National Project Officer - NOA (DC)

The National Project Officer Position is located in Nairobi working closely with the Project Coordinator, ILO Decent Work Technical Support Team, Skills and Employment teams for Eastern and Southern Africa (DWT-Pretoria). The ILO Country Office for East Africa covering the countries of Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi works with the member states governments, social partners – workers and employers organizations to enhance freedom of association, social dialogue, entrepreneurship, skills development, ending child labour, among others. The Office also supports technical cooperation projects in a number of areas related to its mandate in close collaboration with the umbrella organizations for employers and workers.

Main purpose 
The ILO seeks to recruit a National Project Officer (NPO) at the NOA level for a new project that aims at improving skills development systems, policies, services and enabling environments for young people, especially from the identified marginalised groups, in industries key to Kenya’s national economic growth. The project seeks to build the capacity of key national skills development and training stakeholders and their linking with industries, while ensuring gender responsive and disability inclusive employment.

The National Project Officer  will coordinate the skills component of the project. As a team member, the NPO will provide will be responsible for coordination of formal and informal skills development interventions working closely with County Governents, Key Government Agencies in TVET and Higher Education. The NPO will also be responsible for monitoring and evaluation functions as well as knowledge management.  The NPO is expected to ensure that project activities are delivered in an efficient, effective and client oriented manner following the ILO standards and procedures. He/She will contribute to the development and enhancement of work methods and procedures as governed by established rules, regulations, policies, procedures and guidelines. 

The NPO is expected to exercise a high degree of independence in completing work assignments. He/She will be supervised by the Project Manager focused on the overall delivery of results impacting the Project and the overall Office Work.

Reporting Line

Under the overall responsibility of the Director of the ILO Country Office for United Republic of Tanzania, Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda, the National Programme Officer will work under the direct supervision of the National Project Coordinator – Kenya Skills for Prosperity Programme Manager. The overall technical backstopping will be done by the Senior Skills and employment Specialist from DWCT-Pretoria. 
 
This position will be based in Nairobi.

• Provide programming, organizational and administrative support to activities, including workshops for sectoral training bodies and vocational training centres. 
• Conduct consultations with line-Ministries, central and county government departments; employers’ and workers’ organizations, private sector, development agencies on skills development issues particularly work based training programmes. 
• Support the coordination of project implementation including through discussions with project implementing partners, field visits, development and analysis of progress reports, and participation in reviews and evaluations determining targets delivery. 
• Organize training and orientation courses, seminars and workshops envisaged within the programme, taking notes of proceedings and write associated reports 
• Prepare briefs, periodical reports and data on status of project activities to ILO Dar es Salaam Country Office, Decent work country team Pretoria, Regional office and Headquarters 
• Ensure visibility of the project activities by drafting news items, taking quality pictures etc. and sharing them with the office communication unit Dar es salaam, Pretoria, regional office and HQ. 
•  Assist in the capacity building of selected implementing partners to facilitate knowledge, awareness and smoother implementation of apprenticeship programmes other skills strategies; working closely and collaboratively with them to implement project activities. 
• Undertake missions to relating to project implementation. 
• Collaborate with the project professional team and national partners in the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of activities, and in coordination with the ILO Field Offices and HQ. 
• Assist with drafting curriculum, tools, manuals, and other training materials for use by the project. 
• Provide inputs for budget preparation and other administrative related matters, including preparing relevant documentation for responsible ILO entities. 
• Collaborate closely with relevant ILO programmes and projects, ILO units and responsible ILO offices and DWT as appropriate, to obtain technical inputs and share best practices and lessons learned. 
• Prepare background information, programme briefs, periodical reports, gender analysis and related technical reports and statistical data on status of programme activities for internal and external distribution 
• Perform other duties as requested by the immediate supervisor and ILO Country Office Director. 

First level university degree in education / technical and vocational education / economic development, social science or a related discipline. 

At least one or two years of work experience of programme / project implementation in the area of education, TVET development; entrepreneurial and skills development, poverty reduction, micro finance, applied research or social work. Experience in implementing development projects funded by donors is an asset. Experience in working with Governments, employers and workers organizations will be an advantage. 

Excellent spoken and written knowledge of English; good knowledge of another official language of the duty station.

• Good interpersonal and communication skills. 
• Ability to organize and meet deadlines with minimum supervision. 
• Ability to work proactively in the spirit of team work. 
• Ability to establish and maintain a good working relationship with international and national colleagues working in the same field. 
• Excellent verbal and written English and Swahili 
• Knowledge of programme and budget, project administration and evaluation concepts and procedures. 
• Ability to interpret project information and to identify and analyse problems with implementations 
• Good drafting skills: ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing 
• Ability to organize own work. 
• Ability to work with different computer software and databases 
• Must demonstrate responsible behaviour and attention to detail