National Project Coordinator

Introduction

The International Labour Organisation (ILO) is a specialised agency of the United Nations. It was established in 1919 to promote social justice and brings together governments, employers and workers of 187 Member States to set labour standards, develop policies and devise programmes promoting decent work for all women and men.

Against the background of the current refugee crisis in Armenia, the ILO mobilises its internal funding and implements a two-year initiative (hereunder Initiative) to address to the complex challenges of the informal economy in the context of the crisis. The proposed ILO interventions bridge the on-going immediate humanitarian assistance phase of crisis response and a new phase that aims at a sustainable recovery centred on Decent Work. Building on the existing assistance and reflecting the expressed priorities of the country, the ILO initiative focuses on: 1) capacity building of the constituents and social dialogue to address informality; 2) policy and regulatory frameworks and institutional capacity; and 3) extending labour protection to vulnerable groups of workers in the informal economy. 

Under direct supervision by the Senior Employment Specialist, and under guidance by the DWT Director, the National Coordinator (NC), and relevant specialists, the National Project Coordinator will lead the implementation of the ILO initiative in Armenia following the policy and procedural requirements established by the ILO. The incumbent coordinates actions with the tripartite ILO constituents, relevant UN agencies and other actors.

This position is located in Yerevan, Armenia, and reports to the ILO Decent Work Technical Support Team and Country Office for Eastern Europe and Central Asia.

Reporting lines

The National Project Coordinator will report to the Senior Employment Specialist of the Decent Work Team (DWT) for Eastern Europe and Central Asia. The incumbent will be guided by and may receive tasks from the National Coordinator for Armenia (NC-Yerevan) and other relevant DWT specialists. The incumbent will also receive technical advice and support from various units and departments in ILO Headquarters as well as the Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia and the Decent Work Team for Eastern Europe and Central Asia. The Director of DWT/CO for Eastern Europe and Central Asia is the Responsible Chief of the position.

The incumbent will serve as a direct supervisor for Administrative Assistant based in Yerevan, Armenia.

Description of Duties

1. Gather, review and analyse Armenia’s development and crisis response plans and priorities, socioeconomic data, reports, relevant plans and activities of ILO’s tripartite constituents and other development partners including sister UN agencies, and other information that may help or affect the implementation of the Initiative. Provide written analysis on the findings to the NC-Yerevan and the DWT.
2. Work in close collaboration with DWT specialists and NC-Yerevan to develop and update quarterly and monthly work plans of the Initiative, as well as preparation of budget proposals for activities. Coordinate with the ILO tripartite constituents and partners in planning and implementing activities. Promote the inclusion of gender equality and non-discrimination in all aspects of the Initiative. Maintain written records of project activities and achievements including lists of beneficiaries and participants.
3. Prepare and conduct conferences, seminars, workshops, training sessions, and consultative meetings. Speak on behalf of the Initiative when attending these gatherings alone. Generate a written summary of meetings and events to the supervisor and relevant colleagues. Draft web articles on major achievements of the Initiative. Undertake missions to project sites upon approval of the supervisor.
4. Review and monitor progress of the Initiative against plans and suggest remedial actions where appropriate. Follow-up with relevant partners and contractors of the Initiative to meet performance targets. This includes receiving information and decisions from partners on matters pertaining to the implementation of the Initiative (e.g., a list of participants or names of speakers in an event) and assuring on-time and quality delivery of goods and services from contracted providers. 
5. Draft a biannual progress report of the Initiative focusing on a log of activities, budget execution, performance indicators including gender-disaggregate number of beneficiaries and other relevant data, known impact of the Initiative, and media coverage of the initiative. 
6. Assist in the programming and control of resources of the Initiative, prepare budget estimates and expenditure forecasts by analysing and monitoring situation of resources as compared to planned activities and making recommendations for remedial action. Identify problems and propose solutions and actions. 
7. Identify opportunities for fund-raising (e.g., call for proposals, donors’ interests) and draw attention of relevant DWT-specialists.
8. Brief ILO specialists and visiting officials and provide relevant information on project matters. Draft, edit, or translate into local language or into English official correspondence, statements and speeches and other public information materials. 
9. Guide the work of Administrative Assistant based in Yerevan so that financial transactions, administrative tasks, and support work are performed in accordance with ILO rules and regulations in a timely manner.
10. Perform other duties as may be assigned by the supervisor and/or Responsible Chief.

Required qualifications

Education

First level university degree in economics, public policies, development studies, law, sociology, or a relevant field. An advanced degree in a relevant field would be an advantage.

Experience

Two years of professional experience at the national level in the area of project management, implementation, monitoring and evaluation. Proven experience in working effectively with government bodies in charge of policy making and with development partners would be an asset.

Technical requirements: Good knowledge of Armenia’s socio-economic and policy contexts. Knowledge of the policy making process is desired.

Languages

Excellent command of written and spoken English and Armenian.

Competencies

Candidates interested in the position should consider that the nine core competencies of the ILO, listed below, may be evaluated during the selection process: Integrity and transparency, Sensitivity to diversity, Orientation to learning and knowledge sharing, Client orientation, Communication, Orientation to change, Takes responsibility for performance, Quality orientation and Collaboration. Among these nine competences, the following are of particular importance for this position: Customer Orientation, Communications, Collaboration

Technical competencies

• Knowledge of project management, including programme and budget, project administration, and evaluation concepts and procedures.
• Ability to understand and follow the office’s financial rules and regulations. 
• Good knowledge of the context and challenges for the project, refugee crisis response and transition from the informal to the formal economy.
• Strong analytical skills and ability to justify requirements and approaches to problem resolution, and good drafting skills.
• Good ability to interpret project information and to identify and analyse problems with implementation.
• Ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing. Ability to clarify information.
• Demonstrated collaborative and teamwork experiences and ability to work effectively with a multicultural and interdisciplinary team, as well as to work on his/her own initiative.
• Ability to work independently, quickly, precisely, and take initiative and responsibility.
• Ability to work under pressure and to meet the deadline.
• Proficient in Microsoft Word, Power Point, Excel, and web-browsers. 
• Ability to deal with people with tact and diplomacy.
• Ability to work in a multicultural environment and gender-sensitive behaviour and attitudes are also required.