Project Manager

The Project Manager will coordinate and manage the ILO-led outputs of the Responsible Business Conduct in Africa Project across 11 African countries. The role involves providing technical advisory services, managing project funds and human resources, ensuring compliance with ILO policies, and fostering partnerships to promote responsible business conduct.

Responsibilities

• Ensure effective implementation of the ILO-led outputs of the Project in the 11 target countries through provision of inputs, delivery of outputs, planning and monitoring of activities in conformity with ILO policies and project strategies.
• Coordinate the organization of ILO-led activities and events at regional and sub-regional levels, ensuring synergies with other implementing organizations.
• Manage funds/budgets allocated to the ILO for the project across 11 countries and regional activities.
• Manage human resources of the ILO project team including recruitment, performance and talent management, overseeing Monitoring and Knowledge-Management Officer, Project Officers, Project Assistant, administrative support staff, and consultants.
• Prepare project implementation and closure reports highlighting achievements, challenges, and lessons learned, ensuring fulfillment of financial, administrative, and legal obligations.
• Represent ILO as contractual lead/convening agent of the RBC-Africa project, coordinating joint programme structures and participating in joint meetings with EU, ITC, OECD, OHCHR, and UNDP.
• Prepare overall annual implementation reports coordinating inputs from other IOs and submit final reports to the EU.
• Manage implementation of ILO project activities in Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Nigeria and Liberia.
• Serve as primary liaison with the EU Delegation in Côte d’Ivoire, ensuring timely communications, compiling inputs for joint workplans, identifying collaboration opportunities, and organizing coordination meetings and launch events.
• Provide policy and technical advice to ministries, government agencies, employer and business organizations, workers’ organizations, and other stakeholders on RBC and decent work.
• Review, analyse and interpret economic, social and political trends in the 11 countries, identifying needs for further research and programme development.
• Ensure technical coherence among ILO activities and projects on RBC in the 11 countries and promote linkages with other projects.
• Identify training needs and organize workshops and meetings for tripartite partners, NGOs, other agencies, target groups and staff.
• Strengthen cooperation and coordination with governments, social partners, NGOs, donors and other stakeholders in planning and implementing project activities.
• Liaise with EU delegations and other IOs to promote ILO values, increase project visibility and facilitate scaling-up of interventions.
• Promote ILO policies related to sustainable enterprises, responsible business conduct, sustainable trade and investment, fundamental principles and rights at work, international labour standards and the ILO MNE Declaration, including gender equality and non-discrimination.
• Collaborate with other IOs to ensure policy coherence and appropriate references to international instruments on RBC, including UN Guiding Principles and OECD Guidelines.
• Undertake local resource mobilization activities with donors for future activities linked to the project’s objectives.
• Write and disseminate knowledge products including project deliverables, news items, and press releases with support of Monitoring and Knowledge-Management Officer.
• Ensure representation in international, regional and national fora and advocacy campaigns.
• Develop information databases covering project activities with support of Monitoring and Knowledge-Management Officer.
• Prepare periodic and ad hoc reports for donors on implementation status and coordinate with concerned ILO departments and programmes.
• Undertake other duties as required.

Requirements

• Advanced university degree (Master‘s or equivalent) in economics, social sciences, business administration, law or a relevant field.
• 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.
• At least seven years of relevant professional experience, including at the regional/international level implementing or providing technical backstopping of activities and development cooperation projects on RBC or related fields.
• Field experience in a leadership role for the implementation of projects in the technical field of RBC.
• Proven management experience, preferably with the ILO or a UN agency, with sound knowledge and experience in all aspects of project cycle, i.e. design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation.
• Proven experience in partnership building and networking and in effective fundraising, resource mobilization and donor relations.
• Experience in managing a development cooperation project in Africa and multi-partner projects, involving various international organizations as implementing partners will be considered as assets.
• Strong knowledge of responsible business conduct (RBC) issues in the region is required.
• Excellent knowledge of English and working knowledge of French is a requirement.
• Familiarity with ILO policies and procedures including experience working with directors and specialists in ILO offices as well as with officials of ministries of labour and social partners.
• Familiarity with other international organizations/UN agencies and skills to manage relations with the partners of the project, outside ILO.
• 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 project/programme’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 develop training materials, alternative courses of action, project proposals, policy and procedural matters, and to present them at high-level meetings.
• 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.
• Strong 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 programmes and activities with ILO constituents and NGOs, including negotiation skills with governments and social partners, and to mobilise the support of international donor agencies and provide quality services.
• Ability to plan and support the development of individuals’ 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 work within 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.
• Ability to work in a multicultural environment and to demonstrate gender-sensitive and non-discriminatory behaviour and attitudes.

Skills

• Project Management
• Responsible Business Conduct
• Development Cooperation
• Project Cycle Management
• Monitoring and Evaluation
• Partnership Building
• Resource Mobilization
• Donor Relations
• Leadership
• Strategic Planning
• Policy Advice
• Training Material Development
• Report Writing
• Negotiation
• Multi-cultural Team Collaboration
• Knowledge Sharing
• Fund Management
• Human Resources Management
• Stakeholder Engagement
• Compliance Management

Languages

English, French