Senior Specialist on Gender Equality and Non Discrimination

Introduction

The position is located in the ILO Decent Work Technical Support Team for the Arab States (DWT-Beirut). DWT-Beirut covers the following countries and territories: Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Occupied Palestinian Territory, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syrian Arab Republic, United Arab Emirates and Yemen. DWT-Beirut provides technical support in the design and implementation of Decent Work Country Programmes (DWCPs) and other ILO country support activities within the framework of outcome-based work plans. 

The position will contribute to ensuring that the ILO is a lead reference in the area of gender equality, non-discrimination and inclusion in the world of work by coordinating work across the Arab States; providing policy advice and technical support on gender equality, non-discrimination and inclusion, promoting integration of gender equality and non-discrimination in the world of work in DWCPs, United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Frameworks, National Development Plans and other planning documents and tools in the countries of coverage; ensuring knowledge-sharing on the subject matter throughout the region; and developing knowledge products and tools, and substantive policy content for inter-agency cooperation within the UN system. The incumbent will be accountable for the timely delivery of all outputs under her/his responsibility, including overall coordination with activities in other technical areas implemented in the region under the Office-wide work plan on the Programme and Budget outcomes related to gender equality and equal opportunities.

The position reports to the Deputy Regional Director/Director DWT-Beirut and assists in assuming the leadership of the DWT in the area of gender equality, non-discrimination and inclusion in the world of work. The position also strengthens the capacity of the DWT to undertake economic research and analysis in this field. The position will work in close cooperation with other technical specialists in the region.
Technical guidance will be provided by the Gender, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Branch (GEDI) of the Conditions of Work and Equality Department (WORKQUALITY) at ILO headquarters. The incumbent will be part of the management team of ILO’s Gender Network and a member of the WORKQUALITY Global Technical Team.

Specific Duties

1.    Lead and coordinate across the region the promotion and integration of gender equality, non-discrimination and inclusion in the world of work in Decent Work Country Programmes, UN Frameworks and outcome-based work plans, and collaborate with specialists of the DWT on the integration of gender equality, non-discrimination and inclusion into their respective work programmes, including on undertaking gender analysis, on responding to the needs of constituents, and on the development of the ILO’s knowledge base on gender equality, non-discrimination and inclusion.
2.    Conceptualize and formulate policy advice and recommendations to Member States in the region on all gender equality and non-discrimination related issues, advise on integrating gender equality and non-discrimination in Decent Work Country Programmes and development cooperation programmes with Member States; promote and mainstream ILO gender equality and non-discrimination standards and tools into the national development context.
3.    Assess needs and provide technical advice to ILO constituents, in collaboration with GEDI, with other ILO technical departments, with UN agencies and in particular UN Women as well as with development partners, on how to enhance the effectiveness of national laws, policies and institutions regarding gender equality and non-discrimination, including multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination, and other discriminated populations, in line with relevant international labour standards. This includes equal remuneration for work of equal value, violence and harassment in the world of work, promoting women´s employment and entrepreneurship, and investment in the care economy including care leave policies and services.
4.    Contribute to major ILO-wide gender equality, non-discrimination and inclusion initiatives, including the transformative agenda for gender equality and non-discrimination outlined in the ILO Centenary Declaration for the Future of Work and the Global Call to Action for a human-centred recovery from the COVID-19 crisis. Contribute to enabling environments that are effective in overcoming the structural nature of discrimination. Contribute towards planning and overseeing the implementation of the Programme and Budget outcome on gender equality and equal opportunities in the world of work.
5.    Design, supervise and conduct relevant analytical and policy-oriented research, on gender, non-discrimination and inclusion issues, including regarding major trends, policy options and the root causes and manifestations of inequality and discrimination in the world of work. Analyse and synthesize this information in order to identify entry points for ILO actions at the regional, sub-regional, national and sectoral levels, and to contribute to major ILO-wide gender equality and non-discrimination initiatives.
 

optional section (only if needed)

6.     Contribute to the preparation of reports and publications, and easily accessible documents, such as policy briefs, tools and other resource materials, on the legal, policy and technical aspects of various dimensions of gender equality and non-discrimination, including multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination, for ILO constituents and other stakeholders.
7.    Develop diversified capacity-building strategies for different audiences, especially governments, employers' and workers' organizations, labour inspectors, and other relevant stakeholders, in the field of equality, diversity and inclusion. Special attention will be paid to the promotion of the Violence and Harassment Convention (No.190) and Recommendation (No. 206), 2019, and the Equal Pay International Coalition initiative. Develop and adapt training materials and other tools, as well as facilitate and support conferences and workshops at sub-regional and regional levels.
8.    Coordinate with the specialists in the region on the integration of gender equality and non-discrimination into their respective work programmes, including providing advice on undertaking gender analysis, on responding to the needs of the constituents, as expressed in the Decent Work Country Programmes or country programme outcomes (CPOs), and on the development of ILO’s knowledge base on gender equality and non-discrimination issues, including data collection, analysis and processing in the region.
9.    Coordinate and provide guidance to the gender focal points in the region.
10.    Participate in gender networks and those addressing non-discrimination (inter-agency, UN Country Teams, donors, academia, etc) in order to enhance the ILO’s contribution to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and country development frameworks.
11.    Promote gender-responsive disability inclusion in relevant mainstream development cooperation projects implemented by the Office as well as in the DWCP and provide relevant guidance to the colleagues implementing these projects, with support, if needed, from the ILO headquarters disability and gender teams. Represent the Office in UNCT meetings on disability inclusion to, among others, promote gender-responsive disability inclusion in the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework. 
12.    On behalf of the DWT Director, support the work in the region on child labour in terms of programme development, in liaison with FUNDAMENTALS in Geneva
13.    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 of the following fields: social sciences, gender studies, law, development economics 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 experience stated below, will be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree.
 

Experience

Ten years of experience, including at the international level, working on labour, employment and social issues with a focus on gender equality and non-discrimination in the world of work. 

Languages

Excellent command of English is required. A working knowledge of Arabic would be an advantage.

Competencies

In addition to the ILO core competencies required at the P5 level, the Job specific competencies include:
    demonstrated and recognized technical and /or managerial leadership;
    the ability to synthesize research and reach empirically based conclusions on related subjects;
    the ability to provide seasoned advice on best practices, to address broader issues outside the field of specialization;
    demonstrated technical expertise to devise new methods, concepts, approaches and techniques;
    the ability to 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;
    the ability to 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;
    the ability to provide policy advice;
    the ability to manage large projects to coordinate activities among projects;
    the ability to work in a multicultural environment and to demonstrate gender-sensitive and non-discriminatory behaviour and attitudes.