National Project Coordinator (Enterprise Advisor)

Introduction

Background

This position is located in Tashkent and forms part of the ILO team in Uzbekistan, operating under the overall guidance of the Regional Office (RO) for Europe and Central Asia.

The Decent Work Technical Support Team and Country Office for Europe and Central Asia (DWT/CO-Moscow) provides strategic and technical support for the formulation and implementation of Decent Work Country Programmes (DWCPs) across the sub-region, including the design and execution of development cooperation projects.

In this context, the team in Tashkent supports the effective coordination and delivery of ILO activities in Uzbekistan, contributing to sound planning and implementation of the DWCP, enhanced visibility of ILO interventions, and a strengthened ILO presence in the country.

Better Work is implementing, with bridge funding from the Uzbekistan Government, a Better Work programme in Uzbekistan until end of October 2026. A Memorandum of Understanding between Better Work and the national constituents has been agreed to capture commitments from all parties to ensure an enabling environment for a longer-term Better Work Programme in the country.
In line with the priorities identified in Uzbekistan’s Decent Work Country Programme, this will be done by adopting a thematic capacity building approach that caters to the identified industry needs. The funding will also be used to support national constituents to address dynamics within the textile and garment industry, focusing on how to promote a culture of compliance, more effective partnerships, and sound industrial relations and how to work together collaboratively to ensure decent working condition for all actors in the country’s growing apparel industry and to attract investments from the world’s most influential brands and retailers. This Enterprise Advisor position will provide technical assistance to companies in the cotton, textile, garment value chain. 

About Better Work

We mobilize global brands, governments, factory owners and workers to improve working conditions, drive competitiveness and create a more equitable, more prosperous world.

For more information about Better Work please see www.betterwork.org.

The Power of Convening

As a partnership between the UN’s International Labour Organization and the World Bank Group’s International Finance Corporation, we know how to bring diverse groups together to create positive action that improves working conditions while stimulating productivity and competitiveness.

A Proven Approach

We create lasting, measurable change by empowering factories to improve the working conditions in their facilities. Our assessments are the global gold standard for rigour and integrity. Our training programs and advisory services change attitudes as well as behaviours.

National Action/ Global Influence

Through our comprehensive, university-led research, and by sharing best practices from our on-the-ground experience, we are able to shape the agenda well beyond the countries in which we work, influencing governments, brands and policy makers to make improving working conditions a top priority.

Purpose

Our work and our research have demonstrated – to employers, unions, global brands and governments – that improving working conditions and defending the rights of workers benefits all of us. We’ve improved the lives of more than 5 million workers, and millions more family members, while enhancing the profitability of their employers. There is no trade-off between better work and better business.

For more information about Better Work please see www.betterwork.org.

Reporting Lines

The position will work under the direct supervision of the ILO Senior Coordinator for Uzbekistan based in Tashkent, the matrix manager will be the Technical Specialists Training, Better Work based in Geneva. 

Description of Duties

To provide professional factory level services with a view to support sustainable improvements in compliance performance and enterprise development. This includes conducting independent enterprise assessments against labour standards, delivering training services to management and worker representatives, provision of tailored advisory services to strengthen internal systems and sound industrial relations, and reporting on factory performance according to BW guidelines and quality requirements.

1. Using Better Work’s Compliance Assessment Tool, conduct assessments of enterprises’ labour standards and management systems;
2. Produce high quality reports in English on (i) assessment findings, (ii) recommendations for improvement, (iii) enterprise improvement plans and (iv) progress reports on implementation;
3. Review the reports of other enterprise advisors as part of the Better Work peer review quality assurance system;
4. Provide high quality enterprise level advisory services designed to improve enterprise performance. These services will include general coaching, helping to set up and facilitate labour management committees, providing technical advice and conducting training, tailored to identified needs at the factory;
5. Develop, adapt and deliver Better Work training services on the basis of needs assessment;
6. Select, adapt and contextualize other Better Work or ILO products for use at the individual enterprise level as well as for use with the national level constituents;  
7. Liaise with Better Work Global, other BW country programmes and other ILO or development cooperation projects on OSH and ensure best practices are being shared with constituents in Uzbekistan – both at the enterprise level and the sectoral/ national levels;
8. Collaborate with colleagues on the capacity building and policy level work with the tripartite constituents in Uzbekistan in order to improve the effectiveness of the overall programme; 
9. Manage information in Better Work’s systems including ASTRA, SharePoint and other and ensure good communication flows with colleagues;
10. Actively contribute to the programme’s monitoring and evaluation strategy, research agenda and knowledge management systems;
11. Perform other duties as required by the supervisor.

Required qualifications

Education

Internationally recognized first level university degree in human resource management, adult education, international development, industrial engineering, enterprise development, law, or other relevant fields. An advanced degree in one of the above subjects would be a strong advantage.

Experience

At least two years of professional experience at the national level in occupational safety and health (OSH), social dialogue/industrial relations, capacity building in the private sector in developing countries, adult education, industrial engineering, corporate social responsibility or another relevant field. 

Languages

Very good command of English. Excellent knowledge of Uzbek and Russian.

Competencies

• Good analytical skills;
• Good knowledge of the Uzbek labour-related laws and regulations;
• Good group facilitation, interpersonal and conflict resolution skills and proven experience of delivering classroom and virtually based training;
• Understanding of enterprise level human resource management, production and quality systems;
• Good understanding of corporate social responsibility and labour compliance issues in global supply chains;
• Ability to monitor the effectiveness of training and capacity building initiatives undertaken by partner organizations/ consultants;
• Knowledge of the office’s financial rules and regulations
• Self-motivation and ability to work independently in an outcomes-based work culture, as well as to work as part of a team;
• Strong analytical skills and ability to justify requirements and approaches to problem resolution, and good drafting skills;
• Capacity to sensitively liaise and network with a range of stakeholders including staff, donors, international buyers, government officials, management, unions and NGOs;
• Ability to work with word processing and computer software packages required for work, and with other software packages for producing information materials;
• Ability to work in a multicultural environment and to demonstrate gender-sensitive and non-discriminatory behaviours and attitudes;
• Clear commitment to mainstreaming gender into project activities.

optional section (if needed)

Better Work, as part of the ILO, values diversity among its staff and welcomes applications from qualified women and men, including those with disabilities.

For more information, please contact betterwork_hr@ilo.org