Senior Working Time Specialist

Introduction

The position is located in the Inclusive Labour Markets, Labour Relations and Working Conditions Branch (INWORK) within the Conditions of Work and Equality Department (WORKQUALITY). 

The Branch strives to improve the working conditions and the protection of workers through effective policies, while contributing to achieving an inclusive labour market which provides access to quality employment for all, including sound labour relations. More specifically, the Branch is responsible for: undertaking multi-dimensional analysis of workers’ protection, vulnerability at work and labour market institutions, including the impacts on labour markets and economic performance and on equality. In doing so, it develops and, upon request, offers integrated policy advice which is responsive to national needs, priorities and resources.

Working time is one of the policy areas under the responsibility of the Branch. It lies at the core of working conditions, and has been central to the work of the ILO since its inception, when the Organization adopted the first of many international labour standards, the Hours of Work (Industry) Convention, 1919 (No.1). Working time is also (along with wages) one of the most important subjects for social dialogue and collective bargaining at all levels. Both the hours people work and how those hours are organized— working time arrangements—have profound implications for workers’ health, workplace safety, work-life balance, and firm performance.

The Senior Working Time Specialist will lead a group of technical specialists and will be responsible for the ILO’s activities in the field of working time and work organization, including telework. The incumbent will also lead research and policy development activities and will provide high-level country assistance to constituents in those areas.

The position will report to the Chief of the INWORK Branch.
 

Specific Duties

1.Lead and manage the work of INWORK’s Working Conditions Group, ensuring effective supervision of staff and delivery of the work plan, in line with operational priorities, outcomes and targets.
2.Lead, organize, plan and coordinate high-level policy-oriented and gender-responsive research on working time, work organization, and work-life balance.
3.Coordinate and contribute to the production of high-level reports, publications, and documents for ILO constituents in the field of working time and work organization, and workers’ protection more broadly. 
4.Lead high-level missions and provide policy advice to ILO constituents on working time, work organization, and work-life balance. 
5.Design and lead, in collaboration with other members of the Branch and the Office, integrated approaches and activities aimed at improving job quality, notably through national, sectoral and enterprise policies promoting decent working conditions and working time arrangements that balance workers’ needs with firms’ requirements.
6.Promote, at the national and international levels, international labour standards, notably those related to working time and related subject areas.
7.Represent the ILO in high-level international events, with a view to promoting ILO knowledge building activities and policies in the areas of working time, work organization, and work-life balance.
8.Develop and strengthen cooperation with other ILO technical departments and programmes (both at ILO headquarters and in field offices), as well as partnerships with academic institutions and a variety of national and international organizations, with the view to increasing the outreach, effectiveness and quality of the policy development activities in the areas of working time, work organization, and work-life balance.
9.Participate in the preparation, monitoring and reporting of outcome-based work plans in the context of the ILO Programme and Budget.
10.Prepare and monitor the budget and manage the human resources required for the implementation of the activities under his/her responsibility.
11.Contribute to the design of development cooperation projects to be funded by extra-budgetary resources that are focussed on or include activities on working time and/or work organization. Participate in the mobilization of the corresponding resources.
12.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. Lead, organize, plan, supervise and control the work of a technical unit (including managerial functions).
2. Design and promote a wide range of special subject-matter-related programmes, This involves analysis of complex or conflicting data, statistics, information or policy guidelines in a manner requiring the advanced application of principles of a recognized technical specialization. 
3. Develop and review an institutional framework, in which social partners can best improve, implement and evaluate efficient and equitable ILO action programmes.
4. Assume full responsibility for policy formulation and providing policy advice to ILO’s constituents on institutional strengthening, the application of ILO standards and the promotion of development cooperation activities.
5. Develop project design, review proposals, formulate, revise and submit project proposals and negotiate funding.
6. Evaluate the efficiency and effectiveness of the project activities.
7. Lead technical advisory missions.
8. Conduct seminars, workshops and technical meetings.
9. Prepare recommendations and guidelines for discussion and adoption as ILO recommendations on related technical fields.
10. Write manuals and training guides on related topics.
11. Disseminate information on action programmes through publications and press releases as well as ensuring representation at donors’ meetings, international, regional and national fora and advocacy campaigns.
12. Monitor and coordinate research carried out by junior technical officers and external collaborators.
13. Provide technical inputs to office documents (sectoral meetings, technical committees, conference reports, Director General’s report to ILC).

Required qualifications

Education

Advanced university degree (Master’s or equivalent) in one or more social science disciplines or other relevant field.  A first-level university degree (Bachelor’s or equivalent) in one of the afore-mentioned fields or other relevant field with an additional two years of relevant experience, in addition to the required ten years of experience stated below, will be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree.

Experience

At least ten years of experience, including at the international level in the areas of working time and work organization.

Languages

Excellent command of one official language (English, French, Spanish) of the Organization. Working knowledge of a second official language of the Organization.

Competencies

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

Demonstrated and recognized technical and /or managerial leadership in carrying out the objectives and policies of the related work unit. In-depth knowledge on working time and work organization policies and issues, ability to lead research, analysis and provide high-level policy advice in these areas. In-depth knowledge of labour market institutions, including in both developed and emerging economies. Demonstrated technical expertise to devise new methods, concepts, approaches and techniques, leading to development of ILO standards and technical guidelines and ability to prepare ILO strategy reports in the related field for programme development. Ability to address and communicate with a variety of audiences. Good inter-personal skills and ability to liaise and cooperate with other members of the team and other programmes and field offices. Good knowledge and understanding of international labour standards and the importance of a gender-sensitive approach. The ability to work in a multicultural environment and to demonstrate gender-sensitive and non-discriminatory behaviour and attitudes.