Job: Chief Technical Advisor

Location: Geneva 
Deadline: Sunday, 20 October 2013 

Description
Human Resources Development Department


International Labour Office
Vacancy No: TC/2013/EMP/SEED/01
 
Title: Chief Technical Advisor

Grade: P.4

Contract type: Fixed-Term Appointment

Duration of contract:  one year, with possibility of extension  
Date: 19 September 2013
 
Application Deadline (midnight Geneva time) 20 October 2013


 
Organization unit:   EMP/SEED

Duty Station:  Geneva, Switzerland


This is a Technical Cooperation position therefore the recruitment process falls outside Annex 1 of the ILO Staff Regulations. Technical cooperation appointments are not expected to lead to a career in the ILO and they do not carry any expectation of renewal or conversion to any other type of appointment in the Organization. A one-year fixed-term contract will be given. Extensions of technical cooperation contracts are subject to various elements including the following: availability of funds, continuing need of the functions and satisfactory conduct and performance.

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.
INTRODUCTION

The position is located in the Small Enterprises Unit (EMP/SEED) of the Job Creation and Enterprise Development Department (EMP/ENTERPRISE). Within the Department's mandate to promote sustainable enterprises, the programme seeks to unlock the potential of creating more and better jobs in small businesses - a sector where the bulk of employment is being provided. The programme is working with governments, employers' and workers' associations and unions, the private sector and individuals on improving the business environment, delivering entrepreneurship education and training, integrating small entrepreneurs into local and global value chains, and improving workplace practices.

The CTA will be in charge of leading and executing the "Market Development for Decent Work - the Lab" project. The Lab is a 3.5 year programme funded by Swiss SECO and based in SEED, the SME unit of the ENTERPRISES Department in the ILO. M4DW - "the lab" is a research and knowledge generation project that aims to further the current knowledge base on how to maximize labour market outcomes in inclusive market development projects. The program will target three areas: (i) how to best identify sectors to create employment and improve working conditions using value chain development (VCD), (ii) how to best measure job creation and working condition improvements and (iii) how to transfer VCD capacities to national institutions.

The project will assist others in establishing rigorous monitoring and evaluation systems capable of measuring the intended labour market outcomes and explore new ways of improving working conditions with a market systems approach. Outputs will include evaluation clinics, a research on the existing evidence of labour market impacts and inclusive market development interventions, a sector selection guidance note for field projects and six briefing notes on how to address working conditions using a market development approach. A global learning event (likely to be executed in collaboration with the DCED) and a publication summarizing the results of the project will formulate towards the end of the project. Finally, new market development strategies and the practical experience on the ground will translate into training material for partners in developing countries working on inclusive market development and will be piloted in at least one country in collaboration with the International Training Centre of the ILO. Swiss SECO is the core funder of the project, but the ILO will also contribute core funding. Additionally, the CTA is expected to leverage co-funding of selected projects as a co-investment in impact measurement and knowledge creation.

The project is subject to the availability of funding and will be executed under guidance of the Value Chain, Entrepreneurship and SME management training global coordinator in SEED, the SME Unit of ENTERPRISES.

The CTA will report to the global coordinator for Value Chain Development and SME management training.
Description of Duties

1. Lead and coordinate the implementation of the M4DW - the lab project in close collaboration with the Market access team in SEED and the Global VCD coordinator.

2. Lead the research efforts of the project and discussions with ILO field projects. Cooperate with other potential research partners and agencies, including universities, donor agencies in the DCED and implementing partners in the countries in which the project will be executing research on job creation and working conditions in value chains

3. Provide technical leadership on executing market development approaches and implementing M&E systems in value chain development projects. Ensure the application of rigorous qualitative and quantitative research

4. Conduct training seminars, workshops and meetings on Value Chain Development research and develop training and capacity building guides, manuals and other knowledge-sharing material. In collaboration with the ITC ILO, develop a competency assessment system and training components for capacity building for in-country partner institutions that want to develop capacities in Value Chain Facilitation.

5. Co-author project publications and ensure excellent quality of written materials. Promote the publication of research results in peer-reviewed journals.

6. Ensure the effective management of funds/budget assigned to the project and manage efficiently the human resources of the project, including recruitment, performance and talent management aspects. Supervise up to two people (a part-time P1/2, Junior Market Access project officer and a part-time admin assistant) based in Geneva and up to 5 part-time national project coordinators in 5 countries.

7. Mobilize resources: Build and maintain strong relationships with multi-lateral and bilateral donor communities and prepare proposals for mobilization of human, technical or financial resources. Support the achievement of the project and mobilize ILO project internal co-funding.

8. Perform any other duties requested by the responsible chief.
Required Qualifications
Education

Advanced university degree in Economics or a related field in Social Sciences with demonstrated expertise in the field of private sector and small enterprise development.
Experience

At least seven years of experience in the field of enterprise and private sector development at the national level including 5 years at the international level. Demonstrated experience in applying project cycle management and value chain and market development approaches and practical knowledge about Monitoring and Evaluation. Knowledge of the DCED Measurement Standard would be an advantage.
Languages

Excellent command of English; good knowledge of French or Spanish would be an advantage.
Competencies

Technical competencies:

- Capacity to provide practical technical advice on how to implement research in value chains and market systems

- Excellent writing communication and presentation skills

- Strong social, organizational and knowledge management skills required in order to coordinate and manage a research and project network

- Capacity to produce reports and to evaluate and monitor technical cooperation activities and projects

- Capacity to handle and execute a several million dollar budget in accordance to established financial rules

- Ability to build an effective project implementation team

Behavioural competencies:

Strong client orientation and negotiation skills, aptitude for learning and knowledge sharing, ability to make authoritative judgments and strong relational skills to ensure effective coordination with partners of different sectors and countries.

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