Introduction

Africa is home to more than 80 million persons with disabilities, who constitute one of the continent's largest marginalized populations. Despite their significant numbers, many continue to face barriers to education, employment, healthcare, and full participation in society. Young people with disabilities represent a significant and growing segment of the population in Africa. However, many continue to encounter barriers to employment and meaningful participation in social economic fabric. Investing in their inclusion, skills development and leadership is essential to sustainable development and the realization of Africa's demographic dividend. Creating an enabling environment for young people with disabilities in Africa requires concerted and coordinated action by governments, employers' and workers' organizations, organizations of persons with disabilities and communities to remove barriers and ensure equal opportunities for participation and economic empowerment, anchored in targeted measures and inclusive employment and digital transformation policies as well as labour market institutions.

The International Labour Organization (ILO), through its tripartite approach involving governments, employers and workers, plays a leading role in promoting the rights, inclusion and economic empowerment of persons with disabilities in Africa and globally, in line with its mandate to advance decent work and social justice for all. Digital inclusion as a key pathway to achieving decent work and economic empowerment for persons with disabilities and is especially a powerful enabler for young people with disabilities to overcome barriers to education, employment, entrepreneurship, communication and social participation. The ILO has therefore joined the Digital Futures Programme consortium on promoting inclusive employment and entrepreneurial opportunities for youth with disabilities in Africa. The ILO component of the Digital Futures Programme is funded through Sightsavers. The African Center for Economic Transformation (ACET) and the Africa Disability Forum (ADF) are also part of the project consortium. The Digital Futures Programme overall is funded through the Mastercard Foundation. 

The programme aims to promote inclusive employment and entrepreneurial opportunities for young people with disabilities in alignment with the Mastercard Foundation's Young Africa Works Strategy and the AU-ILO Youth Employment Strategy for Africa (YES-Africa). 

The ILO component will strengthen National Business and Disability Networks across the participating countries (“Domain 2) and undertake policy and advocacy work in the areas of employment and digital policies (“Domain 3”) in Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria and Senegal to create a more enabling environment for young people with disabilities to access employment and entrepreneurship opportunities in the digital economy and beyond. 

The ILO is recruiting a Project Manager with a strong technical background on Disability Inclusion, based in Nairobi, Kenya, to lead its multi-country component.countries.   

Within the policy and procedural requirements established by the ILO and the Digital Futures Programme, the Project Manager will be responsible for the day-to-day management of the programme implementation and provide technical advisory services towards the development and execution of future programs to be developed in the advancement of rights of persons with disabilities. He/she will ensure that the objectives stated in the ILO programme document are attained within the stated time frame and budget, and ensure compliance with the ILO and the Programme's financial and operating procedures. The incumbent will promote ILO policies in the programme related technical areas and other components of the ILO Decent Work Agenda as outlined in the section description of Duties and Responsibilities below.

Main duties and responsibilities

Project management:

1.    Ensure effective implementation of the Project/Programme through: the provision of inputs, the delivery of outputs, and the planning, monitoring and evaluation of activities. Deliveries and outcomes must be in conformity with ILO policies and project strategies and in accordance with ILO programming guidelines and country/action programs, and the administrative and financial procedures in consultation with the responsible Field Offices.

2.    Responsible for the effective management of funds/budgets allocated to the project. 

3.    Manage the human resources of the project/programme efficiently, including recruitment and performance management. 

Technical leadership and advice:

4.    Provide technical leadership and advice to governments, employers' and workers' organizations, organizations of persons with disabilities, National Business and Disability Networks and other partners on disability-inclusive employment, in close coordination with the Responsible Official and relevant ILO specialists.

Advocacy, networking and partnership:

5.    Strengthen relationships to cooperate and coordinate with governments, ministries, employers' and workers' organizations, non-governmental organizations, target groups and donors, in the planning and implementation of project /programme activities. 

6.    Liaise with Sightsavers, ACET and ADF through agreed programme governance and technical mechanisms, and other UN counterparts to promote ILO's values, increase the project's visibility and facilitate the scaling-up of the ILO's interventions. 

7.    Promote ILO policies in the related technical areas of the project/programme, other fundamental rights at work and the relevant International Labour Standards, in collaboration with other technical/labour standards specialists. Promote the inclusion of gender equality and non-discrimination in all aspects of the project.

Mobilization of resources:

8.    Undertake local resource mobilization activities with the multi-lateral and bilateral donor community for the development of future activities linked to the project/programme in coordination with the responsible Country Office and PARDEV. 

Knowledge management:

9.    Write and disseminate information on project/programme materials in close collaboration with other relevant technical specialists at HQ.

10.    Ensure the development of information databases covering project/programme activities; prepare periodic and ad hoc reports on the implementation status and coordinate with concerned ILO departments and programs.

11.    Identify training needs and organize training workshops and meetings for the tripartite partners, NGOs, other agencies, target groups and staff as appropriate to reinforce the professional capabilities.

12.    Represent the ILO in the governance structure of the Digital Futures programme, as an alternate of the Responsible Chief in the main programme committee and in Technical Committees.

13.    Preparation of regular technical and financial reports to the donor in line with the requirements of the donor and ILO reporting protocols.

14.    Provide disability inclusion guidance to ILO colleagues in the country offices, constituents and other stakeholders.

15.    Undertake other duties as required.

Required qualifications

Education

Advanced university degree (Master‘s or equivalent) in social sciences, public health. Development studies, disabilities studies or any other relevant field. 

A first-level university degree (Bachelor’s or equivalent) in one of the afore-mentioned fields 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 seven years of relevant experience in the formulation and implementation of  inclusive technical cooperation activities, including at the international level.
•    Experience working on the employment or economic inclusion of vulnerable groups, populations facing high risks of economic exploitation, or labour violations. A good understanding of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and relevant ILO standards will be asset.
•    Proven management experience, preferably with the ILO or a UN agency, with sound knowledge and experience in all aspects of project cycle, i.e. design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation. Proven experience in partnership building and networking and in effective fundraising, resource mobilization and donor relations. Experience in managing a development cooperation project in Africa, involving various international organizations as implementing partners will be considered as assets
•    Familiarity with ILO policies and procedures including experience working with officials of ministries of labour and/or education, employers’ and workers’ would be an advantage.

Languages

Excellent command of English is required. Good working knowledge of French would be an advantage.

Competencies

• 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.
• Ability to develop clear strategic goals consistent with the project/programme’s objectives, and to design and synthesise strategies for programme development.
• Ability to advocate and provide policy advice.
• Excellent leadership skills, ability to work effectively in a team and excellent interpersonal skills.
• Ability to develop training materials, alternative courses of action, project proposals, policy and procedural matters, and to present them at high-level meetings.
• Ability to promote a knowledge sharing and learning culture in the office, and to focus and guide others to meet objectives at individual and group level.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to write accurate reports and to build networks to obtain cooperation with partners.
• Proven capacity to initiate and implement development cooperation programmes and activities with ILO constituents and NGOs, including negotiation skills with governments and social partners, and to mobilise the support of international donor agencies and provide quality services.
• Ability to plan and support the development of individuals’ skills and abilities for a more effective fulfilment of job/role responsibilities.
• Ability to maintain effectiveness when experiencing major changes in work tasks or environment, and to adjust effectively to work within new work structures, processes, requirements or cultures.
• Drive to seek or encourage others to seek opportunities for different and innovative approaches to organisation challenges and opportunities for improvement.
• Ability to work in a multicultural environment and to demonstrate gender-sensitive and non-discriminatory behaviour and attitudes.
• Capacity to adapt own behaviour to accommodate the differences found in diverse work environments treating all individuals and groups fairly and with respect.