Youth unemployment and underemployment is a significant and growing problem in Côte d’Ivoire, Madagascar and Malawi, particularly in rural areas. The formal private sector creates few jobs, and vocational training institutions do not adequately prepare their graduates for the existing positions. The most likely option for youth is a job within the informal sector which is low-paying and often precarious. Opportunities for self-employment are similarly limited and show reduced economic productivity due to a lack of training in enterprise management and poor access to finance.
With support from the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) the ILO is leading the implementation of the project ProAgro YOUTH: Support to integrated agribusiness hubs in Côte d’Ivoire, Madagascar and Malawi. The project’s overall goal is to increase decent self and wage employment for rural youth through integrated agribusiness hubs. The two main objectives of the project are (1) to develop sustainable agricultural capacities of rural youth by though sustainable and innovative agribusiness hubs and (2) to generate empirical evidence of the developed and tested integrated agribusiness hub models to inform policy to drive scaling up the models to create jobs for youth.
To reach these objectives, ProAgro YOUTH will provide young people with the skills needed to access employment or start their business and support enterprise and value chain development so that the private sector can grow and provide more and better jobs. In collaboration with implementing partners and key stakeholders, ProAgro YOUTH will directly target opportunities in fast-growing value chains and identify approaches to address major policy barriers to youth employment within them. Through working with implementing partners, the project will host agro-business hubs in Côte d’Ivoire, Madagascar and Malawi, supported by satellites in the projects’ target regions.
The ACCEL Africa project is an ILO project funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands. The project is working to addresses child labour in selected supply chains in Côte d’Ivoire, Egypt, Malawi, Mali, Nigeria and Uganda with focus on some of the most widely traded agricultural commodities including cocoa, coffee, cotton, tea and on gold. The project has a specific component of promoting the school to work transition of vulnerable children over the minimum age for employment.
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The Project Technical Officer will support the implementation of the ProAgro YOUTH: Support to integrated agribusiness hubs in Côte d’Ivoire, Madagascar and Malawi project. Within the policy and procedural requirements established by the ILO, and in coordination with the country teams, the incumbent will be responsible for coordination and timely delivery of the activities to be implemented under ProAgro YOUTH. Moreover, they will provide technical support to youth employment initiatives and projects in Africa, including leveraging partners and action of the ILO-led Global Initiative on Decent Jobs for Youth. Moreover, the Project Technical Officer will also support the ACCEL Africa project in particular to provide technical inputs to integrate programmatic and policy issues on child labour in the youth employment work of the Office. This includes showcasing good practices in the area of vocational skills straining as well as focus on young people who previously were engaged in child labour.
The position is in the ILO Regional Office for Africa (RO-Africa) in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire. RO-Africa has overall political and management responsibilities for the promotion of ILO principles, policies and decent work priorities in the region as well as provides strategic guidance and support to all country offices and Decent Work Technical Support Teams (DWTs) in Africa. Furthermore, RO-Africa is responsible for promoting collaboration on decent work issues with continental institutions like the African Union, African Development Bank and United Nations Economic Commission for Africa. The main objectives of the ILO in Africa are to promote rights at work, encourage decent employment opportunities, enhance social protection and strengthen dialogue on work-related issues.
Reporting lines:
The incumbent will work under the direct supervision of the Youth Employment Officer and will also receive additional technical guidance and support from the Senior Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work Specialist of the Country Office for Côte d’Ivoire, other relevant specialists from the Regional Office for Africa, the Employment, Labour Markets and Youth Branch (EMPLAB) in ILO headquarters and other relevant other HQ branches and departments. They will work under the general supervision of the Regional Director for Africa.
Description of Duties
1. Provide technical support to project staff and national partners in the project countries in the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of project activities under ProAgro YOUTH and the ACCEL Africa project, in close coordination relevant ILO Country Offices and headquarter departments.
2. Provide technical backstopping to relevant youth employment projects in Africa including the ACCEL Africa project, in consultation with other specialists in the region and at headquarters.
3. Provide coordination support in building partnerships with other UN organisations, development partners as well as youth-led organisations of the ILO in Africa to promote youth employment, including in the digital economy.
4. Provide coordination support to ProAgro YOUTH and the ACCEL Africa project for the effective implementation of project objectives, in conformity with ILO policies and project strategies, and in accordance with ILO programming guidelines and country-action programs, and administrative and financial procedures.
5. Provide technical inputs to studies to assess employment opportunities for youth including on school to work transitions of children over the minimum age for employment, in close collaboration with specialists in DWTs and headquarter departments.
6. Contribute to the organisation and initiatives for knowledge-sharing events and consultations on youth employment in Africa and on promoting the school to work transition of children over the minimum age for employment, including leveraging the ILO-led Global Initiative on Decent Jobs for Youth
7. Support the effective management of funds allocated to the project, in accordance with ILO rules and regulations, including inputs for budget preparation and other related matters.
8. Provide inputs to the project monitoring framework and establish and maintain a database for monitoring and evaluation and aimed at tracking progress against key performance indicators.
9. Support efforts to strengthen relationships with government ministries, employers’ and workers’ organizations, non-governmental organizations, and in particular youth-led organisations and young people, and donors.
10. Representation of the ILO in meetings related to the project as well as other related meetings with other UN agencies, donors field visits and thematic donor meetings.
11. Undertake technical advisory missions relating to project implementation
12. Undertake any other duties or tasks as requested.
Required qualifications
Education
A first level university degree in development, social science, economics, education, labour or a related discipline/field. An Advanced university degree would be an advantage.
Experience
At least three years of relevant professional experience, including two years at the international level, in project design, management and implementation. Familiarity with ILO policies, technical programmes and procedures, including experience working with the United Nations, Ministries of Labour, Youth, Innovation and Rural Economy, would be an added advantage. Prior experience with youth employment programmes and projects and/or development projects focused on job creation in the agri-business sector are considered assets.
Languages
Excellent command of English and good knowledge of French.
Competencies
• Ability to work effectively in a team and excellent interpersonal skills.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to write accurate reports and to build networks to obtain cooperation with partners.
• Ability to maintain good working relationships with all project stakeholders.
• Ability to establish and maintain systems within project operations.
• Ability to understand and effectively work with Government, workers and employers’ organizations, non-government organizations and UN agencies.
• Ability to work independently, quickly, precisely, and take initiative and responsibility
• Proficient in basic computer software (Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Adobe Reader) and ability to use other software packages required by the Office
• Proven ability to implement projects in cooperation with project partners and key stakeholders
• Proven ability to take ownership of all responsibilities, to act with integrity and transparency by maintaining social, ethical and organisational norms
• Ability to work in a multicultural environment and to demonstrate gender-sensitive and non-discriminatory behaviour and attitudes
Conditions of employment
- Any appointment/extension of appointment is subject to ILO Staff Regulations and other relevant internal rules. Any offer of employment with the ILO is conditional upon certification by the ILO Medical Adviser that the person concerned is medically fit to perform the specific inherent requirements of the position offered. In order to confirm an offer from the ILO the successful candidate will be required to undergo a medical examination.
- Any extension of technical cooperation contracts are subject to various elements including the following: availability of funds, continuing need of the functions and satisfactory conduct and performance.
For more information on conditions of employment, please visit: https://jobs.ilo.org/content/International/?locale=en_GB
Recruitment process
Please note that all candidates must complete an on-line application form. To apply, please visit ILO Jobs. The system provides instructions for online application procedures.
Applicants will be contacted directly if selected for a written test and/or an interview.
Depending on the location and availability of candidates, assessors and interview panel members, the ILO may use communication technologies such as Skype, Video or teleconference, e-mail, etc for the assessment and evaluation of candidates at the different stages of the recruitment process, including technical tests or interviews.
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