Senior Technical Specialist on Social Protection

The position is located in the ILO Decent Work Technical Support Team and Country Office for South Asia (DWT/Delhi) in Delhi, India which covers Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. The DWT/Delhi provides high quality, timely and integrated technical support to country offices in the design and implementation of Decent Work Country Programmes (DWCPs) in the context of the national SDGs Implementation in response to their requests within the framework of ILO outcome-based work plans. This support includes technical and policy advice, information and analyses.

The Senior Technical Specialist will be part of the Office-wide Global Technical Team on social protection and contribute to the implementation of the Programme and Budget outcome on social protection. The Senior Technical Specialist will be responsible for providing policy advice and technical assistance specifically to ILO constituents, in the countries covered by the DWT/Delhi, on social protection to influence national policies aiming at ensuring that more people have access to better managed, more adequate and gender equitable social security benefits.

The Specialist will have a lead role in promoting the inclusion of social protection priorities in DWCPs and UNDAFs and other planning documents in the countries of coverage. S/he will provide advice and assistance on technical matters on the design, monitoring and evaluation of development cooperation projects.

The incumbent will work under the direct supervision of and report to the Director of the DWT/Delhi. S/he will receive technical guidance and advice from the Social Protection Department at headquarters. S/he will also work in close cooperation with other technical specialists and project staff in the DWT/Delhi and with ILO Country Offices across the areas of geographical responsibility of DWT/Delhi. This includes National Coordinators at the country level and development cooperation staff on social protection.

1.Provide high-level technical input and policy advisory services to ILO constituents, national social security institutions, planning commissions, regional institutions and other stakeholders, with a particular emphasis on rights-based gender and environmentally responsive public social protection schemes and programmes, including contributory social insurance and non-contributory benefits. This includes the design and implementation of social protection policies and strategies and Social Protection Floor (SPF) initiatives that are consistent with the ILO's work at country level, guided by the Social Security (Minimum Standards) Convention, 1952 (No. 102), the Social Protection Floors Recommendation, 2012 (No. 202) and other relevant ILO standards, and contribute to achieving relevant Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on social protection.

2.As the primary specialist for social protection in the sub-region, lead, plan develop and coordinate the implementation of a sub-regional strategy on social protection including on the extension of social protection through national social protection floors; coordinate with the Senior Technical Specialist on Social Protection in the DWT/Bangkok team the development of a regional strategy.

3.Build and maintain effective relationships with governments, employers' and workers' organizations. Initiate, lead and coordinate the development and implementation of joint partnerships and programmes with other UN agencies, development partners, research institutions, private sector enterprises and foundations, members of the workers network, development banks and international NGOs, including members of the Social Protection Inter-Agency Coordination Board (SPIAC-B), particularly in relation to the promotion and implementation of national social protection floors. Develop a roster of social security experts/consultants.

4.Support the development and implementation of national tailor-made and sub-regional policies, programmes, strategies and initiatives establishing and implementing national social protection floors within progressively comprehensive social security systems, taking into consideration rights-based and other relevant approaches as well as the priorities of the tripartite constituents in national dialogue. These include country-level policies for the extension of social security that take into account the national socio-economic context, advice with regard to the governance and administration of social protection schemes and programmes, and advice in the area of the financial governance of social security systems.

5.Provide expert advice and advocate and promote ILO social security standards among key stakeholders, including concerned governments, employers’ and workers' organizations, and other target groups. Support countries wishing to ratify ILO social security Conventions.

6.Promote the integration of social protection policies and issues into national development frameworks, employment policies, DWCPs, UNDAFs and related initiatives.

7.Initiate, design, supervise and conduct relevant analytical and policy-oriented research on sub-regional and national social security programmes and policies that will serve as the basis for the formulation of relevant national social security strategies.

8.Identify pivotal policy issues in the sub-region and contribute to the development of the Social Protection Department's policy and country briefs, the World Social Protection Report as well as other flagship publications. Identify, review and document relevant information pertaining to initiatives extending social security, achievements and impact of the various social security systems targeting both formal and informal economy workers within the sub-region.

9.Support the monitoring of social protection related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by building capacities of national and sub-regional stakeholders on SDG monitoring and facilitating the collection of social protection data for the ILO’s Social Security Inquiry and ILO’s World Social Protection Database. Provide inputs to Office reports on sub-regional and national trends and issues in social protection.

10.Provide technical support and high-level advice to Directors of ILO Country Offices and DWT Specialists on the integration of social protection priorities into their respective work programmes to respond to the defined needs of constituents as expressed in the DWCPs in particular about the following: development of the ILO's knowledge base on social protection in the region, advocacy and promotion of national social protection floors within progressively comprehensive social security systems.

11.Design country-level or sub-regional, bilateral or multilateral development cooperation projects, including those integrated in the ILO’s Flagship programme on building social protection floors for all. In coordination with relevant ILO Country Offices, liaise with donors and potential partners, including the private sector with a view to securing development cooperation resources and expanding the Office’s capacity to undertake various activities in the field of social protection in the sub-region covered by DWT/Delhi, achieve results and impact on people. Guide and monitor the work of Chief Technical Advisors (CTAs) and project staff in line with established ILO guidelines. With regard to the Flagship programme the Specialist will also support the design of country plans, country operations of global networks (business, workers’, SPIAC-B, UN), monitoring of interventions, document results and impact at country-level, promote the use of the results and impact measurement tool across all development cooperation projects and contribute to sharing country good practices, as well as developing technical guides and training manuals responding to the needs of ILO constituents.

12.Perform other relevant duties as assigned.

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

1. Lead, organize, plan, supervise and control the work of a technical unit (including managerial functions).
2. Design and promote a wide range of special subject-matter-related programmes, This involves analysis of complex or conflicting data, statistics, information or policy guidelines in a manner requiring the advanced application of principles of a recognized technical specialization. 
3. Develop and review an institutional framework, in which social partners can best improve, implement and evaluate efficient and equitable ILO action programmes.
4. Assume full responsibility for policy formulation and providing policy advice to ILO’s constituents on institutional strengthening, the application of ILO standards and the promotion of development cooperation activities.
5. Develop project design, review proposals, formulate, revise and submit project proposals and negotiate funding.
6. Evaluate the efficiency and effectiveness of the project activities.
7. Lead technical advisory missions.
8. Conduct seminars, workshops and technical meetings.
9. Prepare recommendations and guidelines for discussion and adoption as ILO recommendations on related technical fields.
10. Write manuals and training guides on related topics.
11. Disseminate information on action programmes through publications and press releases as well as ensuring representation at donors’ meetings, international, regional and national fora and advocacy campaigns.
12. Monitor and coordinate research carried out by junior technical officers and external collaborators.
13. Provide technical inputs to office documents (sectoral meetings, technical committees, conference reports, Director General’s report to ILC).

Advanced university degree in economics, social sciences, actuarial studies, law, or other related studies with demonstrated expertise on social protection issues.

Ten to fifteen years of relevant experience of which at least 7 years at the international level. Experience in designing, supporting the implementation and assessing social protection programmes. Experience in the design and/or management of international development programmes or projects is an advantage, as is relevant experience in at least another region. Experience in working with ILO constituents would be an asset.

Excellent command of English is required. A working knowledge of another working language (French and Spanish) of the Organization would be an advantage.

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

Technical

Demonstrated and recognized technical and /or managerial leadership in carrying out the objectives and policies of the related work unit, demonstrated technical expertise to devise new methods, concepts, approaches and techniques, leading to development of ILO standards and technical guidelines and ability to prepare ILO strategy reports in the related field for programme development, the ability to provide policy advice and the ability to manage large projects to coordinate activities among projects. Ability to negotiate and to communicate with a variety of audiences (both specialized and non-specialized). Develop and nurture positive relations with the ILO constituents; ability to engage in capacity building.

Behavioural

Strong commitment to ILO values. The ability to work in a multicultural environment and to demonstrate gender-sensitive and non-discriminatory behaviour and attitudes.