Technical Officer - Social Protection and Enterprise Promotion P2 (DC)

Under article 4.2

, paragraph (e) of the Staff Regulations, the filling of vacancies in technical cooperation projects does not fall under Annex I of the Staff Regulations and is made by direct selection by the Director-General.

In order to support the best informed process in the filling of the present vacancy by direct selection, the ILO invites interested candidates to submit their candidature online by the above date.

Technical cooperation appointments are not expected to lead to a career in the ILO and they do not carry any expectation of renewal or conversion to any other type of appointment in the Organization. A one-year fixed-term contract will be given. Extensions 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.

The following are eligible to apply:

ILO Internal candidates in accordance with paragraphs 31 and 32 of Annex I of the Staff Regulations. External candidates.

Introduction

Kenya hosts 540,000 refugees and asylum-seekers, of which the majority are women and children (UNHCR, December 2021). As the country is following an encampment policy, the overwhelming majority of refugees lives in two camps â Dadaab and Kakuma. An additional 81,000 registered refugees live in urban areas (UNHCR, 2022). Urban refugees face gaps in support for meeting their basic needs and accessing social protection as well as livelihood opportunities, as most of the development and humanitarian assistance for refugees is concentrated in Dadaab and Kakuma. The dynamic environment in urban areas offers the opportunity to integrate livelihood and social protection interventions, supporting refugees and asylum seekers to become economically independent while protecting them against life-cycle contingencies such as illness, maternity, old age, unemployment or disability.

The International Labour Organization (ILO), with funding from the US Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration (PRM), is therefore launching a new project entitled âPromoting Pathways to Economic Inclusion and Social Protection for Refugees and Host Communities in Kenyaâ focused on supporting refugees and their host communities in Kenyaâs urban areas. The program will focus on immediate and long-term solutions for livelihoods and social protection and work simultaneously on the macro-, meso-, and micro-level. 

The programme will pursue three interlinked objectives, all contributing to the ultimate goal of improving refugee and host community access to decent livelihood opportunities and social protection:

Objective 1: Policy frameworks are more inclusive of refugees and workers in the informal economy, with a specific focus on enterprise promotion and social protection Objective 2: Refugees and host communities have access to decent work and livelihood opportunities Objective 3: Social protection is available and accessible to refugees and host communities, including for workers in the informal economy.

To promote livelihoods of urban refugees and vulnerable host communities, the project will make use of the ILOâs Approach to Inclusive Market Systems (AIMS) that looks at sectors with potential for inclusive growth and job creation and designs targeted and holistic strategies to develop these for the benefit of refugees and host communities. Work to integrate refugees into national social protection schemes will follow ILO standards on universal social protection and will build on ongoing ILO work towards more inclusive social protection policies and programmes in Kenya. 

The recruitment is subject to the availability of funds.

Reporting Lines:

The Technical Officer will work under the direct supervision of the Project Manager, Social Protection and Enterprise Promotion and the overall supervision of the Director of ILO Country Office for the United Republic of Tanzania, Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda (CO-Dar Es Salaam). The incumbent will receive technical guidance and backstopping support from the Enterprise and Social Protection Specialists of the Decent Work Team (DWT) in Pretoria, as well as the relevant technical teams at SME/ENTERPRISES and Social Protection/SOCPRO within the Jobs and Social Protection Cluster at ILO Headquarters. The position will be based in the ILO Project Office in Nairobi, Kenya. 

Description of Duties

Support the Project Manager and the National Project Coordinators in effective coordination and planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the project, in conformity with ILO and PRM policies and project strategies, and in accordance with ILO programming guidelines and the countryâs Decent Work Programme, and administrative and financial procedures.  Assist in conducting a gender-sensitive market systems analysis for refugee livelihoods promotion as well as assessments of policy frameworks that govern refugeesâ access to work permits, sim cards and social protection schemes, and use results to design a detailed strategy to promote decent livelihoods and identify opportunities and constraints to extend social protection of refugees and host communities in sectors and value chains with potential for inclusive growth and job creation.  Contribute to the development of a comprehensive monitoring system for the project, including the design of a theory of change, and support the project team in conducting a baseline assessment as well as regular monitoring visits as needed to collect data on progress and results of project activities. This includes ensuring that monitoring efforts contribute to the generation of evidence on social protection coverage of refugee populations to feed the world social protection database and the Global Refugee Forum monitoring thereof.  Assist the Project Manager in drafting regular progress reports and fulfilling overall reporting in line with PRM requirements, as well as drafting and implementation of communication and visibility strategies.  Support the organization of seminars, trainings and capacity building measures for various project partners and constituents on entrepreneurship promotion, market systems development and universal social protection systems, as well as trainings to build skills and capacities of refugees and vulnerable host communities as well as their awareness on social protection rights and entitlements.  Support the identification of synergies with other projects on social protection and enterprise promotion in Kenya to leverage opportunities at the macro-, meso-, and micro-level. Conduct any other tasks and duties as requested by the Project Manager, Social Protection and Enterprise Promotion.

Required qualifications

Education

First-level university degree in economics, development studies, social sciences, public health or any other relevant field.

Experience

At least three years of relevant experience in the formulation, implementation, evaluation or backstopping of project activities Experience with either social protection or market systems/value chain development would be an asset. Field experience and / or experience supporting project in the fields of either social policies or private sector development would be an advantage

Languages

Excellent command of written and spoken English.

Competencies

Ability to conceptualise, plan, coordinate and conduct straightforward research work, discussion papers, reports. Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to write reports  Good analytical skills, and ability to conceptualise, plan, coordinate and conduct activities consistent with the project's objectives. Ability to carry out assignments in accordance with instructions and guidelines and ability to work on own initiative 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 the ILO Jobs International Recruitment page.

Recruitment process