Skills and Lifelong Learning Technical Specialist

Introduction:

The ILO seeks to recruit a Skills and Lifelong Learning Specialist in Addis Ababa for the implementation of the ILO “Better regional migration management” (BRMM) Project financed by the UK Government Foreign and Commonwealth & “Strengthening inter-regional cooperation for safe, regular and orderly Labour Migration in Ethiopia” project financed by the EU.

The overall objective of the BRMM project is to strengthen the capacity of countries in East Africa and the Horn of Africa to govern labour migration by using evidence-based policies, enhance migrant workers’ qualifications and skills, and actively engage the social partners. The BRMM Project Phase II will build on the work carried out by BRMM Project Phase I and cover 3 interrelated components of intervention, namely:

1. Labour migration policies and programmes that support productive migration in East Africa and the Horn of Africa are evidence-based and gender sensitive.
2. Labour migration governance is more equitable and effective, recognizing skills and facilitating social inclusion and decent work.
3. Labour migration governance is strengthened through being more inclusive of social partners.

The overall objective of the Strengthening inter-regional cooperation for safe, regular and orderly Labour Migration in Ethiopia project is to strengthen the capacity of Ethiopian institutions to improve labour migration governance and protect migrant workers. In doing so, it will contribute to addressing youth unemployment and poverty, while promoting safe, regular, and orderly labour migration. This project stems from the recognition that (1) there are opportunities for enhancing the management of overseas placements for workers, ensuring they receive adequate protection and meet employers’ skills requirements; (2) there is a potential to professionalise the skills profile of Ethiopian overseas workers over time, aligning with the country’s aspirations to develop a competitive, skilled workforce that is internationally acknowledged for its productivity and competence; and (3) the Ethiopian Government aims to create 3 million jobs, both locally and overseas, for the youth in this fiscal year

The project covers four interrelated pillars of intervention, namely:

1. Strengthened capacities of Ethiopian institutions, both domestically and internationally, to monitor labour migration and inform relevant policies;
2. Development of improved skills sets for potential migrants and current migrants seeking overseas employment;
3. Strengthened protection system for labour migrants, covering all stages from pre-departure to return;
4. Professionalisation and enhancement of the Ethiopian overseas recruitment process.

The position is located in the Country Office for Ethiopia, Djibouti, Somalia, Sudan and South Sudan, and the Special Representative to the AU and the ECA (CO-Addis Ababa) and is based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The Technical Specialist will lead the Skills component work of the Better Regional Migration Management (BRMM) project, funded by UK Government Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and Strengthening inter-regional cooperation for safe, regular and orderly Labour Migration in Ethiopia” project financed by the EU.

The Technical Specialist will support the project with technical work on skills and migration. The Specialist will advise constituents in forging skills partnerships on migration that benefit both countries of origin and of destination, strengthening skills development systems; place emphasis on the recognition of skills and qualifications in countries of destination and upon return, promote lifelong learning and education; and support the constituents to ensure that skills are relevant and portable, promoting regular and demand-led pathways for migration, decreasing the risk of abuse and irregular migration, and promoting access to education and training systems and the labour market.

Reporting lines:

The incumbent will work under the direct supervision of the project’s Chief Technical Advisor (CTA).

Description of Duties

The Specialist will be responsible for the following activities at the regional and national levels: 

• Review and facilitate the strengthening and effective implementation of inclusive institutional, legal and policy frameworks on skills for labour migration. Provide expert policy and technical advice on skills and lifelong learning in the context of labour migration to ILO constituents and other relevant stakeholders. This support aims to promote the formulation of inclusive and gender-responsive policies, strategies, and systems that strengthen skills and lifelong learning for migrant workers. It also seeks to enhance governance models and financing systems that promote skills portability and recognition, in line with the ILO 2030 Skills and Lifelong Learning Strategy. Effective implementation and monitoring of these efforts will help ensure equitable outcomes. Promote relevant international labour standards.
• Support ILO constituents in identifying their needs and provide adequate technical support, including through comparative policy analyses. Facilitate the effective participation and advocacy role of employers’ and workers’ organizations in skills policy design, implementation and evaluation. Participate in multidisciplinary and regional skills related initiatives, with particular attention to labour migration as a key driver of change for the Africa region, considering digitalization and greening of economies with a view to ensuring an integrated approach for the delivery of the Decent Work Agenda.
• Initiate, design, conduct/commission and/or coordinate innovative and gender-mainstreamed research and analysis that meets the evolving needs of constituents and other key stakeholders for forging skills partnerships on migration that benefit both countries of origin and of destination and leads to the formulation of policy recommendations, technical guidelines and the development of new methodologies and concepts on skills and labour migration, in the area of TVET and higher education.

• Develop and lead/coordinate the development of integrated, innovative solutions and approaches to address skills development and recognition needs of migrant workers. This includes a range of original and evidence-based technical and policy knowledge products and tools drawn from ILO different thematic areas to wholistically respond to constituents’ needs and priorities in designing and delivering accessible, affordable innovative, flexible and inclusive learning options, including work-based learning and apprenticeships, skills and qualifications recognition, skills need identification, career guidance and development while advancing the Decent Work Agenda. Promote and facilitate their dissemination at the regional and country levels and provide advice and technical support to constituents and other stakeholders on effectively using such tools. Contribute to Office-wide efforts to analyse, document and disseminate lessons learned and information on innovative practices on skills and labour migration. Provide technical inputs to oversee the drafting of/draft, peer review and editing of relevant reports, publications and other office documents.
• Support the strengthening of ILO constituents’ capacity to design and implement policies and measures in the area of skills development and lifelong learning, including by promoting regular and demand-led pathways for migration, reducing the risk of abuse and irregular migration, and promoting access to education, training systems and labour markets. This includes promoting policy and strategy coherence and complementarity between migration, skills, trade and  employment. Lead and/or coordinate workshops, meetings and other capacity-building events, using innovative methods, digital platforms and communication tools. Develop and run/implement regional capacity development programmes, knowledge sharing initiatives and training events, including in collaboration with the International Training Centre in Turin (ITC-ILO) and/or with other relevant partners, as appropriate.
• Develop new and reinforce existing partnerships and collaborative relationships with traditional and non-traditional partners/entities of the UN system, other international organizations, regional, subregional and national actors, private institutions, multilateral development banks, international financial institutions, research institutions and academia, civil society and other key stakeholders. These partnerships will aim to advance the ILO’s strategic objectives, promote policy coherence and implementation of ILO values, support resource mobilization, and influence policy and financing decisions in support of decent work objectives.

• Promote and facilitate the contribution of skills development to improved labour migration governance by ensuring effective inter/pillar collaboration and complementarity with projects other components.
• Organize, facilitate and make technical contributions at seminars, conferences and other events in the area of skills and labour migration. Represent and engage the ILO as a key player in meetings, conferences and forums at the regional, subregional, national and subnational levels concerned with strategies, policies or programmes in the field of skills development, portability and recognition.
• Where relevant, support resource mobilization efforts to secure funding for new projects and activities in the field of skills development and lifelong learning for fair labour migration, in coordination with concerned Skills Specialists.
• Perform other relevant duties as assigned.

Required qualifications

Education

• Advanced level university degree (Master’s or equivalent) in vocational education and training, human resources development, labour economics, or other social sciences or other relevant fields.
• 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 experience, including at the international level, in human resources development, vocational education and training and skills development.
• Experience in the design and implementation of development cooperation projects in skills development or employment promotion and relevant work in developing countries would be an advantage.
• Previous work experience in any of the priority areas of the ILO’s four priority action programmes – transitions from the informal to the formal economy; just transitions towards environmentally sustainable economies and societies; decent work in supply chains; and decent work for crisis response would also be an advantage], including at the international level.

Languages

• Excellent command of English and a working knowledge of a second working language (French, Spanish) of the Organization would be an advantage.

Competencies

In addition to the ILO core competencies, this position requires:

• Excellent knowledge and understanding of theories, trends and approaches in the area(s) of skills development, employability, vocational and technical education and lifelong learning] with the ability to plan, coordinate and guide the development and implementation of new concepts policies, techniques and procedures in response to evolving technical needs.
• Good knowledge of the substantive nature of Organization’s work programmes and activities and ability to address broader issues outside the field of specialization.
• Ability to lead and manage individual and group assignments and to supervise those undertaking the work.
• Ability to share knowledge and provide technical advice and guidance on latest policy developments in the technical area.
• Excellent research and analytical skills.
• Excellent drafting skills.

• Excellent communication skills, excellent presentation skills, negotiation, promotion and advocacy skills. Ability to adapt communication style to diverse audiences.
• Ability to adapt quickly to new software and systems.
• Ability to network and build and maintain effective and collaborative working relationships with key stakeholders and to create and promote synergies across the Organization and with external stakeholders.
• Ability to represent the Organization and present/promote the technical area of work and the ILO’s position on it to partners with a view to gaining their support to advance the desired course of action.
• Ability to mobilize resources.
• Ability to work effectively in a multicultural environment and to demonstrate gender-responsive, non-discriminatory and inclusive behaviour and attitudes.