Ethics Officer

Introduction

The International Labour Organization is the United Nations specialized agency promoting decent work and social justice. With its unique tripartite governance structure comprised of governments and employers and workers’ organizations, the ILO supports its constituents across regions in advancing the ILO Decent Work Agenda as a part of the UN system’s efforts towards the realization of 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. 

The International Labour Office, which is the ILO’s Secretariat with over 3,000 staff members, services the Organization’s governance bodies and executes its programmatic activities and interventions under the leadership of the Director-General. Service in the ILO is subject to highest standards of conduct and integrity, as called for under the ILO Constitution, the Staff Regulations, the Standards of Conduct for the International Civil Service issued by the International Civil Service Commission (ICSC) and the Principles of Conduct for Staff of the International Labour Office. 

As an integral part of the ILO accountability framework, the Ethics Officer heads the ILO Ethics Office and provides overall leadership, vision and strategy for the ILO’s ethics programmes, activities and interventions, including for the International Training Centre of the ILO in Turin, which aim at ensuring that value-based and ethical decision-making is central to the ILO institutional culture. The Ethics Officer is responsible for developing and implementing continuous action to foster a culture of ethics, transparency and accountability, ensuring that each official understands and observes ILO core values and the highest standards of conduct and integrity, and advises on their practical implementation. In carrying out the function’s responsibilities, the Ethics Officer works in close collaboration with other functions and units under the accountability framework, including the Human Resources Development Department (HRD), the Office of Internal Audit and Oversight (IAO), the Office of the Legal Adviser, the Senior Risk Officer and the Mediator. Reporting directly to the Director-General, the Ethics Officer is independent of any other official or unit. The Ethics Officer is invited to meetings of the ILO Global Management team when ethics and integrity related issues are on its agenda, and has, unrestricted and confidential access to the Independent Oversight Advisory Committee (IOAC), which is a subsidiary body of the ILO Governing Body.
 

Specific Duties

1.    Provide advice to the Director-General, managers and staff on the ethical standards of the Organization and provide guidance in confidence on their implementation, including as regards conflicts of interest. Foster trust, encourage access to the Ethics Office and reinforce the confidentiality of matters brought to the attention of the Ethics Office.

2.    Lead the design, development and implementation of an effective ILO ethics programme.  Manage its activities and resources and ensure the timely submission of reports to the Director General. Formulate, revise, and disseminate ethics related policies, in accordance with the common standards of conduct prescribed for all United Nations personnel and relevant ILO rules and regulations.

3.    Advocate and promote a culture of ethics and integrity in the ILO and ensure that expected ethical standards and behaviour are clearly understood by staff and management and external entities. Develop and implement communication, outreach, knowledge and training programmes and strategies in order to increase awareness on ethical issues and to positively impact the behaviour and conduct of multiple internal and external stakeholders. 

4.    Represent the ILO in the Ethics Network of Multilateral Organizations, act as ILO Focal Point for the implementation of the UN inter-agency action plan on the prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA) and participate in related inter-agency working groups and activities with a view to facilitating harmonized approaches, promoting accountability and system-wide learning and knowledge and experience sharing.

5.    Lead and facilitate initiatives to build, foster and maintain respectful workplace environments, in collaboration with ILO units and functions responsible for addressing misconduct, inter-personal conflicts, workplace safety and staff welfare. 

6.    Plan and direct research concerning ethics and integrity in the ILO. Analyse issues and trends on related policy and practice and their implications for the ILO. Present findings and make recommendations to the Director-General to ensure ethical risk mitigation. 

7.    Receive complaints against retaliation and address them in accordance with ILO’s policy on protection from retaliation.

8.    Administer the ILO’s financial disclosure programme ensuring understanding of and full compliance with the financial disclosure requirements and objectives.

9.    Perform other relevant duties as assigned.
 

Required qualifications

Education

Advanced university degree in law, ethics, public administration, audit and compliance, international studies or other relevant field.

Experience

A minimum of ten years of relevant professional experience in ethics, legal, compliance, or other related areas, including proven experience with ethics-related issues, and in a governmental or public sector organization.  Experience at the international level is required.

Languages

Excellent command of two official languages (English, French or Spanish) of the Organization. A working knowledge of a third official language will be considered as an advantage.

Competencies

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

Technical

Knowledge of current private and public sector best practices relating to corporate ethics and business conduct/practice. Proven technical knowledge and experience to identify and analyse ethical issues, including but not limited to conflicts of interest. Ability to coordinate and lead research activities. Ability to formulate opinions on ethics-related questions in areas where practices or precedents do not exist or are of a conflicting nature. Ability to provide authoritative advice to colleagues and internal/external counterparts and lead meetings. Excellent verbal and written communication skills with the ability to present complex information in a clear, effective and impactful manner to reach and influence diverse audiences. High standards of ethics and values, impeccable integrity, and confidentiality, tact and discretion. Excellent negotiation and interpersonal skills with the ability to facilitate discussions and bring a consensus view. Strong project management and time management skills with the ability to balance multiple projects concurrently. 

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