Employment and Labour Market Specialist

Introduction

The position is located in the ILO Decent Work Technical Support Team and Office for the Caribbean countries (DWT/CO-Port of Spain) based in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago. The DWT/CO-POS serves thirteen countries and nine territories (*the 13 member States are Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago. The nine territories are: Anguilla, Aruba, Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Curacao, Montserrat, Saint Maarten, and Turks and Caicos). It provides advisory services, capacity building and technical assistance to ILO constituents, including Ministries of Labour, Ministries/Secretariats of Planning, statistical and census institutions, education and training institutions and other government entities in the economic and social sphere, employers’ and workers’ organizations, mainly through the execution of Decent Work Country Programmes (DWCPs) aimed at promoting the ILO Decent Work Agenda.
    
The position will manage activities and programmes for the effective and efficient achievement of the employment outcomes of the Decent Work Agenda and support institutional counterparts on technical aspects in the areas of employment policies and promotion; employability; competitiveness and the promotion of sustainable enterprises; green jobs; labour migration and labour market information and analysis. Special consideration will be given to priority population groups such as youth.  

The position will report directly to the Director of DWT/CO-POS and will receive technical guidance and advice from the Director of the Employment Department at ILO headquarters.  The incumbent  will also be required to work in close collaboration with other technical specialists in the Decent Work Technical Support Team and in the region. 

Specific Duties

1.Identify sub-regional priorities on employment policies, job creation and labour migration and assess outcomes of DWCPs ensuring coherence and alignment with organization-wide, gender-responsive employment priorities.
2.Carry out technical advisory missions to countries in the sub-region and participate in multidisciplinary strategy activities of United Nations Country Teams in the areas of employment promotion, labour market policies and programmes.
3.Advise governments and workers' and employers' organizations in relation to the formulation, implementation and review of existing employment and labour market policies, institutions and information systems.
4.Design, backstop, monitor and evaluate development cooperation projects, including joint programmes with other UN agencies, for strengthening national capacity in the areas of employment and labour market policies and programmes, particularly policy formulation and implementation, and delivery of employment services and job creation. Actively seek funding opportunities.
5.Monitor and evaluate employment related developments in the sub-region, with particular focus on employment policies, labour market information and analysis, employment-intensive growth, job creation, youth employment and employment in the informal economy, as well as labour migration.
6.Evaluate and monitor the achievements of the economic policies of the countries of the sub-region and advise on strategies for integration of employment goals on macro, micro and mezzo economic policies to promote productivity, investment, growth and creation of quality jobs. 
7.Advise constituents on : employment-friendly macro-economic frameworks; productive transformation policies; labour market institutions; infrastructure investment; employment and labour market information, decent work indicators, and development of labour market information systems at national and sub-regional levels; labour market diagnosis and analysis; conditions of decent work; wages policy; increasing productivity at micro- and macro-economic level, making best use of resources available.  
8.Maintain and further develop the Data bank of Caribbean Labour Statistics, prepare annual Digest of Caribbean Labour Statistics, prepare inputs for the PANORAMA LABORAL and promote their use to users, maintaining appropriate liaison between the Regional Office and the Department of Statistics at headquarters on the provision and exchange of information.
9.Carry out analyses and evaluations of employment problems in specific segments and activities of the labour market, in rural and urban areas and advise on the design, monitoring and evaluation of sectoral policy programmes. Conceptualize, plan, coordinate and conduct research and contribute to multidisciplinary investigations.
10.Initiate, develop and maintain close contacts with governments and employers’ and workers’ organizations, as well as the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) secretariats in the area of specialization.  In addition, establish close working relations with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and other UN agencies, donor and cooperation agencies, development banks, bilateral sources and other bodies concerned in labour market policies, poverty eradication issues and related subjects with a view to developing joint activities.
11.Develop a range of activities in the countries of the sub-region, with emphasis on the creation of new decent and productive work opportunities, in coordination with the corresponding departments at headquarters. 
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:

optional section (only if needed)

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 (Master’s or equivalent) in Economics, preferably with specialization in Labour Economics or employment-related subjects with a good knowledge of macro-economic policy. 

A first-level university degree in Economics with an additional two years of relevant experience, in addition to the experience stated below, will be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree.

Experience

At least seven years’ of experience, including at the international level, in employment policy advisory services. Experience in employment policy formulation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation would be an asset. Experience related to one or more of the following areas would also be a distinct asset: the measurement of employment and development of labour information systems; economic and employment policy analysis; labour market analysis; and the design of active employment policies and programmes including private sector development policies. 

Languages

Excellent command of English. A working knowledge of Spanish would be an advantage.    

Competencies

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

Technical competencies 
    
Expertise in handling statistical and econometric software is considered essential (e.g. STATA, SPSSPC, SAS or any other relevant software program). Ability to:  synthesize research and reach empirically based conclusions on related subjects; provide seasoned advice on best practices, 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. Ability to: guide and coordinate the duties of external collaborators, general services personnel or young professionals; contribute to multidisciplinary teamwork investigations; present projects and promote their feasibility and application. Excellent computer skills. Ability to use analytical tools and qualitative and quantitative techniques.  Demonstrated competencies in providing high level support to management. 

Behavioural competencies
Ability to proactively disseminate knowledge and to create a learning and knowledge sharing environment.  Ability to work in a multicultural environment and to demonstrate gender-sensitive and non-discriminatory behaviour and attitudes.