Technical Specialist Employment Intensive Investments Programme, Yaounde, Cameroon

Human Resources Development Department

International Labour Office

Vacancy No: RAPS/3/2013/AF/01

Title: Technical specialist Employment intensive investments Programme

Grade: P.4

Contract type: Fixed-Term Appointment

Date: 25 September 2013

Application Deadline (midnight Geneva time) 27 October 2013

Organization unit: DWT - YAOUNDE

Duty Station: Yaounde, Cameroon

The following are eligible to apply:

- ILO Internal candidates in accordance with paragraphs 15 and 16 of Annex I of the Staff Regulations.- External candidates.Other staff members with at least five years of continuous service with the Office are encouraged to apply and will be given special consideration at the screening and evaluation stage.Within the context of the ILO's efforts to promote staff mobility, applicants should expect to take up different assignments (field and Headquarters) during their career. The desirable length of the assignment in this specific position is three to five years, following which period the incumbent should be willing to move to another assignment and/or duty station.The ILO values diversity among its staff and aims at achieving gender parity. We welcome applications from qualified women and men, including those with disabilities.Applications from qualified candidates from non- or under-represented member States, or from those member States which staffing forecasts indicate will become non- or under-represented in the near future, would be particularly welcome. A list of these countries is in Appendix I.Conditions of employment are described in Appendix II.

INTRODUCTION

Under the supervision of the Director of the Decent Work Technical Support Team for Central Africa (DWT/CA) and the Country Office for Cameroon, Angola and Sao Tome and Principe and in close coordination with the Development and Investment Branch based in Geneva, to whom the successful candidate will report

• To provide advisory services in support of policies and strategies to promote employment in the field of employment-intensive investment programmes for the benefit of countries in Central Africa;
• To provide technical support for the development of technical cooperation programmes;
• To promote the exchange of information and experience at regional and subregional levels, to provide support for institutional strengthening and training in the country, in favour of decent work in the subregion.

Description of Duties

Specific duties

1. Advisory services

Promote ILO principles in the design of investment policies and implementation strategies with the joint objectives of economic growth and job creation.To this end, the specialist will work with other members of the multidisciplinary specialist team. The specialist will participate in multidisciplinary and inter-agency advisory missions and will draft specific chapters of the analytical reports, in particular those relating to the adoption of the employment-intensive approach.

2. Programme development

Support ILO constituents in developing pilot and demonstration programmes designed to promote the optimal use of locally available human and material resources in carrying out public works and community projects. This will involve the conduct of identification, preparation and evaluation missions leading to the formulation of operational projects. In carrying out these tasks the specialist will develop links with development partners, donors, UN agencies (UNDP, WFP and others), bilateral and multilateral donors (World Bank, ADB, EU), with a view to concluding cooperation agreements.

3. Technical support and backstopping

The specialist will provide technical support and backstopping for such programmes and projects as set out below:

• Prepare implementation plans and, as appropriate, provide the ILO's contribution, in particular technical expertise;
• Write job descriptions for technical cooperation staff and the terms of reference for consultants; provide advice and guidance in the recruitment of consultants and experts;
• brief and debrief experts and consultants; oversee the work of consultants;
• Review work plans before releasing funds managed by the ILO;
• Provide strategic and technical guidance for projects;
• Monitor and prepare progress reports on implementation;
• Prepare and participate in reviews and ratings.

4. Capacity building

To the extent possible the specialist will assist ILO constituents in institutional development and capacity building, with a view to supporting employment intensive investment programmes and projects. This will take the form of the assessment of training needs, and the organization of and participation in seminars, workshops and training courses.

Particular attention will be given to building the capacity of implementing agencies with regard to the target groups and to compliance with the basic international labour standards.In performing the above functions, the specialist will promote the involvement of all partners of the ILO in the identification, design, formulation, implementation and assessment of activities based on employment intensive approaches.

5. Information services

In collaboration with the documentation centre of the Regional Office for Africa, the ILO Decent Work Technical Support Team for Central Africa and the Employment-Intensive Investment Programme in general, the specialist will contribute to the collection, processing and dissemination of all relevant information in West Africa related to technical issues and documentation in the French language. The technical specialist will, to the extent possible, contribute to the exchange of information, experiences and views among the programmes in West Africa in both French and English speaking countries. The specialist will pay particular attention to the integration of Portuguese-speaking countries in the programme

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

1. Design and promote a wide range of special subject matter-related programmes, This involves: re-analysis of complex or conflicting data, statistics and information or policy guidelines, in a manner requiring the advanced application of principles of a recognized technical specialization.

2. Develop and review an institutional framework in which social partners can best improve, implement and evaluate efficient and equitable ILO action programmes.

3. Provide policy advice to ILO's constituents on institutional strengthening, the application of ILO standards and the promotion of technical cooperation activities.

4. Formulate and submit project proposals and seek funding.

5. Evaluate the efficiency of the project activities.6. Undertake technical advisory missions independently or in collaboration with multidisciplinary specialist teams.

7. Conduct seminars, workshops, technical meetings and training courses.

8. Prepare draft recommendations and guidelines for discussion and adoption as resolutions or recommendations in Organization related technical fields.

9. Write manuals or training guides on related topics.

10. Disseminate information on action programmes through publications and press releases, and also ensure representation at donors' meetings and international, regional and national forums and carry out awareness-raising campaigns.

11. Monitor and coordinate research carried out by junior technical officers and external collaborators.

12. Provide technical inputs to office documents (sectoral meetings, technical committees, regional meetings and conference reports).

13. Participate in tripartite reviews on technical cooperation activities as well as meetings and international conferences.

Required Qualifications

Education

Advanced university degree in civil or agricultural engineering or equivalent experience and expertise in the fields of environmental studies, economics and development.

Experience

• Eight years' experience at the national level or five years at the international level.
• Proven experience in employment intensive investment programmes and public or community infrastructure projects.
• At least seven years' experience in the negotiation, formulation, preparation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of employment-intensive investment projects.
• Experience in policy issues relating to the adoption of the employment-intensive investment approach and proven mastery of the technical, economic, social and environmental aspects of employment-intensive investment projects.

Languages

An excellent command of French is required. Good working knowledge of English and/or Portuguese would be an asset.

Competencies

In addition to the ILO core competencies, this role requires:Technical competencies:

• Ability to synthesize research and reach empirically based conclusions on related subjects
• provide seasoned advice on best practices, to address broader issues outside the field of specialization;
• attested technical skills in the formulation of new concepts and methodologies, development of training materials, alternative courses of action and project proposals;
• ability to design and synthesize strategies for programme development in member States;
• ability to produce reports (e.g., reports for regional conferences and the ILC, technical publications, training manuals and draft resolutions) and to evaluate and monitor technical cooperation activities and projects;
• ability to undertake frequent missions, sometimes to localities with difficult working conditions; knowledge of latest IT tools and software;
• basic knowledge of the rules and procedures of the ILO, United Nations agencies, bilateral donors and development banks relating to technical cooperation.

Behavioural competencies:

Must be a team player who is able to maintain good working relationships both inside and outside the office, with gender-sensitive attitudes and the ability to work in a multicultural environment.

Additional Information:

Evaluation (which may include one or several written tests and a pre-interview competency-based assessment centre) and the interviews are expected to take place between November 2013 and January 2014. Candidates are requested to ensure their availability should they be short listed for further consideration.