Senior Partner Relations Officer

The Department of Multilateral Partnerships and Development Cooperation (PARTNERSHIPS) leads, coordinates and promotes the ILO’s involvement in the UN system and cooperation with other multilateral organizations, including International Financial Institutions, in close collaboration with the ILO Offices in New York, Washington and Brussels as well as other ILO office locations.

PARTNERSHIPS contributes to consultations and negotiations with development partners and groups such as G7, G20 and BRICS for the promotion of greater policy coherence around social justice and decent work. PARTNERSHIPS facilitates the ILO’s Public-Private Partnerships and actively promotes South – South and Triangular Cooperation (SSTC) and multi-stakeholder partnerships. It also oversees the mobilization of voluntary contributions as well as helps maximise internal and external communication on development cooperation results.  In addition to managing the development of the ILO’s strategy for development cooperation, PARTNERSHIPS is the focal point for data on the ILO’s voluntary funding contributions for development cooperation and coordinates the ILO’s project cycle management, streamlining work processes and procedures for enhanced partnerships and development cooperation.

The responsibilities under the position include mobilising voluntary resources for development cooperation for the ILO, including negotiating funding agreements, developing and maintaining relations with private and non-state actors, providing a single contact point for private and non-state actors and for ILO units in headquarters and the regions on all matters related to public-private partnerships (PPPs), including contractual arrangements and the implementation of and reporting on development cooperation projects and liaising and facilitating dialogue on PPPs with the Bureau for Employers’ Activities (ACT/EMP) and the Bureau for Workers’ activities (ACTRAV) at ILO headquarters, as well as with CABINET in specific cases. 

The position reports to the Director of PARTNERSHIPS and works in close contact and coordination with all the units of the Department.

Specific Duties:

Resource mobilization and strategic engagement with partners: 

• Develop and implement resource mobilization strategies specific to PPPs and the Office priorities.
• Coordinate and monitor the Office’s due diligence and clearance procedure for PPPs and design improvements as needed, in consultation with ACT/EMP and ACTRAV at ILO headquarters.
• Strengthen ILO’s ability to mobilize PPPs through capacity building, including training, guidance, communication, and networking. Establish and maintain an effective working relationship with ILO offices in donor capitals, and ILO Regional Offices and support the engagement of Employers and Workers organizations through active collaboration with ACT/EMP and ACTRAV at ILO headquarters.
• Represent the ILO in various partnerships and resource mobilization fora and undertake missions as required.

Contribution Management: 

• Provide comprehensive technical and operational guidance on the preparation and negotiation of partnership proposals to potential PPP partners, ensuring quality and a proper review and clearance process;
• Coordinate the negotiation of funding agreements with PPP donors, ensuring compliance with ILO rules, regulations, directives, and procedures, etc.
• Plan, initiate, organise and follow-up on consultations and review meetings with partners.

Portfolio Monitoring:

• Oversee and ensure regular application of the standard operating procedures applicable to PPPs, including technical and operational issues on development, implementation, reporting, monitoring and evaluation as well as closure of PPPs.
• Monitor and ensure compliance with contractual obligations in PPP funding agreements, including reporting in line with ILO standards and agreed timing. Follow-up with concerned implementation units, ILO support services and donors as required.

Management Support:

• Responsible for monitoring and analysing the overall trends of ILO PPPs over time and for preparing briefs and updates for management, as well as for the Office evaluation and governing functions.
• Provide expert advice to ILO headquarters and offices in the regions on the development of funded and in-kind PPPs and to management in sensitive cases.
• Perform other relevant duties assigned.

These specific duties are aligned with the relevant ILO generic job description, which includes the following generic duties:

Generic Duties:

• Responsible for the review, analysis and interpretation of data on economic, social and political trends in the countries covered by the work unit with a view to identify priorities for action and to integrate them in the action plans of the Office.
• Advise technical and substantive units, donor institutions, and governmental or inter-governmental planners on the implications of established Office policies and development cooperation needs within the framework of the strategic objectives .
• Initiate and plan projects and coordinate effective project implementation. Analyse needs and appraise the suitability of proposed programmes and projects in meeting these needs. Recommend project approval to the organization.
• Identify particular project possibilities in relation to expressed needs and the known capabilities and resources available. Assess the relative feasibility and impact of proposed projects in country and regional plans. Formulate submissions to donors for the funding of projects, negotiate with donor representatives, and play an active role in resources mobilisation.
• Ensure the reflection and integration of new modalities, policies and practices, and methods for evaluation into the project formulation process in order to improve the effectiveness and appropriateness of the organization’s project and programme planning and delivery processes.
• Assess the degree of implementation of development cooperation programme activities and resources. Identify problems and resource or financial deficiencies, initiate and propose corrective action, and explore and report on inter-agency cooperation possibilities. Prepare project status and implementation progress reports.
• Ensure adherence to established policies and procedures in the formulation of development cooperation activities, coordinate and advise on the preparation of project documents, including design, monitoring and evaluation for all sources of funding.
• Participate in or lead field missions. Endorse and expedite the submission of operational documents for approved projects.  Advise and guide project personnel, donors, institutions or other partners in order to achieve programme objectives.
• Coordinate the organization of meetings, workshop and seminars.
• Maintain relations and develop cooperation with donor agencies and other international agencies and monitor and follow-up on joint activities.

Required qualifications:

Education:

• Advanced level university degree (Master’s or equivalent) in economics, social science, international studies or other relevant 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 experience stated below, will be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree.

Experience:

• At least seven years of professional experience, including at the international level in resource mobilisation and development cooperation, including the promotion and launching of PPPs. Experience in the implementation of PPPs in the field is an advantage.

Languages:

• Excellent command of one working language (English, French, Spanish) of the Organization and a working knowledge of a second working language of the Organization.   One of these languages must be English.

Source: https://jobs.ilo.org/job/Geneva-Senior-Partner-Relations-Officer,-PPP-Coordinator-1200/1170118801/