituents and stakeholders to implement various initiatives and provide leadership on decent work in trade.
As part of the objective of agility and timely availability of technical services in the ASIA region, the incumbent will also be responsible for providing technical advisory and implementation support to advance social dialogue and industrial relations priorities in the Country Programmes of several countries in ASIA. The countries shall be determined through mutual agreement among the Direct supervisor, the DWT Director, and the incumbent.
The incumbent will involve in identifying priorities for social dialogue, industrial relations and tripartism, developing strategies, and delivering technical support to advance the Decent Work Agenda. The incumbent will lead teams, and consultants, and ensure alignment with ILO standards and results-based management principles.
1.    Identify development cooperation needs and the assessment of country-wide initiatives on Social Dialogue and Industrial Relations, in close collaboration with Programme, DC Teams and/or Decent Work Team Specialists in Regional/Country Offices with the intention of identifying innovative models of interventions.

2.    Promote ILO policies regarding Social Dialogue and Industrial Relations and provide technical advice on the formulation, implementation and evaluation of national policies, strategies, and programmes, including contribution to the development of Decent Work Country Agenda and UNSDCF.

3.    Initiate and guide technical work at a country level including the analysis of data, statistics, normative frameworks, and national policies.   

4.    Undertake policy, programme and project development work on Social Dialogue and Industrial Relations with a specific country focus and prepare new technical cooperation programme/project proposals.

5.    Undertake resource mobilization activities with multi-lateral and bilateral donor community for the development of future activities linked to Outputs 2.3  Increased capacity of Member States to make social dialogue more influential and labour relations institutions and processes more effective  and 2.4 - Increased institutional capacity of labour administrations / Policy Outcome 2 - Strong, representative and influential tripartite constituents and effective social dialogue of the Programme and Budget in coordination with the DC projects and programme in coordination with the responsible Country Office, Regional Office, DWTs and PARDEV.

.

6.Review and facilitate the strengthening and effective implementation of inclusive institutional, legal, and policy frameworks in the country. Provide expert policy and technical advice on social dialogue, including tripartite consultation processes, collective bargaining, workplace cooperation, and labour administration, to ILO constituents and other stakeholders. Promote the formulation of inclusive and gender-responsive policies and programs, ensuring their impactful implementation and monitoring to achieve equitable outcomes. Additionally, promote relevant international Labour standards.
7.Support ILO constituents in identifying their needs and provide adequate technical support, including comparative policy analyses. Facilitate the effective participation and advocacy roles of employers’ and workers’ organizations in the design, implementation, and evaluation of decent work programs and projects.
8.Provide technical expertise to shape and implement Decent Work Country Programmes (DWCPs), aligning them with UN and other development frameworks. Collaborate across disciplines to ensure an integrated approach to achieving the Decent Work Agenda and the objective of the development cooperation projects.
9.Initiate, design, and conduct/commission gender-mainstreamed research and analysis on social dialogue and labour administration to inform policy and methodology development. Create innovative, evidence-based technical and policy knowledge products and tools to address constituents' needs and advance the Decent Work Agenda. Promote and disseminate these resources, providing technical support and guidance to stakeholders. Contribute to office-wide efforts to capture and share lessons learned and innovative practices.
10.Contribute technical expertise to develop and refine reports, publications, training manuals and other office documents for development cooperation projects, including those for the Governing Body, International Labour Conference, and regional/sectoral meetings.
11.Enhance ILO constituents' capacity in social dialogue and labor administration by designing, implementing, monitoring, and refining policies and measures. Develop and deliver capacity development initiatives, leveraging innovative methods and digital platforms. Foster strategic partnerships with UN entities, international organizations, and national stakeholders to advance ILO's social dialogue and tripartism objectives, strengthen labour administration systems, and promote policy coherence aligned with the Decent Work Agenda.
12.Organize and facilitate seminars, conferences, and other events, contributing technical expertise. Represent the CO Manila as a key stakeholder in national and subnational forums focused on social dialogue and labour administration strategies, policies, and programs.
13.Conceptualize and develop development cooperation project proposals aligned with regional, subregional, and national priorities in social dialogue and labour administration. Provide technical support to projects, fostering coherence and knowledge sharing. Actively engage in resource mobilization to secure funding for new initiatives in this field, coordinating with relevant headquarters and field offices.
14.Ensure integration of social dialogue, industrial relations and tripartism in corporate programming, namely through the programme and budget exercise, outcome-based work planning and implementation reporting.
15.Undertake additional responsibilities as required, including but not limited to contributing to organizational initiatives, participating in cross-functional teams, and supporting the achievement of broader ILO objectives.

Required qualifications

Education

Advanced level university degree (Master’s or equivalent) in industrial relations, law, public administration, or social sciences, or other relevant field with a specialisation in labour law, labour relations and/or labour administration.

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 experience stated below, will be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree.

Experience

At least seven years of experience, including at the international level in social dialogue and labour administration.  Experience in action-oriented research and the development/delivery of training programmes in the field of social dialogue and labour administration is also required.

Languages

Excellent command of English.  A working knowledge of another working language of the Organization (French and Spanish) would be an advantage.

Competencies

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

Knowledge and technical/behavioural competencies

Excellent knowledge and understanding of theories, trends and approaches in the area(s) of social dialogue and labour administration 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.