Specialist in employment policy and productive development

Introduction

The position is located in the ILO Country Office for Argentina (CO-Buenos Aires), based in Buenos Aires.  CO-Buenos Aires provides policy and technical services and advice to governments, employers’ and workers’ organizations in Argentina.  It provides support towards developing and implementing activities in the context of the Decent Work Agenda in line with the strategic objectives of the ILO and its Centenary Declaration for the Future of Work. 

The incumbent will be responsible for providing high-quality and timely advisory and capacity development services to institutional counterparts and other development stakeholders in Argentina on a broad range of subjects relating to employment and productive development that advance inclusive, job-rich recovery while promoting longer-term transition towards a more sustainable and resilient economy. Subjects include: the employment dimension of macroeconomic and sectoral policies; formulation, implementation and review of gender-responsive national employment policies; youth employment strategies; integrated strategies to facilitate transition to formality; labour market information and analysis; labour market programmes and employment services to support transitions to decent work over the life course; training and skills development systems and practices; policies that facilitate just transition to a greener economy and yield green jobs; employment­ intensive investment and public employment programmes for poverty reduction and their linkages with social protection. The specialist is also expected to contribute to relevant regional development initiatives in the Latin America and the Caribbean region. Services will be delivered in alignment with the ILO Decent Work Country Programme, the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework and the Sustainable Development Goals in Argentina.

The position will report to the Director of CO-Buenos Aires and will work in close collaboration with DWT/CO-Santiago and other specialists across the region as well as with relevant technical departments at ILO headquarters. He/she will receive technical guidance and advice from the Employment Policy Department at ILO headquarters. 

Specific Duties

1.    Advise and support institutional counterparts on the measurement of employment, labour market variables and decent work indicators; the enhancement of labour market information systems. Provide guidance on undertaking accurate employment and labour market diagnostics using the instruments and resources available to the public sector, employers and workers and their respective organizations.

2.    Monitor and analyse the decent work outcomes of national economic policies and provide advice on strategies for the integration of employment and decent work goals in macroeconomic and sectoral policies.

3.    Provide advisory and capacity development services to ILO constituents, the UN country team, other line ministries and development partners, including through advocacy and social dialogue processes, on the above-listed subjects with relevance to employment and productive development policies and programmes.

4.    Strengthen the capacity of national employment services to support labour market transitions over the life course by: undertaking diagnostic analyses of public employment services (PES); providing technical advice to improve the design and delivery of services, as well as their monitoring and performance management; building capacity of PES staff; and supporting cooperation between public, private and third sector providers of employment services and the extension of services to the informal economy.

5.    Carry out and lead action-oriented research and relevant thematic reviews aimed at stimulating policy dialogue and joint action between ILO constituents, which can also inform the design, implementation, and evaluation of future employment policies and programmes.

6.    Design  and organise knowledge-sharing and mutual learning activities with a view to disseminating lessons learnt and good practices.

7.    Develop and maintain strong relationships with governments and  social partners as well as with other UN organizations, academia, development banks and international development cooperation agencies dealing with employment and labour market policies and related subjects, with a view to developing joint activities.

8.    Perform other relevant duties as assigned.

These specific duties are aligned with the relevant ILO generic job description, which includes the following generic duties:

Generic Duties

1. Design and promote a wide range of special subject-matter-related programmes, This involves: re-analysis of complex or conflicting data, statistics and information or policy guidelines, in a manner requiring the advanced application of principles of a recognised technical specialisation. 
2. Develop and review an institutional framework, in which social partners can best improve, implement and evaluate efficient and equitable ILO action programmes.
3. Provide policy advice to ILO’s constituents on institutional strengthening, the application of ILO standards and the promotion of development cooperation activities.
4. Formulate and submit project proposals and seek funding.
5. Evaluate the efficiency and effectiveness of the project activities.
6. Undertake technical advisory missions independently or in collaboration with other specialists.
7. Conduct seminars, workshops and technical meetings and training courses.
8. Prepare draft recommendations and guidelines for discussion and adoption as ILO Recommendations or Conventions on related technical fields.
9. Write manuals and/or training guides on related topics.
10. Disseminate information on programmes through publications and, press releases, as well as ensuring representation at donors’ meetings, international, regional and national fora and advocacy campaigns.
11. Monitor and coordinate research carried out by junior technical officers and external collaborators.
12. Provide technical inputs to office documents (sectoral meetings, technical committees, regional meetings and conference reports).
13. Participate in tripartite reviews on development cooperation activities and international meetings and conferences.

Required qualifications

Education

Advanced university degree in economics, political sciences, or other relevant disciplines, with demonstrated expertise in employment policies and labour market analyses. 

Experience

Eight years' experience in the employment policy area at the national level or five years at the international level.
 

Languages

Excellent command of Spanish and a working knowledge of English. A knowledge of French will be an advantage.

Competencies

In addition to the ILO core competencies, this position requires:

Technical

Ability to: use analytical tools and qualitative and quantitative techniques; conceptualize, plan, coordinate and conduct investigations; 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 the International Labour Conference, technical publications, training manuals and draft resolutions) and evaluate and monitor development cooperation activities and projects. Excellent computer skills including those related to statistical data processing; guide and coordinate the work of external collaborators, general services personnel or young professionals.

Behavioural
Ability to work in a multicultural environment and to demonstrate gender-sensitive and non-discriminatory behaviour and attitudes.