National Project Coordinator, Skills Development

Introduction

Supply chains, including domestic, regional and global supply chains, are a key feature of today’s globalised economy, with about half of world trade being related to them and with 80% of global GDP consisting of domestic supply chains. Integration into global supply chains provides significant opportunities for developing countries to attract investment, increase value added, diversify exports, become more competitive, and access and upgrade new technologies, which in turn helps to increase incomes, create jobs and alleviate poverty.

The Skills Development and Responsible Business Conduct for Transition Project is a new innovative project funded by The Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI). METI aims to achieve improved working conditions and worker well-being by supporting an enabling environment for sustainable enterprises in Japan and in the partner countries, and to support institutional level as well as enterprise level interventions so that business can fulfil its responsibility to respect human rights and labour rights and promote decent work. Furthermore, METI expects to develop a policy environment throughout supply chains for more investment on skills development to improve and expand the access to technical/vocational skills (re-skilling and upskilling) through this project.

This project will target the machinery industry, particularly Electrical & Electronics (E&E) sector in Indonesia and automotive sector in Thailand, and will comprise three closely interrelated modules:

1.    Provide skills development to enhance workers’ responsiveness and productivity for structural transformation to a sustainable economy, including respect for human rights, which is consistent with the country’s development

2.    Promote responsible business conduct (RBC), including corporate activities in harmony with the country’s development priorities, and respect for the principles of international labour standards

3.    Promote an environment to contribute towards a transition to resilient supply chains from the perspectives of trade and investment

Within the policy and procedural requirements established by the ILO and the Skills Development and Responsible Business Conduct for Transition Project, the National Project Coordinator will be responsible for the implementation of all aspects of the project, the day-to-day management and ensure the objectives are attained with the time frame and budget. The incumbent will promote ILO policies in the project-related technical areas.

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Reporting lines: 

The project will be managed by the ILO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (ROAP), in coordination with ILO Country Offices for Indonesia and the ILO Office for Japan (ILO Tokyo). The National Project Coordinator will be based in Bangkok, Thailand.

The National Project Coordinator will report to the Director of the ILO Decent Work Technical Support Team for East and Southeast Asia and the Country Office for Thailand, Cambodia and Lao PDR (DWT/CO-Bangkok), the Chief Technical Advisor and Overall Coordinator of the ILO-Japan Partnership Programme and the Project Technical Officer supporting the project in ROAP based in Bangkok, Thailand.

The National Project Coordinator will receive technical guidance and support from the Skills and Employability Specialist and Enterprise Development Specialist in the Decent Work Technical Support Team for East and Southeast Asia and the Pacific (DWT-Bangkok) and relevant technical specialists in the Skills Branch (SKILLS) and the Enterprise Department (ENTERPRISE) /Multinational Enterprises and Enterprise Engagement Unit (MULTI) at HQ.

The National Project Coordinator will also liaise and work in close cooperation in the ILO Country Offices covering Indonesia and Japan.

Description of Duties

1.    Review and analyse country specific development plans and priorities, data, reports and other relevant information. Provide inputs for developing country operations plans for overall compliance with regional and global strategic priorities as well as with programming instructions. Conduct basic research and analysis and draft components of reports and presentations for situation analyses at the national level.

2.    Ensure effective management including planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the project’s activities in accordance with the policies, programme strategies, programme guidelines, administrative and financial procedures of the ILO and country/action programmes

3.    Support the mobilization of additional resources for implementation of the project’s activities, including preparation for periodical meeting with funding partners.

4.    Coordinate with the Project Steering Committee in Thailand and assist in the preparation for meetings, the selection of interventions, project partners and implementing agencies.

5.    Participate in the organization and facilitation of conferences, workshops, seminars, training sessions, consultative meetings and webinars and other relevant activities, in close collaboration with Technical Specialists, Project Technical Officer and main project partners and beneficiaries.

6.    Prepare periodic and ad-hoc progress notes on the status of the Project’s implementation and coordinate with concerned tripartite and other partners in the country, relevant UN agencies to ensure strong sustainability of the outputs

7.    Prepare briefs, periodical reports and statistical data and contribute to the production of training and advocacy material in English and Thai.

8.    Translate into Thai and/or English, as appropriate, and/or edit translation of technical material, new releases, official correspondence, statements, speeches, and other documents.

9.    Administer resources from all sources of funds, prepare budget estimates and expenditure forecasts by analysing and monitoring situation of resources as compared to planned activities and making recommendations for remedial action.

10.    Contribute to the development or adjustment of training material, particularly by providing information and recommendations on the local context and challenges. Promote ILO principles and standards during this development

11.    Follow-up with the regional office and the Country Office, executing agencies, government offices, constituents and other organizations to expedite implementation and meet targets.

12.    Perform other relevant duties as assigned.

Required qualifications

Education

University degree in a field relevant to the job.

Experience

Minimum of two years of relevant professional work experience at national level preferably in programme and/or project planning, monitoring, implementation, evaluation activities and topics related to international labour standards, economic, skills, social and sustainable enterprises.

Languages

Excellent command of English and an official national language of the duty station.

Competencies

•    Good knowledge of policies and guidelines regarding labour issues.
•    Knowledge of programme and budget, project administrative, project formulation, and evaluation techniques and practices.
•    Experience with the formulation and implementation of projects and ability to interpret project information.
•    Excellent drafting skills; Excellent analytical, writing and communication skills with the ability to conceptualize in English and Thai.
•    Good knowledge of PC software (including word processor, spreadsheet and presentation software) such as Microsoft Office       
•    Ability to deal with people with tact and diplomacy.
•    Ability to work independently and as part of a team in a multicultural environment.
•    Ability to supervise staff and guide national counterparts.
•    Good interpersonal skills and ability to work in a team.
•    Excellent organisational skills.
•    Ability to interpret and work within applicable rules, regulations, policies and procedures.
•    Ability to maintain effective working relationships with key stakeholders.
•    Ability to manage competing priorities. 
•    Ability to adapt quickly to new software and systems. 
•    Ability to work in a multicultural environment and to demonstrate gender-sensitive and non-discriminatory behaviour and attitudes.

Conditions of Employment

Starting salary:                Baht1,280,729- per annum
Allowances & benefits:    Affiliation to the United Nations Joint Staff Pension Fund
                                        Affiliation to the ILO-ITU Staff Health Insurance Fund
                                        Dependants’ allowance
                                        30 working days of annual leave