Grade: P4
Vacancy no.: RAPS/2/2023/AF/03
Publication date: 21 Avril 2023
Application deadline (midnight Geneva time): 23 May 2023
Job ID: 10738
Department: RO-Africa
Organization Unit: DWT/CO-Dakar
Location: Dakar
Contract type: Fixed Term
The following are eligible to apply:
Staff members with at least five years of continuous service with the Office are encouraged to apply.
Applications from candidates 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: ILO Jobs: 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.
Please note that in the context of the new ILO organigram, the naming of the departments may be subject to change.
The position is located in the ILO Decent Work Technical Support Team for West Africa (DWT/CO-Dakar) in Dakar, Senegal. DWTs provide high quality, timely and integrated technical support to country offices in the design and implementation of Decent Work Country Programmes (DWCPs) in response to their requests within the framework of outcome-based workplans. This support includes technical and policy advice, information and analyses covering a wide range of specific subjects within the core areas of the ILO’s mandate.
The Social Protection Specialist will be responsible for providing policy advice and technical assistance specifically to ILO's constituents, in the countries covered by the DWT/CO-Dakar, on social protection to influence national policies aiming at ensuring that more people have access to better managed and more gender equitable social protection benefits. The Specialist will promote the inclusion of social protection priorities in the Decent Work Country Programmes (DWCPs) in the countries of coverage.
The specialist will be part of the Global Task Team on social protection, contribute to the implementation of the Programme and Budget outcome on social protection. S/he will actively promote and support the development and implementation of integrated policies to achieve universal social protection, including in the framework of the ILO’s Global Flagship Programme on Building Social Protection Floors for All (ILO Flagship Programme) and the UN Secretary- General’s Global Accelerator on Jobs and Social Protection for Just Transitions (Global Accelerator) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The incumbent will report to the Director of DWT/CO-Dakar and will receive technical guidance and advice from the Director of the Social Protection Department at headquarters. S/he will work in close cooperation with other technical specialists in the DWT/CO-Dakar Team and with the other specialist(s) in the sub-region as well as with development cooperation staff on social protection. S/he will work closely with SOCPRO colleagues to further develop the ILO Flagship Programme on Building Social Protection Floors for All in the region.
7. Design, supervise and conduct relevant analytical and policy-oriented research on sub-regional and national social protection programmes and policies that will serve as the basis for the formulation of relevant gender-responsive national social protection strategies. Contribute to the development of the ILO's knowledge base on social protection in the region.
8. Contribute towards identifying pivotal policy issues in the region. Contribute to the Social Protection Department's policy developments and the formulation of national social protection priorities within the conceptual framework of Decent Work Country Programmes. Contribute to the implementation of the Programme and Budget outcome on social protection
9. Provide technical support and advice to Directors of 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 on the development of the ILO's knowledge base on social protection in the region, and advocacy and promotion of national social protection floors within progressively comprehensive social protection systems.
10. Provide sub-regional support to the ILO’s Flagship Programme on Building Social Protection Floors for All. This includes support in the design and mobilizing of resources for ILO Flagship Programme country projects under the responsibility of the DWT, and the implementation and monitoring of interventions at country-level.
11. Design country-level, bilateral or multilateral development cooperation projects. In coordination with relevant ILO Country Offices, liaise with donors and potential partners 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 region.
12. Support the implementation of the Global Accelerator on Jobs and Social Protection for Just Transitions in at least one country of the sub-region through engagement with the government, social partners and the UN country team, and by providing support to the development of national roadmaps, implementation programmes, technical and financial partnerships including with international financial institutions, programme monitoring and evaluation.
13. Identify, review and document relevant information pertaining to initiatives extending social protection, achievements and impact of the various social protection systems targeting both formal and informal economy workers within the sub-region.
14. Perform other relevant duties as assigned.
These specific duties are aligned with the relevant ILO generic job description, which includes the following generic duties:
Advanced university degree (Master’s or equivalent) in economics, social sciences, actuarial studies 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 required experience stated below, will be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree.
At least seven years of experience, including at the international level in dealing with social protection issues. Experience in designing, supporting the implementation and assessing social protection programmes. Experience in the design and/or management of international development programmes or projects would be an asset. Relevant experience in another region and experience working with ILO constituents would be assets.
Excellent command of English or French and a working knowledge of the other. A working knowledge of Portuguese would be an asset.
In addition to the ILO core competencies, this position requires:
Technical competencies
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 International Labour Conference, technical publications, training manuals and draft resolutions) and evaluate and monitor development cooperation activities and projects.
Behavioural competencies
Good communication, presentation and negotiating skills. High standards of integrity, professionalism, personal discipline and impartiality. Strong commitment to ILO values. Ability to liaise and cooperate with other members of the team and other programmes at headquarters and field offices; communicate with a variety of audiences (both specialized and non-specialized); develop and nurture positive relations with ILO constituents; engage in capacity building; prioritize work and to meet tight deadlines. Ability to work in a multicultural environment and to demonstrate gender sensitive and non-discriminatory behaviour and attitudes.
Conditions of employment
For more information on conditions of employment, please visit the ILO Jobs International Recruitment page.
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. 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.
The ILO has zero tolerance for acts of sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA) and is determined to ensure that all staff members and all beneficiaries of ILO assistance do not suffer, directly or indirectly, from sexual exploitation and abuse.
To ensure that individuals with a substantiated history of SEA, sexual harassment or other types of abusive conduct are not hired by the Organisation, the ILO may conduct a background verification of candidates under consideration.
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.
This vacancy is archived.