Introduction

The position is located in the Priority Action Programme “Transition from the informal to the formal economy” (AP/Formalization) under the DDG portfolio. IGDS no.660 provides details about the objectives and operational modalities of the four Priority Action Programmes (APs) introduced through the Programme and Budget for 2024–25. The APs focus on the effective coordination and integration of policies and activities across the different areas of the ILO’s work and the provision of integrated support to constituents.

They are expected to function as entry points for leveraging partnerships and cooperation in support of the Global Coalition for Social Justice. The four APs have been designed to foster integrated cross-Office action and collaborative working modalities across departments at headquarters and in field offices, addressing decent work deficits affecting specific, well-defined populations and ensuring integrated policy responses aimed to result in measurable outcomes. In this way, the APs will enable the consolidation and expansion of in-house expertise and knowledge on key policy areas of the world of work; this will translate into increased impact at country level and the stronger positioning of the ILO globally. The APs will be implemented in close cooperation with ILO tripartite constituents and involve relevant entities of the multilateral system, as well as development partners and civil society organizations concerned with the specific theme each AP is targeting.

The APs aim to consolidate relevant facets of the specific AP themes that are addressed by different organizational units, adding value to and enabling this work by: (a) facilitating knowledge exchange; (b) developing and sharing new tools and methodologies; (c) strengthening advocacy and communication; (d) improving coordination of capacity development initiatives, including with the ITC–ILO; and (e) engaging with multilateral organizations and building consensus and coordinated action that ensures the bulk of the risk is not placed on the most vulnerable workers least able to bear it. Such actions should ensure that APs’ impact on knowledge, policy advice and capacity-building is significant, measurable and visible.

Within the policy and procedural requirements established by the ILO and the AP/Formalization, the Senior Specialist will be responsible for providing direct technical support to the above AP and contribute to the expected outcomes.

Guided by the Transition from the Informal to the Formal Economy Recommendation, 2015 (No. 204), AP/Formalization will improve coherence and effectiveness of formalization policies by: (a) building a shared understanding, based on evidence, among constituents and within the multilateral system on why and how to address informality and its root causes with particular attention to gender equality concerns, highlighting the essential contribution of formalization to social justice; (b) strengthening the capacity of constituents to implement gender-responsive, inclusive, integrated and coherent formalization strategies including opportunities offered by the Social and Solidarity Economy (SSE), and to improve the coordination and synergies between distinct policy interventions in the area; and (c) developing joint initiatives within the multilateral system on transition to formality.

Reporting lines: The Senior Specialist will report to the Director of the AP/Formalization and will receive technical guidance from the concerned technical Department. He/she will work closely with Technical Specialists in HQ and/or the DWT.

Description of Duties

Technical leadership and advice:

1.    Provide technical expertise and advice to the stakeholders of the AP/Formalization, including relevant government agencies and other key institutions. Ensure that technical interventions and decisions are well founded and take into account the specific nature of the AP/Formalization objectives. Promote the inclusion of gender equality and non-discrimination in all aspects of the project.
2.    Monitor and analyse from a comparative perspective all new knowledge produced by the ILO through surveys and diagnostic studies on the nature/characteristics of informal employment and trends regarding informal employment. Support the Field to foster understanding among ILO’s constituents of concepts, indicators and possible pathways to address informality in the diagnostic phase. And provide a shared understanding on tools and methodologies to conduct informal economy/employment diagnostics aligned with ICLS definition.
3.    Contribute to the regional knowledge sharing fora and to the Global knowledge sharing forum. Support the Global Accelerator Team and COs by providing technical advice on assessing the level and characteristics of informal employment in pathways countries based on quantitative methods first but also qualitative methods including perception surveys.
4.    Support preparatory work for the 2025 general discussion of the International Labour Conference on “Innovative approaches to tackling informality and promoting transitions towards formality”.
5.    Support the Global Accelerator Team and COs by providing technical advice on assessing the level and characteristics of informal employment in pathways countries based on quantitative methods first but also qualitative methods including perception surveys.

Advocacy, networking and partnership

6.    Develop and maintain excellent relations with governments, ministries, employers’ and workers’ organizations, non-governmental organizations, target groups and donors, and promote opportunities for collaboration towards planning and implementation of project/programme activities.
7.    Liaise and coordinate with the other UN agencies and counterparts to promote ILO values, increase the AP/Formalization objectives visibility and facilitate the scaling-up of the ILO’s interventions. Liaise with other UN counterparts to promote ILO’s work on data production and diagnostics tools regarding transition to formality, based on Recommendation no.204, to increase ILO’s work visibility and facilitate the scaling-up of the ILO’s interventions.
8.    Establish and manage partnerships within the multilateral system, including IFIs, to develop joint research on the level and characteristics of informal employment to generate a shared vision that will help to foster policy coherence among organizations.
9.    Promote ILO policies in the related technical areas of the AP/Formalization, other fundamental rights at work and the relevant International Labour Standards in collaboration with other technical/labour standards specialists.

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Knowledge management:

10.    Design communication and knowledge-sharing strategies, and lead the development of the AP/Formalization information materials.
11.    Ensure the development of information databases covering AP/Formalization. Participate, conceive, plan and manage international and national expert group meetings, seminars and similar consultations that contribute to knowledge production about the nature and characteristics of the informal economy. Manage outreach and technical activities, including networks and communities of practice for knowledge sharing; designs and conducts training workshops, seminars, etc. and establish coordination with concerned ILO Departments and Field Offices.
12.    Identify training needs and lead training workshops and meetings for the tripartite partners, NGOs, other agencies, target groups and staff as appropriate to reinforce the professional capabilities.

13.    Represent the Office at meetings, seminars and evaluations and build and enhance strategic partnerships and networks of government policymakers, workers’ and employers’ organizations and civil society organizations.

14.    Perform other duties as required.

Required qualifications

Education

Advanced university degree (Master‘s or equivalent) in economics, development studies, social science or a related discipline.

A first-level university degree (Bachelor’s or equivalent) in one of the afore-mentioned fields or other relevant field with an additional two years of relevant experience, in addition to the required experience stated below, will be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree.

Experience

At least ten years of relevant experience in the field of labour market diagnostics so as a good knowledge of informal employment related issues. Experience with liaison and partnership building with other international/multilateral organizations would be an asset.

Languages

Excellent knowledge of one working language of the Office (English, French or Spanish), and good working knowledge of another one.

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 AP/Formalization’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 formulate new concepts and methodologies and to synthesise research and reach empirically based conclusions on related subjects by understanding both the qualitative and quantitative approaches in social science research.
• Ability to apply relevant theories and concepts and to conduct independent research on informal economy/employment, and to determine suitability, validity and accuracy of data provided by different sources.
• Ability to develop training strategies and design training materials.
• Ability to formulate project proposals, policy documents and procedural matters.
• Ability to promote a knowledge sharing and learning culture in the office, and to focus and guide others to meet objectives at individual and group level.
• Excellent 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 cooperation project/programme activities with partners.
• Excellent negotiation skills and ability to provide high 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 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.
• The ability to work in a multicultural environment and to demonstrate gender-sensitive and non-discriminatory behaviour and attitudes.