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National Project Officer (NPO)

Cairo

  • Organization: ILO - International Labour Organization
  • Location: Cairo
  • Grade: Junior level - NO-B, National Professional Officer - Locally recruited position
  • Occupational Groups:
    • Project and Programme Management
  • Closing Date: Closed

 

Grade: NOB 

Vacancy no.: CAIRO/DC/NO/2020/29
Publication date: 2 December 2020
Application deadline (midnight local time): 2 January 2021

Organization Unit: DWT/CO-Cairo 
Location: Cairo, Egypt

Job ID: 4939
Contract type: Fixed Term

Contract duration: One Year (with possibility of extension)


 

Under article 4.2, paragraph (e) of the Staff Regulations, the filling of vacancies in technical cooperation projects does not fall under Annex I of the Staff Regulations and is made by direct selection by the Director-General.



In order to support the best informed process in the filling of the above-mentioned vacancy by direct selection, the ILO invites interested candidates to submit their application online by the above date.

 

The following are eligible to apply:

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

*The recruitment process for National Officer positions is subject to specific local recruitment criteria.

 

Technical cooperation appointments are not expected to lead to a career in the ILO and they do not carry any expectation of renewal or conversion to any other type of appointment in the Organization. A one-year fixed-term contract will be given. Extensions of technical cooperation contracts are subject to various elements including the following: availability of funds, continuing need of the functions and satisfactory conduct and performance.

 

*Conditions of employment for external candidates: In conformity with existing ILO practice, the appointment of an external candidate will normally be made at the first step of this grade. 

Introduction

The Egyptian higher education system is a contributing factor to the economic growth of the country. High youth unemployment rates and long periods of transition between graduation and employment suggest gaps in the quality and relevance of university curricula and the lack of efficient career advisory services. Unemployment and under-employment are even more severe for young women, low-income youth, and young people with disabilities. Equal access to higher education is a further challenge. Significantly, the growth areas of the economy depend on skills in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). Employers are also demanding better core skills for employability, such as English language, communication skills, 21st century skills and business skills.
To respond to the above, the HELW project brings together a consortium of international (ILO, British Council) and national organizations (Al Alfi Foundation and ICareer), public and private sector and NGOs to deliver an innovative programme that leverages existing reform strategies and builds a lasting legacy of public-private collaboration to improve STEM Higher Education participation and outcomes for the most disadvantaged, while simultaneously building Egypt’s capacity for growth in the future economies.
The HELW project proposes a range of innovative responses, based on the experience and capacities of its partners, to address the three strands of the UK call.
For Strand 1- Equity: Promote equitable access to higher education, particularly for low-income youth, young people with disabilities and young women from poor communities, who wish to pursue further studies at public universities in underrepresented subjects such as Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM). HELW will support participating universities to assess and address barriers affecting the target group students, will develop career guidance and outreach marketing, and develop programmes to assist target group youth in meeting the educational and financial requirements to qualify for admission.
For Strand 2 – Quality: Improve the core skills ecosystem within public universities by equipping undergraduates and post-graduates with in-demand and employability skills. HELW will support the development of a common definition for core skills, the identification of priority skills and will pilot the delivery of innovative approaches to teaching, assessment and certification. Because English language (specifically for work in STEM fields) and business skills have already been identified as priorities, these two areas will be piloted. Other core skills will be identified and prioritized for piloting based on research and the guidance of the High Level Working Group for higher education and industry.
 

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Strand 3 – Relevance: Work with UK and Egyptian industry to improve the pathways of transition from higher education to employment, particularly in STEM careers, for the target groups outlined above. HELW will involve a number of elements. Under the general Framework for Employability which will be developed and endorsed by the High Level Working group, HELW will facilitate the creation of partnerships and processes better to connect universities with relevant employer and industry groups, to enable better mutual understanding of needs and expectations. Practices such as staff exchanges and work experience for students will be supported. Finally, more active, more effective career guidance services will be developed to aid in the transition from education to employment, again drawing on UK expertise. Data is key to determining the effectiveness of programme activities, so developing a baseline and subsequent tracer studies for STEM student and graduate outcomes is a critical element which will inform the whole programme. Data will include gender, social inclusion, disability status and other measures to ensure that the impact on target groups can be analysed.
It introduces a fourth over-arching outcome which aims to build a sustainability framework and collaborative process for orienting higher education towards employability by establishing a High Level Working Group for higher education and industry, and a number of partnerships at the university level which will build and reinforce higher education/industry links and partnerships between the British and Egyptian university sector. The High Level Working Group will also develop and adopt an Employability Skills Framework which will anchor interventions under the HELW programme and will serve as a guide for ongoing reform in the sector. This will be complemented by a leadership development initiative, drawing on UK expertise, and the establishment of a challenge fund to support innovation at individual universities. Over the course of the HELW project this group will be supported to become self-sustaining.

2. REPORTING LINE
The project will be implemented under the ILO Cairo DC portfolio. The incumbent will perform its duties under the overall responsibility of the DWT/CO-Cairo Director and under the direct supervision of the National Project Coordinator (NOC). The project will be technically backstopped by the Skills Specialist.
 

Description of Duties

The National Project Officer will support the effective implementation of the project through the technical, efficient and timely execution of tasks in accordance with the policies, values and procedures of the ILO with regard to skills and entrepreneurship activities.  The incumbent technically supervises and conceptualizes   the project interventions in close collaboration with the Skills specialist and the  National Project Coordinator.
Project Management:
1. Support the project manager in the management and effective implementation of all project activities, through timely provision of inputs, planning, monitoring and evaluation of activities, and the efficient delivery of results, in conformity with ILO policies, programming guidelines.
2. Support the preparation and presentation of work-plans, periodic narrative progress reports and expenditures status reports senior management as required;
3. Oversee and technically align the implementation agreements with ICareer and AL ALfi Foundation and selected partner universities
4. Support the project manager  in preparing project at steering committee meetings, donor meetings and progress reports.
5. Prepare minutes of meetings and support the project manager in any other project management related task

Technical supervision and coordination:
6. Support the project manager to coordinate and build partnerships with project’s partners, relevant national stakeholders, including governmental institutions, employers’ and workers’ organisations, non-governmental organisations, UN agencies in pursuance of the project’s objectives and ILO’s mandate.
7. Technically ensure that activities under  Outcome 1 Increase access to public sector STEM education for the target group are implemented
8. In collaboration with ILO technical specialists and the NOC, ensure sound design of project’s interventions in Outcome 1 and Outcome 2 and Outcome 3
9. Draft Terms of Reference for services providers, consultants, and implementing partners, coordinate their activities and ensure timely and high quality delivery of outputs with regards to the ILO
10. Ensure that service providers align with M&E requirements and support proper M&E and development of success stories
Knowledge Management:
11. Support the NOC and M&E officer to monitor, evaluate and report on project’s results and activities, building an information systems to ensure effective and timely progress and delivery. This includes the preparation and managing the project monitoring plan and system, the project annual work plan as well as record and maintain documents on relevant project activities, issues, and risks
12. Undertake regular and ad hoc visits to project implementation sites in order to monitor and ensure quality delivery and compliance to ILO standards and policies.
 

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13. Perform other relevant duties as assigned by supervisor.

Required qualifications

Education

First level university degree in development studies, education, economics, social science, management, or related field.

Experience

• Two or three years of relevant professional experience within the international development context.
• Previous experience and knowledge on skills development especially on higher education employability and entrepreneurship issues.
• Field work and experience coordinating with local, national and other key stakeholders.
• Familiarity and previous work experience with the ILO or other UN agencies would be an added advantage.
• Ideally previous experience in implementing FCDO and or higher education projects

Languages

Excellent command of written and spoken English and good knowledge of Arabic.

Competencies

In addition to the ILO core competencies [Integrity and transparency, Sensitivity to diversity, Orientation to learning and knowledge sharing, Client orientation, Communication, Orientation to change, Takes responsibility for performance, Quality orientation, Collaboration], this position requires:
• Ability to provide technical advice and to guide and coordinate the work of external collaborators and general service staff in the area of specialization.
• Ability to analyse cross-national practices and data sets covering a wide range of issues in the specialized technical field.
• Ability to draft quality reports and prepare guidelines relating to programme development and implementation.
• Ability to provide technical support to senior specialists, carrying out research, project formulation and implementation.
• Ability to participate effectively in technical missions and to provide technical inputs for the ILO Decent Work Agenda.
• Excellent analytical skills and knowledge of analytical tools and qualitative and quantitative techniques.
• Ability to work in a multicultural environment and gender-sensitive behaviour and attitudes are also required.
• Strong relations with partners and stakeholders;
• Ability to deal with people with tact and diplomacy.
• Ability to supervise staff.
 


 

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.

 

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.

 

Disclaimer

* Candidates who pass the interview and have good capabilities as may be recommended by the panel, may get selected for similar positions.
** The Office reserves to itself the right to appoint candidates at a level below the level of the advertised post depending on their experience.
*** Assessed candidates who will be considered as appointable for this position can also be offered to be assigned on a TEMPORARY position at the same or at a lower grade provided that said candidates possesses the minimum qualifications for this position”.

 

This vacancy is now closed.
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