Skills Development Officer

Introduction

Large mixed migration movements continue to top the global political agenda, as reflected in the 2016 UN New York Declaration, and remain at the forefront of concerns, discussions and collaboration across the multilateral system and beyond. These movements create considerable challenges for countries of first asylum, transit and destination, as well as countries of origin, including through impact on socio-economic environments, such as labour markets of host countries, particularly where these may have already been under pressure and there is high unemployment. The majority of refugee populations are hosted by low- and middle-income countries. As displacement has become increasingly protracted, responses are becoming more focused on durable solutions to support more dignified, inclusive and comprehensive programmes for refugees and the communities that host them to facilitate self-reliance and empowerment and strengthen social cohesion. It is paralleled by regional and country-level efforts in several areas, including in the Middle East and North Africa region and in the Horn of Africa.

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In this context, the Government of the Netherlands has launched a new partnership initiative – the PROSPECTS Partnership Programme (hereinafter referred to as the “programme”) – built on the combined strengths, experience and values of specific development and humanitarian organizations to develop a new paradigm in responding to forced displacement crises. The partners include: the Government of the Netherlands, the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the ILO, the UNHCR, UNICEF and the World Bank. The programme aims to help transform the way governments and other stakeholders, including the private sector, respond to forced displacement crises – and in particular: (1) to enhance the enabling environment for the socio-economic inclusion of forcibly displaced persons (to mitigate their plight during years of exile and to best prepare them for their return); (2) to enhance access to education and child protection for vulnerable children on the move; and (3) to strengthen the resilience of host communities through inclusive socio-economic development that also benefits forcibly displaced persons.

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The programme will be grounded on results-based and country-led approaches (“bottom up”) in two identified regions: MENA, including Egypt, Iraq, Jordan and Lebanon, and the Horn of Africa, including Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda and Sudan. It aims to accelerate efforts to find sustainable solutions for countries confronted with large influxes of refugees. It will also aim to develop and implement evidence-based solutions, tailored to each context – as well as to test, and learn from, innovative operational solutions, including improving the availability, collection and use of data and evidence.

The overall ILO’s vision within the programme is to strengthen decent work in countries impacted by forced displacement to mitigate stress factors at all levels and support inclusive socio-economic enablers for access to labour markets and empowerment of host communities and of forcibly displaced populations.

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The ILO will bring to the programme significant expertise and experience in supporting enabling environments to underpin inclusive socio-economic growth and decent work, strengthen labour markets and promote access to improved working conditions and fundamental rights at work, including through the involvement of its tripartite national constituents The ILO will stimulate labour market demand and immediate job creation through employment-intensive investment, local economic and business development and promotion of specific value chains and market systems.

Within the policy and procedural requirements established by the ILO, the Skills Development Officer will support the Programme Manager in Sudan in the specified technical areas across the ILO country programme in the context of the Partnership in Sudan. S/he will ensure that the objectives stated in the programme documents are attained at field level, within the stated timeframe and budget and ensure compliance with the ILO and the programme’s financial and operating procedures.

Working relationships

The Skills Development Officer will report directly to the Programme Manager in Sudan for all operational, technical and administrative issues to ensure delivery of technical-related outputs and overall project implementation.

 S/he will also receive additional technical support and supervision from DWT Specialist for Skills Development based in Cairo, Egypt and Geneva, Switzerland respectively.

Description of Duties

• Provide advice on and analysis of economic and labour market trends in host communities and refugee settlements to help design and implement interventions for cooperative development and skills development aligning them with the broader policy frameworks and employment creation potentials following assessments conducted in earlier years of the programme.
• Provide inputs to the development and adaptation of knowledge products and tools that support ILO social partners and other project partners to undertake interventions (such as cooperatives training / skills development training) at local level in the project’s target localities.
• Provide inputs and advice and lead capacity building measures for local partners including training providers, local governmental partners and social partners and non-governmental organizations.
• Support the identification and contracting of implementing partners as well as the effective monitoring and evaluation of project interventions and undertake periodic monitoring and evaluation of project interventions at project field sites.
• Draft activities, oversee implementation of cooperatives and agricultural skills development interventions and provide inputs to technical progress reports.
• Support the design and regular update of the project work plan, both from a Result Based Management (RBM) and a financial perspective; alert and provide recommendations on delays and areas of criticality.

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• Integration of gender mainstreaming principles into all project activities, policies, and procedures, including collecting and analysing data disaggregated by gender, identifying potential gender disparities, and developing strategies to address them in project planning and implementation.
• Prepare terms of references for consultants, service providers, implementing partners etc. and participate in sourcing and evaluation of local service providers/consultants as appropriate.
• Participate in and as appropriate, lead the organization of conferences, seminars, workshops, training sessions and other project events.
• Represent the ILO during field level meetings related to the project as well as other related meetings with other UN agencies, donors’ field visits and thematic donor meetings, district level and regional forums as well as Sector meetings of tripartite partners.
• Assist in the programming and control of project resources; prepare budget estimates and expenditure forecasts based on planned activities.
• Collaborate with other programmes (both external and internal) in the field and take advantage of opportunities for enhanced programme synergy and improved outcomes.
• Perform any other duties as assigned by the Programme Manager.

Minimum requirements:

Education

First Level University Degree in Development, Agricultural Development, Business Management, Social Science, Economics, Technical and Vocational Education or a related discipline/field.

Experience

• A least of three years of professional experience in design, management and implementation of projects in agricultural development, skills development, cooperative development, and livelihoods support to host communities and refugees.
• Experience working with the United Nations, ministries of labour or other government ministries, departments and agencies, would be an added advantage, as would experience of working in crisis and refugee settings.

Languages

• Excellent command of English and working knowledge of Arabic.

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.
• Good knowledge of the market systems approach and entrepreneurship promotion tools.
• Ability to develop clear strategic goals consistent with the programme’s objectives, and to design and synthesise strategies for programme development.
• Ability to advocate and provide inputs to communication strategies
• Ability to work effectively in a team and excellent interpersonal skills.
• Strong analytical skills and ability to justify requirements and approaches to problem resolution and good drafting skills
• Ability to work independently, quickly, precisely, and take initiative and responsibility
• Ability to work under pressure and to meet the deadline

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• Ability to deal with people with tact and diplomacy.
• Demonstrate collaborative and teamwork experience
• Ability 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 promote a knowledge-sharing and learning culture in the office.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to write accurate reports and to build networks to obtain cooperation with partners.
• Excellent computer/information application skills, including word processing, excel, power point etc.
• 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.
• 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.

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Candidates assessed by the Panel and considered to be eligible for appointment but who are not selected for this vacant post may be offered an assignment to another position at the same or lower grade provided that they meet the minimum qualifications required.