National Project Coordinator

Introduction

The new Project on “Strengthening freedom of association and action against child labour in the Philippines” aims to strengthen the promotion and enforcement of labour laws compliance with international labour standards, with focus on the fundamental principles and rights at work, especially as they are applied in trade sectors.  The Project will run from 2024 to 2029, with funding from the Government of Canada, particularly the Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC). 

The initiatives concentrate on two domains: Freedom of Association and Child Labour. The emphasis on Freedom of Association and labour relations arises from the recommendations of the 2023 High-Level Tripartite Mission to the Philippines and initiatives under the project will help realize the FOA Roadmap. The Project will also support the Philippine Programme Against Child Labor in helping the country recover from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic which reversed the progress in reducing child labour.   The Project will address gender-related issues/gaps surrounding freedom of association and labour rights drawing from the priorities under the women workers’ agenda as well as gender-related vulnerabilities of children in child labour.

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The Project will provide technical assistance aligned with ILO conventions on FOA and child labour, support institutional capacity-building on addressing FOA and child labour, and facilitate social dialogue and sharing of learnings or good practices among ILO’s tripartite and bipartite social partners to promote fair labour practices and labour rights and core labour standards including collective bargaining, discrimination, and occupational safety and health, especially on trade sectors.  

Specifically, the Project will deliver the following outputs under the identified two outcomes:

Outcome 1:  Tripartite FOA Roadmap - Workers’ freedom of association and right to organize promoted in line with the 2023 HLTM recommendations:

Output 1.1: Tripartite FOA Roadmap is implemented including monitoring mechanism.

Output 1.2: Workers' grievance mechanism on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work (FPRW) is operationalized.

Output 1.3.  Employers and Business Membership Organizations (EBMOs) are capacitated to promote compliance with labour law and standards and gender-responsive business practices.

Output 1.4: Bipartite and tripartite mechanisms are strengthened to promote social dialogue in workplace and compliance with labour standards.

Output 1.5: Labour dispute resolution practices are enhanced at national and regional levels.

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Outcome 2: The Philippine Programme Against Child Labour is supported in removing children from child labour and keeping them in school.

       Output 2.1: Feasibility Study on Child Labour Free Certification

Output 2.2: Campaign against child labour at sectoral levels

Output 2.3: National child labour monitoring system (CLMS) developed

Output 2.4: Strengthened enforcement mechanisms to ensure no child labour in trade sectors

The Project will run parallel to the ILO’s regional project on Trade, Labour, and FPRW in Southeast Asia which is also proposed to be funded by ESDC. In particular, the Philippine project will complement the regional project in the capacity building initiatives to improve compliance of ASEAN Member States (AMS) with fundamental principles and rights at work; development of tripartite FPRW roadmap; and assessment of labour compliance gaps in trade sectors.  The Philippine project will facilitate the participation of Philippine workers’ and employers’ organizations in the regional peer to peer learning and training initiatives.  It will also be aligned to the regional communication and advocacy strategies on labour rights as well as on child labour.  Similar to the regional project, the Philippine project aligns with Canada's Indo-Pacific strategy, to improve the enforcement of labour provisions, including on forced labour, in current and future free trade agreements between Southeast Asia and Canada.

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Within the policy and procedural requirements established by the ILO and the Project on “Strengthening freedom of association and action against child labour in the Philippines”, the National Project Coordinator will ensure the support the delivery and implementation of the project’s expected outputs and objectives.

Reporting lines

The National Project Coordinator will be based in Manila, Philippines.

The National Project Coordinator will work under the supervision of the Director of the ILO Country Office for the Philippines (CO-Manila) and will closely coordinate with and receive guidance from the Senior Programme Officer of CO-Manila.

The incumbent will coordinate activities under the technical guidance and advice from the Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work Branch (FUNDAMENTALS) in ILO Headquarters and the ILO Decent Work Technical Support Team for East and Southeast Asia (DWT-Bangkok).

The National Project Coordinator will facilitate close coordination with the ILO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (ROAP) in Bangkok/DWT Bangkok to maximize complementation of the Philippine project activities and at the same time avoid duplication with the regional project on Trade, Labour, and FPRW in Southeast Asia.

Description of Duties

The National Project Coordinator (NPC) will lead and manage the project and ensure its timely implementation, including provision of technical and administrative supervision to the project team in line with the ILO policy, rules, and regulations and in according to the final project document.  Key responsibilities include strategic planning, management of project resources, coordination with tripartite partners (government, employers’, and workers’ organizations both at the national and local levels) and other stakeholders, liaising with EDSC and other development partners, monitoring project progress against objectives, and ensuring high-level communications to increase project’s visibility. The NPC will also provide high quality technical inputs and advice on key outputs and activities of the project in close coordination with the relevant ILO specialists and, when appropriate, external consultants. The National Project Coordinator will ensure that the project contributes to and leverages ongoing ILO country interventions under the framework of the DWCP of the Philippines/ Philippine Labor and Employment Plan and the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework.

Specific duties will include the following:

• Ensure effective management including planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the project’s activities in accordance with the policies, programme strategies, programme guidelines, administrative and financial procedures of the ILO and country/action programmes.
• Provide timely, accurate and pertinent information on programme and budget matters for operational decision-making purposes through the strategic use of the results-based management.  Use baselines, milestones, and indicators to measure, analyse and report on performance. Monitor and verify accuracy of data.

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• Set up the Project Advisory Committee at the national and possibly local sub-committees and spearhead the preparation for meetings, the selection of interventions, project partners and implementing agencies.
• Participate in the organization and facilitation of conferences, workshops, seminars, training sessions, consultative meetings and webinars and other relevant activities, in close collaboration with the CO-Manila Programme team, ILO Technical Specialists and main project partners and beneficiaries.
• Prepare briefs, periodical reports and statistical data and contribute to the production of training, advocacy, and communication materials in English and local language(s).
• Prepare periodic and ad-hoc progress reports on the status of the Project’s implementation and coordinate with concerned tripartite and other partners in the country, relevant UN agencies to ensure strong sustainability of the outputs.
• Identify and implement synergies and efficiencies with the Philippines Decent Work Country Programme/ Philippine Labor and Employment Plan, and related in-country projects and programmes, to enhance the impact and sustainability of the Project.
• Support the mobilization of additional resources for implementation of the project’s activities.

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• Assist in the programming and monitoring of available resources, prepare budget estimates and expenditure forecasts by comparing and analysing the resource situation with planned activities.
• Prepare terms of references for external collaborators, identify consultants for conducting certain project activities, prepare cost estimation and provide support for preparing contracts and provide guidance and assess their work.
• Monitor the implementation and ensure the completion of contracts; identify difficulties and propose solutions based on reports and undertake field missions in relation to project implementation.
• Undertake regular and ad-hoc visits to monitor project activities and ensure quality delivery and compliance with ILO guidance.
• Perform other relevant duties as assigned.

Required qualifications

Education

University degree in economics, management, social science, or related fields with demonstrated expertise or equivalent experience.  Training in results-based planning, design, data collection, monitoring and evaluation methodologies and project cycle management is an advantage.

Experience

At least three years of relevant professional experience at the national level preferably in project management and topics related to international labour standards, economic, social and environmental transitions, sustainable enterprises, and work experience collaborating with the Governments, Workers’ and Employers’ organization, civil society, UN Agencies and other stakeholders will be advantage. Proven ability to promote gender equality through project work.

Languages

Excellent command of English and an official national language of the duty station.

Competencies

• Ability to participate effectively in technical missions and multi-disciplinary teams.
• Capacity to negotiate share gains with external partners.
• Capacity to engage in high-level policy dialogue with stakeholders.
• Knowledge of programme and budget, project administration and evaluation concepts and procedures.
• Ability to draft reports and prepare guidelines relating to programme development and implementation and monitoring and evaluation and ability to provide technical support to Project Manager carrying out research, project formulation and implementation.
• Excellent analytical skills and knowledge of analytical tools.

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• Proficient with Microsoft Office and relevant software packages.
• High standards of integrity, professionalism, personal discipline, and impartiality.
• Excellent organizational skills.
• Ability to work on own initiative as well as a member of a team.
• Ability to work under political and time pressure and meet deadlines.
• Ability to deal with people with tact and diplomacy.
• Ability to work in a multicultural environment and to demonstrate gender-sensitive and non-discriminatory behaviour and attitudes.