Employment Specialist

This position is located in the ILO Country Office for Pacific Island Countries in Suva (CO-Suva). CO-Suva covers eleven ILO Member States: Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Kiribati, Vanuatu, Samoa, Marshall Islands, Tuvalu, Palau, Tonga and Cook Islands. CO-Suva is responsible for providing support to governments, employers' and workers' organizations of the Pacific Island countries in their efforts to reduce decent work deficits and to pursue development for dignity through the promotion of rights at work, employment, social protection and social dialogue, thus achieving social justice and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Co-Suva participates in three UN Country Teams (Fiji, Papua New Guinea and Samoa). 
The position reports to the Director of CO-Suva. The incumbent will work closely with the Employment Specialists in the Decent Work Technical Support Team for East Asia, South East Asia and the Pacific and Country Office for Thailand, Cambodia and Lao PDR, based in Bangkok (DWT/CO-Bangkok). The position will be part of the Global Employment Technical Team and will receive technical guidance and advice from the Employment Policy Department (EMPLOYMENT) at ILO headquarters.

1. Conduct and coordinate research concerning employment and skills development and undertake comparative analyses to identify good practice examples. Prepare and contribute to policy tools and other resource materials required to support implementation at the country level. 
2. Work closely with relevant technical specialists in DWT/CO-Bangkok and at headquarters to advance the employment agenda in the sub-region, including in the context of Decent Work Country Programmes. Provide policy advice to ILO constituents on issues regarding the advancement promotion of employment and employability, including through the promotion of development cooperation activities. Facilitate the effective participation of employers’ and workers’ organizations in related processes. 
3. Provide policy advice to governments, employers’ and workers’ organizations on the formulation, implementation and review of employment and labour market policies and information systems, particularly those relating to employment creation, skills development and active labour market programmes, as well as on existing institutions and institutional strengthening. 
4. Assist ILO constituents in undertaking needs assessments and comparative policy and labour market analyses with a view to strengthening their capacity to design active labour market programmes for disadvantaged groups.
5. Provide policy advice on building systems to sustain cooperation between public and private training systems, industrial sectors and other important stakeholders and on systems linking training provision to the needs of employers, emerging employment-creating industries and sectors.
6. Carry out technical advisory missions to countries and participate in multidisciplinary activities of UN Country Teams in the areas of employment promotion, labour market policies and programmes.
7. Design, backstop, monitor and evaluate development cooperation projects for strengthening national capacities in the fields of employment and labour market policies, particularly in the areas of employment services and active labour market policies and programmes.
8. Update or develop policy and programme tools and knowledge sharing products that support ILO constituents and employment and skills specialists in implementing strengthened work-based learning and quality apprenticeship programmes. Provide advice on how work-based learning, including quality apprenticeships, can meet the needs of workers and operators in rural areas and the informal economy, as well as the special needs of women, youth, persons with disabilities and migrant workers.
9. Contribute to the knowledge management and communication efforts of the region and the wider Office on employment and skills development to ensure that research findings and lessons from development cooperation projects in the sub-region are made available to a wide range of constituents, as well as to academics and specialists in other agencies. 
10. Act as focal point for environment and decent work in the sub-region in coordination with the Senior Specialist Environment and Decent Work based in the Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific. Contribute to mainstreaming a just transition to environmental sustainability into (i) country programmes and initiatives; and (ii) greening ILO offices in the Pacific. 
11. 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. 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 recognised technical specialisation. 
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 development cooperation activities.
4. Formulate and submit project proposals and seek funding.
5. Evaluate the efficiency and effectiveness of the project activities.
6. Undertake technical advisory missions independently or in collaboration with other specialists.
7. Conduct seminars, workshops and technical meetings and training courses.
8. Prepare draft recommendations and guidelines for discussion and adoption as ILO Recommendations or Conventions on related technical fields.
9. Write manuals and/or training guides on related topics.
10. Disseminate information on programmes through publications and, press releases, as well as ensuring representation at donors’ meetings, international, regional and national fora and advocacy 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 development cooperation activities and international meetings and conferences.

Advanced university degree in economics, social science, labour economics or other social sciences with demonstrated expertise in the relevant technical field.

Eight years' experience at the national level or five years’ experience at the international level in employment and active labour market programmes. Experience in labour market analysis and the design and implementation of development cooperation projects in countries would be an advantage. 

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

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

Technical
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; formulate new concepts and methodologies; develop training materials, alternative courses of action, project proposals, policy, procedural matters and present them at high-level meetings; design and synthesize strategies for  programme development in member States; produce reports (e.g. reports for regional conferences and  the International Labour Conference, technical publications, training manuals  and draft resolutions) and evaluate and monitor development cooperation activities and projects.  Knowledge of resource mobilization.

Behavioural
Ability to work in a multicultural environment and to demonstrate gender-sensitive and non-discriminatory behaviour and attitudes.