The International Labour Organization with funding from the Irish Government has implemented the Inclusive Growth, Social Protection and Jobs Creation Project. The project is part of ILO’s Flagship programme on Building social protection floors for all. It has two components, namely, social protection and employment intensive public investment.

The overall goal of the project is to enable national governments to use appropriate, well designed and well managed social protection measures and employment intensive public works programmes in order to promote resilience, access to services and employment opportunities for poor and vulnerable people, contributing to Inclusive Economic Growth in the target countries. The selection of the two components is premised on the fact that social protection and public investments in employment programmes offer the potential for an integrated approach to investing in human capital and contributing to the interrelated and mutually supportive strategic objectives of promoting the right to work and ensuring universal social protection floors.

The key outcomes of the two components are, among others:  1) increasing the share of public investments that goes to employment and social protection programmes; 2) building an adequate institutional framework/capacity with sufficient budgetary resources to achieve highest impact on job creation and social protection coverage, and; 3) enhancing monitoring and evaluation systems, improved data collection and distribution to enable realistic analyses and decision-making at all governance levels.

The Social Protection component of the ILO-IrishAid Project in Southern Africa (RAF) is guided by the following objectives: a) the creation of political and public debate on social protection, b) building the capacity of governments to effectively and efficiently delivering social protection transfers, c) supporting the design of national social protection policy and prioritised implementation plans, and d) supporting sustainable and progressively domestically funded social protection financing framework. The IrishAid funded Project covers three countries under the responsibility of ILO-Lusaka Office, namely Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique.

In recent years, the Irish-Aid partnership has promoted positive reforms for the consolidation of social protection within the normative framework of the ILO and has contributed to the extension of social security to the informal sector through, for example, the Green Jobs initiative, and especially through the development and roll-out of the TRANSFORM initiative which is now a cornerstone of capacity building in social protection in Africa and a major focus of the project.

Reporting lines:

The Project Manager will report to the Director of CO-Lusaka.

The Project Manager will liaise and work under general technical supervision of the Director of the Social Protection Department in the ILO Headquarters, as well as the Deputy Director and Head of the Flagship Programme, and receive technical guidance, support and collaboration from other relevant technical specialists at Headquarters and in the region. The Social Protection Specialist in DWT/CO-Pretoria will provide technical backstopping.

The incumbent will lead the CO-Lusaka Social Protection Team for Zambia and Malawi and oversee the work of international and national officers and any other international and local consultant hired during the course of the project.

Description of Duties

Project management:

1. Ensure effective implementation of the projects in the CO-Lusaka Social Protection/Social Security (SP/SS) portfolio in Zambia and Malawi, and closely collaborate with the Social Protection Project Manager (SP PM) based in Mozambique, through timely provision of inputs, efficient delivery of outputs, and planning, control, monitoring and evaluation of the project activities, in conformity with ILO policies, and in accordance with ILO programming guidelines and procedures. The managerial processes related to the Irishaid project, including regular coordination meetings of the partnership, the final report and the final evaluation, and the preparation of the new PRODOC, will be prepared closely with the coordinator of the Irish Aid partnership.
2. Responsible for the effective management of funds/budget and related reporting processes assigned to the projects in the CO-Lusaka SP/SS portfolio. Ensuring high delivery of the funds allocated in CO Lusaka social protection.
3. Responsible for the regular update of Project and country information in the Results Monitoring Tool of ILO Flagship Programme, for applying the Social Security Inquiry in both countries to update statistics on the social protection situation of both countries, for the update of country pages on Zambia and Malawi, the preparation of evidence based communication products (e.g. short Info stories, videos) on the project’s approach and its results, the dissemination of information on the project both internally through the GTT and externally among national partners, the UN and development partners.
4. Manage efficiently the human resources of the CO-Lusaka SP Team including recruitment, performance and talent management aspects. Plan, organize, supervise and monitor the work of officials working under the Irish Aid project, the UNJP on Social Protection in Zambia and forthcoming UN Joint Programmes in the areas of Social Protection covered by CO-Lusaka, in close collaboration with the SP PM based in Mozambique.

Technical leadership and advice:

5. Be the CO-Lusaka focal point for SP/SS issues in Zambia and Malawi, in collaboration with the SP Manager based in Mozambique, provide high-level policy advice and advocacy to Government, Workers and Employers organizations, key development partners on issues of relevance.
6. Ensure technical coherence among various ILO activities and projects in the area of SS/SP in Zambia and Malawi, in close collaboration with the SP PM based in Mozambique, promote linkages between SP/SS activities under CO-Lusaka.
7. Formulate and develop conceptual approaches, policy framework for technical cooperation activities in the area on SP/SS and seek funding to expand the project portfolio CO-Lusaka. Prepare proposals for mobilization of human, technical or financial resources as well as to support the achievement of the projects in the SP/SS portfolio of CO-Lusaka.

Advocacy, networking and partnership:

8. Strengthen relationship with the concerned governments, ministries and the employers’ and workers’ organizations, non-governmental organizations, the target groups and the donors, in the planning and implementation of activities in the SP/SS portfolio of CO-Lusaka in Zambia and Malawi, in close collaboration with the SP PM based in Mozambique.
9. Liaise with the UN Country Teams to promote ILO’s values within UN initiatives in Zambia and Malawi, in close collaboration with the SP PM based in Mozambique, increase the ILO visibility and facilitate the scaling-up of the ILO interventions in the area of SP/SS. As well as support cooperation processes between the organization and the officials of UN agencies, International Financial Institutions (WB and IMF), donor agencies and governments for the formulation and operation of country related technical cooperation programmes in the area of SP/SS.
10. Provide policy advice to ILO’s constituents in Zambia and Malawi on institutional strengthening, the application of ILO standards and the promotion of technical cooperation activities on SP/SS, in close collaboration with the SP PM based in Mozambique.

Mobilization of resources:

11. Undertake local resource mobilization activities with the multi-lateral and bilateral donor community for the development of future activities linked to the project/programme in coordination with the responsible Country Office and PARDEV.

Knowledge management:

12. Ensure the development and promotion of information and knowledge management approaches for ILO in the area of SP/SS, including the TRANSFORM initiative, prepare periodic and ad hoc reports on the status of program planning and implementation, develop or supervise country briefs on the development of social protection in the two countries.
13. Review and revise SP/SS related publications and materials prepared by CO-Lusaka in Zambia and Malawi, in close collaboration with the SP PM based in Mozambique. In addition, collaborate with the ILO Social Protection Department and DWT/Pretoria and ensure that country and regional products feed the production of global products.
14. Perform other duties as may be assigned by the Supervisor.

Required qualifications

Education

Advanced university degree in economics, management, social sciences or a related field.

Experience

At least seven years’ experience in the management of development cooperation activities, of which at least three years at the international level. This includes field experience in a leadership role for the implementation of projects, preferably in the fields of social security and social protection. Proven management experience, preferably with the ILO or a UN agency, with sound knowledge and experience in all aspects of project cycle, i.e. design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation. Proven experience in partnership building and networking and in effective fundraising, resource mobilization and donor relations. 

The candidate should have least three years’ demonstrated expertise in senior positions in the technical field of social security and social protection.

Familiarity with ILO policies and procedures including experience working with officials of ministries of labour and/or education would be an advantage.

Familiarity with ILO policies and procedures including experience working with officials of ministries of labour and/or education would be an advantage.

Languages

Excellent command of English. Good working knowledge of Portuguese is an advantage.

Competencies

• Proven ability to take ownership of all responsibilities, to act with integrity and transparency by maintaining social, ethical and organisational norms, and to meet all commitments within the prescribed time, cost and quality standards.
• Ability to develop clear strategic goals consistent with the project/programme’s objectives, and to design and synthesise strategies for programme development.
• Ability to advocate and provide policy advice.
• Excellent leadership skills, ability to work effectively in a team and excellent interpersonal skills.
• Ability to develop training materials, alternative courses of action, project proposals, policy, procedural matters and present them at high-level meetings.
• Ability to promote knowledge sharing and learning culture in the office, and to focus and guide others to meet objectives at individual and group level.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to write accurate reports and to build networks to obtain cooperation with partners.
• Proven capacity to initiate and implement development co-operation programmes and activities with ILO constituents and NGOs, including negotiation skills with governments, social partners and to mobilise the support of international donor agencies and provide quality services.
• Ability to plan and support the development of individual’s skills and abilities for a more effective fulfilment of job/role responsibilities.
• Ability to maintain effectiveness when experiencing major changes in work tasks or environment, and to adjust effectively to work within new work structures, processes, requirements, or cultures;
• Drive to seek or encourage others to seek opportunities for different and innovative approaches to organisation challenges and opportunities for improvement.
• Ability to work in a multicultural environment and to demonstrate gender-sensitive and non-discriminatory behaviour and attitudes.