National Project Officer - NOA (DC) at the International Labour Organization (ILO)

The International Labour Organization (ILO) is the United Nations agency for the world of work. We bring together governments, employers and workers to drive a human-centred approach to the future of work through employment creation, rights at work, social protection and social dialogue.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: National Project Officer - NOA (DC)

Job ID: 9702 
Location: Abuja
Vacancy No.: ABUJA/DC/NO/2022/13
Grade: NOA 
Department: RO-Africa
Organization Unit: CO-Abuja
Contract type: Fixed Term

Introduction

• The position will be located in the ILO Abuja Office, which maintains overall responsibility for the ILO's presence and activities in four Anglophone Countries of West Africa: Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia, and Sierra Leone. It also serves as the liaison office for Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
• It takes supports its constituents in defining programme priorities, activities, monitoring, and overall programme delivery.
• The National Project Officer will work on the project on Supporting Regional, National, and Local Action to Address Child Labor in West African Agriculture, funded by the US Department of Labour’s Bureau of International Labor Affairs (ILAB).  The project aims to achieve the following Outcomes:
  • Outcome 1: Increased capacity of ECOWAS to implement the ECOWAS Regional Action Plan to eliminate child labor. 
  • Outcome 2: Increased mobilization of ECOWAS Member States to implement National Action Plans to eliminate child labor. 
    • Outcome 2.1: Improved legislative, policy, and enforcement environment for enabling national action to address child labor. 
    • Outcome 2.2: Increased action by communities to develop and implement Community Action Plans to reduce child labor in agriculture. 
    • Outcome 2.3: Increased access to education, livelihoods, or other forms of social protection in agricultural communities.
• At the regional level, the project will strengthen ECOWAS to carry out, coordinate, monitor, and evaluate its Regional Action Plan to eliminate child labor, and at the national level, it will support the Government of Nigeria to improve the enabling environment to implement its National Action Plan to eliminate child labor.
• At the community level, the project will support cocoa-growing communities in Ondo State, Nigeria to carry out child labor elimination activities through implementation of Community Action Plans determined by the communities themselves, as well as provision of education, livelihoods, or social protection services.
• The National Project Officer will be responsible for managing the implementation of the project’s component for Nigeria.

Reporting Lines:

• Under the overall responsibility of the Director of the ILO Country Office for Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia and Sierra Leone (CO-Abuja), the National Project Officer (NPO) will work under the direct supervision of the National Project Manager and receive technical guidance and support from the Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work Branch (FUNDAMENTALS). 

Description of Duties

• Assist in the programming and control of resources of the project, prepare activity expenditure forecasts by analysing and monitoring situation of resources as compared to planned activities, making recommendations to the National Project Manager for remedial action where necessary
• Provide timely, accurate and pertinent information on programme and budget matters for operational decision-making purposes through the strategic use of the results-based management. Use baselines, milestones and indicators to measure, analyze and report on performance. Monitor and verify accuracy of data.
• Review and analyse Nigeria’s social and economic development plans and policies, legislation, socio-economic data, national development strategies, reports and other information relevant to the implementation of the project activities, with emphasis on the policies and regulations relevant to the fight against child labor, in particular the National Action Plan to eliminate child labor. Provide written analysis of the findings to the National Project Manager and regularly prepare brief to reflect updates, changes and current situation.
• 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.
• 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.
• Support organization of training programmes, seminars, workshops and meetings, and represent the project as delegated
• Prepare terms of references for external collaborators, identify consultants for conducting certain project activities, prepare cost estimation and provide support for preparing contracts and provide guidance and assess their work.
• Monitor the implementation and ensure the completion of contracts; identify difficulties and propose solutions based on reports and undertake field missions in relation to project implementation.
• Undertake regular and ad-hoc visits to monitor project activities and ensure quality delivery and compliance with ILO guidance.
• Perform other relevant duties as assigned by the Supervisor

Required Qualifications
Education:

• First level University Degree in Public Policy, International Development, Social Science, Anthropology, Education, Economics or a related field is preferred.

Experience:

• At least two years of experience in child labor related projects, in Nigeria, including providing technical assistance to national constituents for policy implementation, strengthening the legal framework and enforcement mechanisms for combating child labor, developing and implementing Community Action Plans, and/or providing education, livelihood, and social protection services.
• Experience in contributing to the implementation of project activities and project management and administration such as meeting deadlines, achieving targets, budgeting, and preparing required technical and financial reports.

Languages:

• Fluency in English (written and spoken) required.

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 advocate and provide policy advice;
• Sound knowledge of programme and budget, project formulation and management, administration and monitoring and evaluation methodologies.
• Proven ability to establish and maintain effective relationships and negotiate effectively with government officials, representatives of civil society, representatives of workers’ and employers’ organizations, and academia.
• Excellent time management abilities, teamwork, and organizational skills.
• Demonstrated ability to effectively incorporate gender in the implementation of projects.
• Ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines.
• Strong written communication skills, including proven ability to create high-quality written documents.
• Strong analytical skills and ability to justify requirements and approaches to problem resolution and good drafting skills
• Good ability to interpret project information and to identify and analyze problems with implementation
• Good knowledge of Microsoft Office software (Word, Excel, and PowerPoint) and communications tools (internet and email). 
• Ability to work in a multicultural environment and to demonstrate gender sensitive and non-discriminatory behaviours and attitudes
• Familiarity with monitoring and evaluation (M&E) would be an asset.
• Working knowledge of the ILO and/or UN procedures and systems would be an asset.
• Ability to deal with people with tact and diplomacy.

Application Closing Date
30th September, 2022 (midnight local time).