Chief, Skills and Employability Branch

Vacancy No: CALL/D/2017/01 Title: Chief, Skills and Employability Branch Grade: D1 Contract type: Fixed-term Appointment	Date: 15 December 2016 Application Deadline (midnight Geneva time) 29 January 2017 (42 day(s) until closing deadline) Currently accepting applications   Organization unit:   DDG/P EMPLOYMENT Duty Station:  Geneva, Switzerland
General introduction Under article 4.2, paragraphs (d) and (e) of the Staff Regulations, the filling of vacancies in grades D1 and D2, as well as in grade P5 for all Director positions in field offices, are made by direct selection by the Director-General. In order to support the best informed process in the filling of the above vacancy by direct selection the ILO invites interested candidates to submit their curriculum vitae online by the above date (midnight Geneva time). The following are eligible to apply: - ILO Internal candidates in accordance with paragraphs 31 and 32 of Annex I of the Staff Regulations. Staff members with at least five years of continuous service with the Office are encouraged to apply and will be given special consideration at the screening and evaluation stage. - External candidates. The ILO values diversity among its staff and aims at achieving gender parity. We welcome submissions from qualified women and men, including those with disabilities. Within the context of the ILO's efforts to promote staff mobility, any appointee should expect to take up different assignments (field and Headquarters) during their career. Conditions of employment are described in the Appendix.
INTRODUCTION The Employment Policy Department is responsible for promoting full and productive employment by developing integrated employment, development and skills policies that maximize the employment impact of economic growth, investment and development and which are inclusive, gender sensitive, productive and sustainable. At the global level, the Department advocates and promotes policy frameworks and partnerships that aim at generating more quality employment opportunities. At the country level, the objective is to support the ILO constituents to develop, implement and monitor coordinated and context specific policies and programmes that promote quality job creation through economic diversification and investment strategies, skills development for present and future needs in the labour markets and labour market activation and intermediation that integrate the most vulnerable groups. These include policies and programmes facilitating transition to formality for the large segments of population working and earning their livelihoods in the informal economy and employment and income opportunities in the rural economy. Guided by relevant Conventions and Recommendations, the Department develops new approaches and policy tools and disseminates them through policy advisory, capacity building and technical cooperation activities in a range of inter-related areas at global level and across countries and regions. The Department delivers on its mandate through work in three Branches: Skills and Employability; Employment and Labour Markets Policies Branch; and the Development and Investment Branch. The Skills and Employability Branch has the primary responsibility for conducting comparative research, developing policy guidelines and tools, and promoting technical cooperation, in coordination with ILO field structure, supporting ILO tripartite constituents to improve the employability of workers, move young people into productive and decent work, and increase the productivity of enterprises through better quality and relevant training. This comprises work on skills policies and systems including apprenticeships, skills anticipation methodologies, skills recognition and financing systems, and policy coherence with national and sectoral development strategies. The Chief of the Branch reports to the Director of the Employment Policy Department.
Description of Duties The Chief of the Skills and Employability Branch is called upon to carry out the following duties: 1.Provide technical and managerial leadership for all functions of the Branch and support the staff by establishing and appraising work plans, objectives and action plans in line with the Programme and Budget priorities and other priorities established in the areas of responsibility, ensuring timely and quality results and reporting and evaluating regularly. 2.Propose and develop new approaches, policy analysis, tools and guidelines on various issues pertaining to skills and employability; ensure timely execution and broad dissemination and outreach. 3.Lead, and provide authoritative technical support and guidance to the skills specialists, members of the global employment team. 4.Organize and lead policy advisory missions to member States on issues related to skills and employability; ensure coordination and integration across Branches and Units in the Department, participation from other departments as relevant, and coordinate technical advice with field offices and specialists. 5.Promote, strengthen and develop partnerships at the global, regional and country level in the area of skills development and employability and carry out concrete joint initiatives with multi/lateral and regional organizations. 6.Mobilize extra budgetary resources for the expansion of technical cooperation projects in the areas of skills and employability. 7.Strengthen and maintain networks of experts on skills policies and organize regular technical and analytical meetings appraising new developments, empirical evidence and policy approaches. 8.Strengthen and maintain capacity-building courses and academies in the area of skills and employability and other relevant areas in collaboration with the international Training Centre in Turin. 9.Represent the ILO at high-level international, regional, inter-agency meetings, seminars and conferences in related fields. 10.Lead the contribution of the Branch for the preparation of strategic and analytic reports for the International Labour Conference and Governing Body papers in related fields. 11.Support the Department management in promoting an integrated and comprehensive narrative and perspective on employment policy and integrated team work modalities across units and Branches. 12.Perform such other duties as may be assigned by the Director of EMPLOYMENT. DESIRABLE PROFILE EDUCATION Advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in economics, or social sciences. A Ph.D. or equivalent in Economics or related social sciences field is desirable. EXPERIENCE 15 years of progressively responsible professional work experience at the national and international levels, of which seven in the field of skills and employability analysis and policy advice in different country and regional contexts, and ten years of experience in managing different teams. LANGUAGES Excellent command of English; a good knowledge of a second working language of the ILO (French, Spanish) is desirable. Candidates without a second ILO language will be required to develop working knowledge during the first two years of employment. COMPETENCIES In addition to the ILO core competencies: Demonstrated high level technical expertise on skills and employability issues in countries and regions at different levels of development; full acquaintance with relevant international policy debates and ILO's mandate, policies and international labour standards in the area. Proven record of technical and analytic skills including work with statistical data and publications on skills and employability issues. Full acquaintance with ILO tripartite structure and demonstrated ability to work with all parties and promote dialogue and consensus. Experience in policy design and implementation, capacity development for ILO constituents, and building social dialogue and inter-ministerial coordination at the country level. Demonstrated ability to articulate and communicate technically complex and politically-sensitive ideas and policy advice pertaining to skills and employability with clarity, persuasion, tact and diplomacy. Political acumen and demonstrated negotiation skills. Proven ability to establish and develop networks and partnerships. Proven decision-making and excellent problem-solving skills. Demonstrated leadership skills to motivate staff, promote interest and engagement, harmonious working relationships and teamwork. Ability to supervise staff and to plan the work and manage work teams involved in diverse specializations connected to skills development. Ability to develop clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies, identify priority activities and assignments, and manage financial and human resources to meet those goals. Ability to contribute effectively as a member of the Department management team on organizational issues and organizational priorities. Excellent drafting and communication skills with the ability to represent the Department and the ILO in various fora. The ability to work in a multicultural environment and to demonstrate gender-sensitive and non-discriminatory behaviour and attitudes.
Required Qualifications
Additional Information: Evaluation (which may include one or several written tests and a pre-interview competency-based assessment centre) and the interviews will tentatively take place between February and March 2017. Candidates are requested to ensure their availability should they be short listed for further consideration.
APPLICANTS WILL BE CONTACTED DIRECTLY IF SELECTED FOR WRITTEN TEST.
APPLICANTS WILL BE CONTACTED DIRECTLY IF SELECTED FOR AN INTERVIEW.
APPENDIX I CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT
Please note that taking effect on 1st of January 2017, the UN common system will implement a new compensation package. Therefore, the figures shown below are subject to change. - Any appointment/extension of appointment is subject to ILO Staff Regulations and other relevant internal rules. - The first contract will be issued for a twelve-month period (for Geneva-based positions) and a twenty-four month period (for non Geneva-based positions) - A successful external candidate will be on probation for the first two years of assignment. - Any extension of contract beyond the probation period is subject to satisfactory conduct and performance. Grade: D1 Salary and post adjustment (with dependants) US$ Salary Minimum 105572 rising to Maximum 121286 Post adjustment for Geneva Minimum 84458 Maximum 97029 Salary and post adjustment (without dependants) US$ Salary Minimum 97583 Maximum Maximum 111130 Post adjustment for Geneva Minimum 78066 Maximum 88904
Please note that the above salary levels are determined according to the criteria established by the International Civil Service Commission. The ILO is international public sector employer and salary and other employment conditions are not negotiable. Other allowances and benefits subject to specific terms of appointment: Children's allowance (except for the first child if the dependant rate of salary is paid in respect of that child); Children's education grant (per child per year); Pension and Health Insurance schemes; 30 working days' annual leave; Assignment Grant; Entitlement to transport expenses of personal effects; Repatriation Grant; Home-leave travel with eligible dependants every two years; Rental subsidy (if applicable). Recruitment is normally made at the initial step in the grade. Salaries and emoluments are exempt from taxation by the Swiss authorities and, on the basis of international agreements or national law relating to presence or residence abroad, are generally exempt from taxation by other governments. In the absence of exemption, in most cases tax paid will be reimbursed in accordance with an ILO document which will be supplied upon request. While the successful candidate will be initially working in Geneva, he/she may be assigned to any duty station designated by the Director-General of the ILO.
Please note that all candidates must complete an on-line application form. To apply, please visit ILO's e-Recruitment website at: erecruit.ilo.org. The system provides instructions for online application procedures.
The ILO does not charge any fee at any stage of the recruitment process whether at the application, interview, processing or training stage. Messages originating from a non ILO e-mail account - @ilo.org - should be disregarded. In addition, the ILO does not require or need to know any information relating to the bank account details of applicants. 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 assessment centres, technical tests or interviews.