Back International Labour Standards and Labour Law Specialist

Grade: P4

Vacancy no.: RAPS/1/2022/AM/08
Publication date: 17 June 2022
Application deadline (midnight Geneva time): 18 July 2022

Job ID: 8643
Department: RO-Latin America and the Caribbean
Organization Unit: DWT/CO-San Jose
Location: San Jose
Contract type: Fixed Term

The following are eligible to apply:

• ILO Internal candidates in accordance with paragraphs 31 and 32 of Annex I of the ILO Staff Regulations.
• External candidates.

  Staff members with at least five years of continuous service with the Office are encouraged to apply.

  Applications from officials who have reached their age of retirement as defined in Article 11.3 of the Staff Regulations on or before 31 December 2017, or who have already separated from ILO service upon retirement or early retirement, will not be considered.

  The ILO values diversity among its staff and welcomes applications from qualified female candidates. We also encourage applicants with disabilities. If you are unable to complete our online application form due to a disability, please send an email to ilojobs@ilo.org.

  The ILO welcomes applicants with experience in working within ILO constituents (governments, employers’ and business membership organizations, and workers’ organizations).

  Applicants from non- or under-represented member States, or from those member States which staffing forecasts indicate will become non- or under-represented in the near future would be particularly welcome. A list of these countries can be found here: https://jobs.ilo.org/content/Non--and-under-represented-member-States/

  In addition to the interviews and tests that any candidate may be required to take, successful completion of the ILO Assessment Centre is required for all external candidates and any internal candidate applying to a higher category.

  Notwithstanding the general considerations set out in the ILO Staff Regulations, this vacancy announcement is the only authoritative document pertaining to the qualifications required for this position. The minimum required qualifications were determined in view of the specific duties and responsibilities of this position.

  The specific language requirements for this position are detailed hereunder. However, candidates applying for the professional category vacancies who have not already successfully completed their probationary period within the ILO and whose mother tongue is not one of the working languages of the Office (English, French and Spanish), shall be required to possess a fully satisfactory working knowledge of at least one of the ILO working languages. If appointed they may be required to acquire a knowledge of a second working language of the Office during their initial years of service.

  Introduction

  The position is located in the ILO Decent Work Technical Support Team and Country Office for Central America (DWT/CO-San Jose) based in San Jose, Costa Rica. DWT/CO-San Jose provides high-quality, timely and integrated technical support to Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama. in the design, implementation and monitoring of Decent Work Country Programmes and United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Frameworks.

  The position will provide senior level technical and policy advisory services to ILO constituents in the field of international labour standards, labour law, and labour dispute resolution and will support Member States to establish rights-based outcomes, strategies and programmes for the countries and the regional bodies covered. The incumbent will work in collaboration with other international labour standards and labour law specialists in the region and with the specialists responsible for employers' and workers' activities with the aim of strengthening and improving the promotion and application of international labour standards at all levels.

  The incumbent will report to the Director of DWT/CO-San Jose and will work in close coordination with the Director of the ILO Country Office for Mexico and Cuba (CO-Mexico) . The incumbent will receive technical guidance and support from the International Labour Standards Department (NORMES) at ILO headquarters. The Labour Law and Reform Unit (LABOURLAW) within the Governance and Tripartism Department at ILO headquarters, will also provide guidance and support.
  

  Specific Duties

  1.Advise governments in all matters relating to the carrying out of their obligations under ratified Conventions or under the ILO Constitution in respect of international labour standards. This includes: assisting governments and the social partners with reporting obligations and procedures with respect to ratified Conventions as well as with unratified Conventions and Recommendations; providing technical advice and assistance on procedures relating to international labour Conventions and Recommendations; providing technical advice and assistance on issues of effective application of standards taking into account the comments of the ILO supervisory bodies; providing advice concerning the procedures for the ratification of international labour standards with particular attention to following up on recommendations of the Standards Review Mechanism as an institutional priority, and on the various complaint procedures under the ILO Constitution; and promoting and supporting social dialogue in matters relating to ILO standards, in particular the establishment of procedures for tripartite consultations on standards-related issues in accordance with the Tripartite Consultation (International Labour Standards) Convention, 1976 (No.144).
  2.Provide capacity development to the government and social partners, as well as to the judiciary and parliamentarians on international labour standards and the supervisory system.
  3.In collaboration with LABOURLAW and NORMES, conduct research on regulatory frameworks, and analytical work in the field of international labour standards and labour law. Advise ILO constituents on the application of labour law and collective agreements, as well as on labour dispute settlement as effective means of attaining the Organization’s decent work and social justice goals. Draw on ILO standards and appropriate comparative practices at the international level in giving this advice.
  4.Design, implement and evaluate development cooperation projects to support the application of international labour standards.
  5.Establish and maintain close relations with employers' and workers' organizations in consultation with the relevant DWT technical specialists, informing and advising them on matters related to international labour standards, national labour law reform and labour relations.
  6.Contribute to the development of Decent Work Country Programmes and labour law/policy formulation. Provide advice to ILO constituents and to the UN Development System regarding the mainstreaming of international labour standards into national development frameworks. Design, implement and evaluate development cooperation projects to support the application of international labour standards.
  7.Contribute to the dissemination of the ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work through the organization of workshops and seminars. Prepare promotional material.
  8.Mainstream gender equality concerns into all international labour standards and labour legislation related activities.
  9. Perform other relevant duties as assigned
  These specific duties are aligned with the relevant ILO generic job description, which includes the following generic duties:

  Generic Duties

  1. Examine reports by governments on ratified and unratified Conventions and Recommendations. Examine and analyse complaints. Prepare comparative analyses of the legislation and practice of the different member States. Draft comments for presentation to and discussion with high-level committees and/or groups of experts. Provide advice to colleagues on labour standards under the incumbent’s responsibility.
  2. Prepare legal opinions and interpretations on a variety of legal questions or in a specialized field.
  3. Prepare notes, reports and documents concerning questions of international law or labour standards, including requests for interpretations on complex legal questions, for consideration by governments, the Governing Body, the International Labour Conference and the Director-General. Develop strategies for follow-up to decisions made by policy bodies.
  4. Analyse draft labour legislation submitted by governments to the ILO for comments prior to adoption.
  5. Undertake research and write studies on complex problems (i.e. judging compatibility between legislation and practice) relating to international labour standards, labour law and labour relations, as well as prepare general surveys, manuals and articles. Supervise the preparation of statements on questions of public international law relevant to the work of the ILO. Advise on the position to be taken by the Organization on these issues.
  6. Review and approve instruments of ratification.
  7. Provide technical support to special tripartite committees established by the Governing Body or commissions of inquiry to examine alleged infringements of ratified Conventions.
  8. Represent the work unit at meetings, including Conference committees and industrial committees, to provide advice on legal questions or questions concerning international labour standards or labour relations. Act as adviser to Conference committees and assist in the drafting of international legal instruments and participate in pre-conference work, including drafting committees. Represent the Office at meetings of other international organizations.
  9. Develop, plan and implement technical advisory and promotional activities, including tripartite seminars, workshops, lectures and discussion groups. Represent the Office on missions which may be of a sensitive or controversial nature and before judicial bodies. Represent the work unit on internal committees or at inter-agency meetings.
  10. Participate in the secretariat of various committees dealing with legal issues or labour standards, including preparation of background material and documents, drafting records of meetings, drafting reports, etc

      Required qualifications

      Education

      Advanced university degree in Law.
      

      Experience

      Minimum of eight years’ practical experience at the national level or at least six years at the international level.

      📚 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗚𝗲𝘁 𝗮 𝗝𝗼𝗯 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗨𝗡 𝗶𝗻 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟯! 🌍🤝 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗡𝗘𝗪 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗿𝘂𝗶𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗚𝘂𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗨𝗡 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟯 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝘀𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗨𝗡𝗛𝗖𝗥, 𝗪𝗙𝗣, 𝗨𝗡𝗜𝗖𝗘𝗙, 𝗨𝗡𝗗𝗦𝗦, 𝗨𝗡𝗙𝗣𝗔, 𝗜𝗢𝗠 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀! 🌐

      ⚠️ 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐋𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐍𝐨𝐰: 𝐏𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐓𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐧𝐢𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐚 𝐣𝐨𝐛 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐍𝐎𝐖!

      Languages

      Excellent command of Spanish and a working knowledge of English. Working knowledge of French would be an advantage.

      Competencies

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

      Knowledge of ILO procedures for the adoption of international labour standards, the supervision of their application and the practice of ILO supervisory bodies. Demonstrated technical skills in carrying out the assigned legal duties; sound knowledge of national labour laws to draft and review labour laws for selected countries; ability to design research studies and conduct comparative analyses involving the application of principles of law to the analysis of administrative, substantive and procedural problems of substantial intricacy and make use of analytical, and technical qualitative and quantitative tools; capacity to participate effectively in technical missions and within a team; ability to work in close collaboration with social partners and government representatives; ability to advise and persuade colleagues and constituents on legal questions and best practices and to approach wider issues other than the ones of the field of specialization; ability to present at various seminars, conferences and meetings; ability to devise and synthesize strategies to elaborate reviews and programmes on international labour standards in the Member States. Ability to prepare reports (such as reports for regional conferences and the International Labour Conference, technical publication, documents of debate, manuals and projects of resolutions) and evaluate and monitor development cooperation activities and projects.
      
      Behavioural

      Good written and spoken communication and presentation skills. Strong diplomatic skills, tact and discretion. High standard of integrity, professionalism, personal discipline and impartiality. Good interpersonal skills and proven team player. Ability to work in a multicultural environment and to demonstrate gender-sensitive and non-discriminatory behaviour and attitudes.

      Conditions of employment

  11. Any appointment/extension of appointment is subject to ILO Staff Regulations and other relevant internal rules. Any offer of employment with the ILO is conditional upon certification by the ILO Medical Adviser that the person concerned is medically fit to perform the specific inherent requirements of the position offered. In order to confirm an offer from the ILO the successful candidate will be required to undergo a medical examination.
• The first contract will be issued for a twenty-four month period.

For more information on conditions of employment, please visit: https://jobs.ilo.org/content/International/

Important Information

Any officials of the General Service category interested in applying to this position are hereby informed that, if selected, they will be offered the salary and allowances applicable to the grade of the position applied for, which may result in substantial changes in their take-home remuneration. In accordance with Article 3.4 of the Staff Regulations, the salary of an official, upon promotion, shall in no case be greater than the maximum salary of the grade to which he or she was promoted. For any questions or clarifications, please contact your HR partner at hrpartner@ilo.org

Recruitment process

Please note that all candidates must complete an on-line application form. To apply, please visit the ILO Jobs website at https://jobs.ilo.org/. The system provides instructions for online application procedures.

Evaluation (which may include one or several written tests and a pre-interview competency-based assessment centre) and the interviews will tentatively take place during the 3 to 4 months following the application deadline. Candidates are requested to ensure their availability should they be short listed for further consideration.

Depending on the location and availability of candidates, assessors and interview panel members, the ILO may use communication technologies such as Skype, Video or teleconference, e-mail, etc. for the assessment and evaluation of candidates at the different stages of the recruitment process, including assessment centres, technical tests or interviews.

Fraud warning

The ILO does not charge any fee at any stage of the recruitment process whether at the application, interview, processing or training stage. Messages originating from a non ILO e-mail account - @ilo.org - should be disregarded. In addition, the ILO does not require or need to know any information relating to the bank account details of applicants.