Chief, Regional Programming Unit

Introduction

The position is located in the ILO Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean, based in Lima, Peru. The Chief of the Regional Programming Unit (RPU) will be responsible for leading and managing the work of the Unit.  The incumbent will strategically assist regional management and field offices in the region in programming resources for all sources of funds and in supporting the coordination, monitoring and reporting on ILO's activities in the region. In close collaboration with the Strategic Programming and Management Department (PROGRAM) at headquarters, the incumbent will provide support at regional, sub-regional and country levels in the area of strategic planning, resource allocation, country programme implementation, monitoring and evaluation, and knowledge management. He/she will be responsible for ensuring quantitative and qualitative delivery of the programmes and development cooperation projects in the region in line with results-based management (RBM) principles. The incumbent will be responsible for ensuring coherent programming and resourcing of ILO activities in the region in line with identified constituent needs and set priorities, within the overall framework of implementing the ILO's Decent Work Agenda.

The position reports to the Deputy Regional Director under the overall guidance of the Regional Director; it is a part of the Regional Management Team as well as of the Global PROGRAM Team.
 

Specific Duties

1.    Plan, manage, and supervise the work of the RPU at the Regional Office and support priority setting at regional and country levels.

2.    Provide support to Decent Work Technical Support Teams (DWTs) and Country Offices (COs) in the development, implementation and monitoring of Decent Work Country Programmes (DWCPs) or other programming frameworks at national level and in the region. This includes lead the quality assurance process for DWCPs, facilitate periodic Country Programme Reviews and provide advice on the establishment of programmes' governance mechanisms.

3.    Identify and define regional priorities and outcomes within the framework of the Outcome-based Work Plans (OBWs), and provide support to DWTs and COs in the region in the formulation of OBWs for the biennium. Maintain close liaison with relevant technical units at headquarters to plan, articulate and support the implementation of Country Programme Outcomes. Coordinate the regular region-wide reviews of OBWs in consultation with the responsible lead officials at headquarters and PROGRAM.

4.    Coordinate the planning and programming of regular budget and associated resources (RBTC, PSI, RBSA) as well as extra-budgetary resources in the region. Monitor delivery of all sources of funds and propose appropriate action to regional management and office directors in the region.

5.    Coordinate the preparation of the region's biennial Programme and Budget proposals. Plan and coordinate the biennial implementation reporting exercise and provide quality assurance.

6.    In consultation with PROGRAM, monitor programme implementation to ensure conformity with the ILO's Programme and  Budget objectives and RBM. Propose changes in programme orientation and work methods.

7.    Provide guidance on development cooperation policies and procedures and coordinate the formulation of development cooperation proposals and ensure quality assurance of proposals, including through building staff capacity on project cycle management and results-based management.

8.    Lead efforts to enhance programming capacity in the region, including through briefings and capacity development activities for ILO staff and constituents. Guide the development of knowledge management systems and tools to support priority setting and decision-making. 

9.    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.    Responsible for the review, analysis and interpretation of economic, social and political trends in the region to provide recommendations to regional management on technical assistance needs and the formulation of regional priorities. Prepare papers and reports in this respect, and oversee the formulation of regional technical cooperation programmes and projects in consultation with the relevant technical areas.

2.    Establish and maintain relations and negotiations with other UN agencies, funding agencies and other international agencies in the region, and prepare relevant papers, reports and consultation programmes.

3.    Coordinate the planning and programming of regular budget resources in the region and the preparation of relevant reports, including the regional department's programme and budget proposals.

4.    Coordinate and advise on matters of project design and evaluation in the region, for all sources of funds, and assist regional management in recommending the establishment of new, or modification of existing, regional objectives and priorities, promoting joint collaborative work on programme development and implementation.

5.    Identify trends or developments in the region for which further research and programme development work is required. Provide advice to and assist country offices, DWTs, governments, social partners, UN and other funding agencies on the review and formulation of programmes.

6.    Implement a monitoring and evaluation programme to assess the progress attained by activities in the region, of which the monitoring and evaluation reports will serve as the basis for planning future work as well as the foundation for drawing broader conclusions relevant to the general policies of the organization in the region.

7.    Coordinate and monitor matters of technical cooperation in the region. Serve as focal point and provide advice on policies. Coordinate multi-bilateral project submissions from the region. Advise on relations with development banks, develop monitoring systems for project pipelines, and plan and organize related briefing and staff training programmes.

8.    Coordinate the planning, formulation and implementation of multi-country technical cooperation activities across offices, including regional and sub-regional projects, and supervise and manage programme development, and project and resource control.

Required qualifications

Education

Advanced university degree in economics, business or public administration, social science or other related field.

Experience

More than ten years of professional experience in programme planning, management, implementation and evaluation, of which at least five years at the international level.

Languages

Excellent command of Spanish and a working knowledge of English. Knowledge of French and/or Portuguese would be an advantage. 

Competencies

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

Technical

Excellent knowledge of the Organization's policies, procedures, practices and programmes, including programming techniques and cycles. Seasoned knowledge of results-based management and experience in designing and applying related practices and tools. Excellent knowledge of the IRIS Strategic Management Module (SMM). Proven ability to undertake complex analyses and to write policy reports. Ability to represent the Organization and to provide authoritative advice and guidance. Excellent leadership and interpersonal skills, and proven ability to  motivate and train staff. Excellent managerial skills. Thorough knowledge of international development cooperation policies and procedures.

Behavioural
Strives for continual improvement; seeks alternatives and new, unusual ideas; thinks creatively and outside the box; is not bound by current thinking. Ability to work in a multicultural environment and to demonstrate gender-sensitive and non-discriminatory behaviour and attitudes.