Project Manager P4 (Productivity Ecosystem for Decent Work)

Introduction

The ILO, SECO and NORAD are launching the new global programme Productivity Ecosystems for Decent Work. The Programme has global coordinating component managed by the ILO headquarters in Geneva and country project components in Ghana, South Africa and Viet Nam. The programme will run over the course of 48 months from December 2021 to December 2025. The Programme aims to address the root causes of low productivity and employment outcomes by strengthening and establishing sustainable virtuous cycles between productivity, employment and good working conditions. The Programme emphasizes the importance of understanding and addressing productivity in an integrated manner across the enterprise level, the sector level and the policy level rather than intervening just at a single level or using a ‘one size fits all’ approach. The Programme is based on the principles of systems thinking and the development of evidence-based interventions as well as by facilitating change through incentives and capabilities development of key actors. The Programme is implemented jointly by the ILO’s ENTERPRISES and EMPLOYMENT Departments.

The Project Manager of the Viet Nam component will be responsible for the day-to-day management of the project implementation and provide technical advisory services to implementing partners and to beneficiaries within the policy and procedural requirements established by the ILO and the global Programme. They will ensure that the planned objectives are attained within the stated time frame and budget and ensure compliance with the ILO financial rules, regulations and operating procedures. They will coordinate the work of the entire Project Team in Viet Nam. The incumbent will promote ILO policies and standards for productive employment and sustainable enterprises developments.

Reporting lines: The position is located in the ILO Country Office in Hanoi and reports to the Director of the Office. The Project Manager will be technically backstopped by the specialists on employment policy and sustainable enterprises in the Decent Work Technical Support Team for East and Southeast Asia and the Pacific (DWT/CO-Bangkok). The Global Coordinator of the Productivity Ecosystem Programme in ILO Headquarters is the technical reviewing chief. The position works in close collaboration with the ENTERPRISES and EMPLOYMENT Departments and other relevant DWT colleagues.

The Project Manager will oversee the work of administrative and other support staff of the project/program, national officers and any other international and local consultant hired during the course of the project.  The project will have one administrative assistant and two national officers.

Description of Duties

The Project Manager is responsible for the achievement of the project’s planned outputs with the resources provided within the region of responsibility. Their main duties comprise:

• Manage and coordinate the Productivity Ecosystem for Decent Work Project in Viet Nam, ensuring that country project strategies, activities, outputs and budget delivery are in-line with project objectives and commitments to the donors, are aligned with the ILO Decent Work Country Programme (DWCP) and are delivered with strategic collaboration with other projects including other UN projects under the United National Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF)
• Supervise and monitor the work of the project team.  Allocate work to staff and control the quality of output, and evaluate the work performed by the staff of the unit. Provide new staff with guidance and training.
• Identify and activate public private partnerships with multi-national enterprises and other key private sector partners, government and public sector institutions, as well as social partners, strategically important NGOs and Community Based Organisations.
• Manage reporting of project activities and outcomes to donors and to the Office Director, the ILO DWT Bangkok and the Global Productivity Ecosystems Team in ILO Headquarters. Ensure project data is collected in line with the project’s monitoring and evaluation system.
• Contribute to knowledge generation and sharing at the global level, with a particular focus on developing a proof of concept of the Productivity Ecosystem for Decent Work approach, based on the lessons learned in Viet Nam.

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Specifically, the Project Manager is responsible for the following:

1. Lead and ensure the preparation of the Productivity Ecosystem for Decent Work Project country work plans and budgets.
2. Ensure that the Project standard operation procedures (SOPs) are aligned with the already established   Integrated Resource Management Information (IRIS) system of the ILO in order to ensure efficient and effective processing of financial and administrative tasks.
3. Develop a substantive Monitoring and Evaluation system, and an impact assessment system in order to the measure the results of the project at both outcome and output levels.
4. Provide authoritative technical advice to project stakeholders in various technical areas related to the project, particularly in the field of employment and productivity policy, enterprise productivity as well as market systems and value chain development, and mobilise expertise as needed.
5. Plan, conduct and/or supervise a number of assessments related to labour market issues and market systems and value chain development
6. Plan, manage and supervise the production and dissemination of technical publications related to the project and ensure the documentation of lessons learnt, results and good practices. Prepare periodic and ad hoc reports on the status of program planning and implementation and liaise with the donor on a regular basis.
7. Develop and foster contacts and relations with relevant ministries, employers' and workers' organizations, other private sector actors, non-governmental organizations, and donors active in the field of employment and private sector development and promote opportunities for collaboration towards planning and implementation of programme activities.
8. Provide technical support to the government, social partners and stakeholders toward building capacity to develop and implement policies and related administrative systems to improve the environment for improved productivity and better working conditions for enterprises. 
9. Establish, participate in and report to the National Advisory Committee Meetings and, if necessary, make recommendations for changes in the project strategy and approaches.
10. Ensure coordination of activities within the project, maximum sharing of information and experiences between the countries, and the building on synergies and collaboration across projects within countries.
11. Promote the integration of the Project into ILO country office agendas, and the collaboration with other programmes, and ensure the programme’s contribution to the achievement of the DWCP and the UNSDCF.  
12. Coordinate the documentation of good practices and lessons learnt, and present the programme’s experience and good practices in regional and international forums.
13. Ensure that gender is mainstreamed across all project strategies, plans and activities, and support gender capacity development for staff, partners, trainers and consultants as needed.
14. Undertake missions to field locations as part of project implementation and monitoring.
15. Perform any other related duties required for the programme’s satisfactory progress and delivery. 

Required qualifications

Education

Advanced university degree with relevant experience in economics, management and business administration, industrial engineering, social science or a related field. Master’s degree preferably in business, industrial engineering and/or economics.

Experience

At least 7 years of relevant development cooperation project management experience of which at least 3 years at international level with focus on business development and/or employment and labour market policies. Broad knowledge of and international experience in small and medium enterprise development and employment policies, with specific reference to business services, employment promotion, working conditions and productivity issues.  Proven management experience, in managing complex and integrated projects requiring multi-stakeholders coordination. Demonstrated experience in interacting with various actors from the public and private sector, including at high level. Sound knowledge and experience in all aspects of project cycle, i.e. design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation. Proven experience in partnership building and networking Work experience with the ILO is an asset.

Languages

Fluent in written and spoken English. Knowledge of Vietnamese an advantage.

Competencies

• Good knowledge of the role and operations of UN system activities for development.
• Ability to develop clear strategic goals consistent with the project/programme’s objectives, and to design and synthesise strategies for programme development;
• Ability to advocate and provide policy advice on employment and productivity;
• Ability to perform a variety of conceptual analyses required for the formulation and evaluation of polices related to SME development, employment and productivity.
• Excellent analytical skills.
• Ability to develop training materials and material development skills, alternative courses of action, project proposals, policy, procedural matters and present them at high-level meetings;
• Ability to work in a multicultural team and drive work forward independently.
• Good communication skills, both written and verbal.
• Ability to work under time pressure and meet deadlines.
• Ability to prepare reports and publications of a high quality, technically sound with conclusions leading to an action plan and programme development.
• Ability to develop positive partnerships within and outside ILO, including with significant research institutions
• Proven ability to take ownership of all responsibilities, to act with integrity and transparency by maintaining social, ethical and organisational norms, and to meet all commitments within the prescribed time, cost and quality standards;
• Ability to work in a multicultural environment and to demonstrate gender-sensitive and non-discriminatory behaviour and attitudes.