National Project Coordinator, Building Responsible Value Chains in Asia

Introduction

Drawing from the ILO’s extensive experience in technical cooperation initiatives on the promotion of decent work in the Lao economy and partnerships with tripartite constituents, the project “Building Responsible Value Chains in Asia through the Promotion of Decent Work in Business Operations – Phase II”, will be implemented in the context of an increasing demand on companies to respect human rights and labour rights in their operations, and to promote respect for such rights in their supply chains, including by conducting due diligence. At the same time, there is recognition that many of the challenges and opportunities associated with making sustainable changes in global supply chains relate to structural and systemic issues at the national level that require collective action beyond what an individual company or the private sector can achieve on its own.

Building on Phase I, the two-year Phase II project, funded by the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), covers the following countries: India, Lao PDR, Malaysia and Japan. Using the ILO Tripartite Declaration of Principles concerning Multinational Enterprises and Social Policy (MNE Declaration) as a framework for action, this programme aims at putting in place supportive measures to accompany enterprises’ efforts to promote compliance with national laws and respect for the principles of international standards, to promote human rights and labour rights in supply chains; and enhancing capacity, dialogue and collaboration among the ILO constituents and relevant stakeholders in the programme countries to foster an enabling environment for sustainable and responsible business practices and decent work. The ultimate objective is to promote inclusive, responsible and sustainable enterprises and decent work in supply chains in the specified sectors in the programme countries in Asia.

Under direct supervision, within the policy and procedural requirements established by the ILO, the National Project Coordinator will lead the implementation of the project activities in Laos.

Reporting lines
The National Project Coordinator reports directly to the Director of ILO Country Office for Thailand, Cambodia and Lao People’s Democratic Republic and the Decent Work Technical Support Team for East and South-East Asia and the Pacific (DWT/CO-Bangkok) and works under the overall guidance of the Deputy Regional Director of the ILO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (ROAP). The NPC will receive guidance from the Specialist, Job Creation and Enterprise Development, Programme Coordinator of Building Responsible Value Chains in Asia through the Promotion of Decent Work in Business Operations project based in ILO-Tokyo on the project implementation and the National Coordinator for Lao PDR on the day-to-day operations with regards to liaising with the tripartite constituents. The NPC will work in coordination with ILO specialists based in Bangkok and staff of other related projects.

Description of Duties

1. In consultation with the Programme Coordinator and relevant ILO staff, design and implement the workplan for the Lao PDR component of the RVC project. This will include advocacy and action in selected supply chains, as well as wider national level work in support of Lao PDR’s commitments on business and human rights and responsible business conduct.
2. Provide overall project management support to the RVC project in Lao PDR. Assist in the programming and control of project resources, 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.
3. Map and analyse labour and responsible business dynamics in target sectors/supply chains, identify key stakeholders, and design accompanying interventions for the RVC project. Accumulate good practices on RBC/ HRDD and identify opportunity areas to inform project decision-making, strategies and policy advocacy.
4. Establish effective partnerships with and provide support for constituents, multinational enterprises and sectoral stakeholders in the selected sectors to deliver project interventions in Lao PDR and to promote responsible business conduct including through human rights due diligence in supply chains. Work with other country (India, Malaysia and Japan) components to facilitate knowledge sharing and dialogue.
5. Design and implement communications and advocacy strategy for RVC in Lao PDR; develop communications materials for key audiences in Lao PDR, and craft compelling messages and narratives for use in wider project advocacy and communications materials.
6. Identify opportunities for project events and capacity building activities (e.g. with constituents, businesses and other stakeholders), and organize and deliver them in support of RVC project objectives.
7. Track and monitor the implementation of project activities in Lao PDR and provide related inputs for project-wide reporting.
8. Support donor engagement and resource mobilisation efforts for the project.
9. Lead in the preparation of briefs, background information, technical reports and periodic progress reports and statistical data on the status of the overall activities of the Project.
10. Contribute to the organization of multi-country workshops/ home-host dialogue together with other project components in India, Malaysia and Japan.
11. Undertake missions as necessary.
12. Perform other duties as assigned by the supervisor.

Required qualifications

Education

University degree in international development, law, political science, public administration, social sciences or a similar discipline.

Experience

At least two years of professional experience at the national level in a relevant area such as responsible business conduct, human rights due diligence and working conditions in supply chains, and human and labour rights. Previous experience running development projects, working with Lao labour stakeholders, and working with manufacturing sectors is an asset.

Technical requirements: Good knowledge of community income generating livelihood and labour economics as well as poverty reduction, and social policies. Knowledge of the policy making process.

Languages

Excellent written and spoken command of Lao and English.

Competencies

• Knowledge of project management, budget management, monitoring and evaluation of concepts and procedures, as well as the ILO’s financial rules and regulations.
• Ability to work on own initiative as well as in a team.
• Proactive, with the ability to build a high-performance culture, by establishing clear goals, acting promptly and taking ownership of responsibilities.
• Capacity to give timely, detailed and constructive feedback to project support staff, implementing partners and consultants.
• Ability to interpret project information and to identify and analyse problems and develop solutions.
• Excellent drafting, organizational and analytical skills.
• Strong ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing, and advocate the ILO mandate and the Project’s vision.
• Strong knowledge of overall policies and laws relevant to the FPRW, thematic knowledge on responsible business conduct and human rights due diligence in supply chains, as well as manufacturing sector(s) in Lao PDR.
• Ability to build a collaborative culture by promoting cooperation, soliciting the views of others and building wide and effective networks inside and outside the ILO.
• Ability to deal with people with tact and diplomacy.
• Ability to work in a multicultural environment and to demonstrate gender-sensitive and non-discriminatory behaviour and attitudes.