Introduction

The Research, Innovation, and Strategic Engagement Project to Promote Freedom of Association and Collective Bargaining Globally (RISE) aims to strengthen policies and improve the capacity of governments, employers’ and workers’ organizations, and other actors in society to respect, promote, and realize freedom of association and collective bargaining (FACB). The project, funded by the US Department of Labor, will be implemented in overlapping phases and will include activities at the global, regional, and national levels. The project strategy seeks to continuously build and promote the application of critical knowledge needed to inform policy choices, strengthen the implementation of FACB in target countries, regions, and sectors, and communicate the impact and outcomes effectively. The project seeks to achieve three complementary outcomes:

• Outcome 1: Improved knowledge base on freedom of association, collective bargaining, and industrial relations;
• Outcome 2: Improved capacity of governments, employers and their organizations, and worker organizations to effectively realize freedom of association and collective bargaining; and
• Outcome 3: Global, national, sector, and enterprise-level stakeholders learn about and promote innovative approaches and take action for the realization of FACB.

The project falls under the technical responsibility of the Governance, Rights and Dialogue Cluster of the ILO (ADG/GRD). ADG/GRD encompasses the functions and responsibilities of four policy departments: International Labour Standards (NORMES), Governance and Tripartism (GOVERNANCE), Conditions of Work and Equality (WORKQUALITY) and Sectoral Policies (SECTOR).

The ILO seeks to recruit a Chief Technical Adviser (CTA) to manage the above project. The CTA will be responsible for overall project planning, implementation and the delivery of all outputs, monitoring and evaluation through management functions, including provision of technical and administrative supervision to the project team in line with ILO policies, rules and regulations and according to the final project document and work plan, ensuring that all Cooperative Agreement deadlines are met and targets are achieved; maintain working relationships with project partners and stakeholders; The CTA will also ensure full compliance with the Cooperative Agreement, as well as ILO rules and procedures, as well as the quality of all project outputs and work performed by staff and consultants. The CTA will also contribute to the work of relevant technical departments to support the full implementation of principles on freedom of association and the effective recognition of the right to collective bargaining.

The CTA will work under the overall strategic and political guidance of the Assistant Director-General of the Governance, Rights and Dialogue Cluster. S/he will receive technical support from relevant ILO Departments and Branches, as well as from relevant technical specialists in the regions. The technical backstopping of the project will be decided upon finalization of the ongoing restructuring of part of the Cluster.

The CTA will be responsible for managing project staff, and may also oversee the work of international experts, national officers, General Service Staff and any other international and local consultants hired during the course of the project.

Description of Duties

Project management:

1. Responsible for effective management, including adaptive management, coordination, planning, implementation, monitoring, evaluation and reporting of all project deliverables in conformity with ILO policies and strategies and the project strategy, and in accordance with ILO programming guidelines and administrative and financial procedures.

2. Manage funds/budgets allocated to the project and ensure the preparation of periodic progress reports for submission in accordance with the established rules and procedures.

3. Ensure that key risks are identified, assessed, documented and managed to contribute to the achievement of agreed results and that risk management is embedded in core processes and functions.

4. Effectively manage the project’s human resources including recruitment, staff development and performance management.

5. Oversee the development and approval process of sub-contracts, service contracts and external collaboration contracts, and provide oversight and quality control of the deliverables.

Technical leadership and advice:

6. Provide technical expertise, advice and guidance to improve the knowledge base on freedom of association, collective bargaining and industrial relations. This includes improved methods and tools to support research on FACB, improved evidence on the subject, and enhanced access to knowledge on freedom of association, collective bargaining and industrial relations globally, including with a focus on the Global South.

7. Provide the required support to governments and employers’ and workers’ organizations to improve respect for labour rights, promote an enabling environment for the full realization of freedom of association and the effective recognition of the right to collective bargaining, engage in policy development through social dialogue, and improve industrial relations through the development, testing and sharing of new, innovative approaches and replication of good practices at the global, regional and national levels.

8. Provide technical expertise and advice to the project team and when required to the stakeholders of the project, including relevant government agencies and other key labour market institutions. Ensure that technical interventions and decisions are well founded and take into account the specific nature of the project objectives. Promote the inclusion of gender equality and non-discrimination in all aspects of the project.

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Advocacy, networking and partnership:

9. Develop and maintain excellent relations with governments, employers and their organizations, and workers’ organizations, target groups and the donor, and promote opportunities for collaboration towards planning and implementation of project deliverables.

10. Establish new, or strengthen existing networks to facilitate the sharing of experiences and expertise on varying frameworks, practices and mechanisms to promote freedom of association and collective bargaining in supply chains.

11. Oversee the development and implementation of a communication campaign to promote the benefits of freedom of association and collective bargaining, including through targeted support to a ratification campaign on Conventions 87 and 98.

Knowledge management:

12. Within the scope of the project, update monitoring and evaluation and project information systems covering the project’s technical deliverables and economic and social issues of relevance to the project; prepare periodic and ad hoc reports on the status of programme planning and implementation; and establish coordination with concerned ILO departments and field offices.

13. Prepare periodic and ad hoc reports on the status of planning and implementation and establish coordination with concerned ILO Departments and Field Offices.

14. Within the scope of the project, guide and oversee the assessment and identification of training needs, development and adaptation of curriculum and training materials, organization and conduct of training workshops and meetings involving tripartite constituents, international organizations and the research community.

15. Build the capacity of the Ministries of labour and other government agencies and social partners to realize the enabling rights of freedom of association and collective bargaining.

16. Represent the project, and the Office at meetings, seminars and evaluations and build and enhance strategic partnerships and networks of government policymakers, workers’ and employers’ organizations and civil society organizations.

17. Perform other duties as required.

Required qualifications

Education

Advanced university degree in economics, law, management, social science, industrial relations or related 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 ten years of progressively responsible experience in industrial relations, of which at least 7 years providing technical assistance and advice to governments and social partner organizations, including at the international level. Experience in working on and managing development cooperation projects would be an advantage.

Familiarity with ILO policies and procedures, including experience working with officials of ministries of labour and the social partners would be an advantage.

Languages

Excellent knowledge and command of English and good working knowledge of another official ILO language (French or Spanish) is required.

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 formulate new concepts and methodologies and to synthesise research and reach empirically based conclusions on related subjects by understanding both the qualitative and quantitative approaches in social science research.

– Ability to develop training strategies and design training materials.

– Ability to formulate project proposals, policy documents and procedural matters.

– Ability to promote a knowledge sharing and learning culture, and to focus and guide others to meet objectives at individual and group levels.

– Excellent 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 project/programme activities with partners.

– Excellent negotiation skills and ability to provide high quality services.

– Ability to plan and support the development of individual’s 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 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.

– The ability to work in a multicultural environment and to demonstrate gender-sensitive and non-discriminatory behaviour and attitudes.