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 – 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 “Promoting Pathways to Economic Inclusion and Social Protection for Refugees and Host Communities in Kenya” focused on supporting refugees and their host communities in Kenya’s 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 ILO’s 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 Project Manager will have the overall responsibility for planning and implementation of the PRM-funded project. Within the policy and procedural requirements established by the ILO, the incumbent will be responsible for the overall leadership and management of all aspects of the project, including its operational, financial, administrative and human resource management.

The recruitment is subject to the availability of funds.

Reporting Lines:

The Project manager will work under the 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

Project and Knowledge Management:

• Ensure 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 Decent Work Country Programme, and administrative and financial procedures. This includes the effective management of project budget and human resources; fulfilling reporting requirements; ensuring adherence to established policies and procedures; and coordinating the design, monitoring and evaluation for all activities.
• Take the lead in developing a learning culture in the project team. This would include guidance and support for the establishment of an MRM system that applies the DCED standards and is included in the Social Protection Result Monitoring Tool of the ILO, while being appropriate to the scale and nature of the project, and ensuring its full integration into project management and implementation.
• Build and enhance strategic partnerships and networks. Support the development and implementation of an effective communication, outreach, and knowledge sharing strategy.

Technical advisory services:

• Oversee the delivery of a market systems analysis 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.
• Guide and support the planning and implementation of overall project activities, including pilot interventions to promote decent job and more inclusive social protection schemes, and scaling up of interventions that are successful. This will require developing strong partnerships with relevant actors and institutions in both the private and the public sector.
• Provide technical advice to the project stakeholders at the macro-, meso-, and micro-level in technical areas related to the project, namely in the fields of universal social protection and market systems development through gender-sensitive approaches. Mobilise internal expertise as needed in one or both areas of work.
• Support the establishment of and access to social protection mechanisms, and activities to raise awareness and capacities of project’s beneficiaries and stakeholders on needs and benefits of social security.
• Identify capacity building needs among project stakeholders and constituents and implement capacity reinforcement activities accordingly in the areas of universal social protection and market systems development.
• Support development of the project staff’s capacity to apply a systemic approach to social protection and livelihoods, through training and continuous coaching.

Required qualifications

Education

Advanced university degree (Master’s or equivalent) in economics, development studies, social sciences, public health or any other relevant field.

A first-level university degree (Bachelor’s or equivalent) in a relevant field with an additional two years of relevant experience will be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree.

Experience

• At least seven years of relevant experience in the formulation or implementation of technical cooperation activities, including at the international level.
• Experience with either social protection or market systems/value chain development.
• Field experience providing policy and / or implementation support in the fields of either social policies (i.e. social protection, education, health) or private sector development.
• Proven project implementation experience, with understanding of the project cycle, i.e. design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation.
• Experience in managing multi-stakeholder activities with the public and private sector.
• Familiarity with ILO policies and procedures in respect of universal social protection, enterprise promotion and / or technical cooperation projects would be a strong advantage.

Languages

Excellent command of written and spoken English.