International Labour Standards and Labour Law Specialist

Vacancy No: RAPS/3/2016/AF/04 Title: International Labour Standards and Labour Law Specialist Grade: P.4 Contract type: Fixed-term Appointment	Date: 29 September 2016 Application Deadline (midnight Geneva time) 1 November 2016 (13 day(s) until closing deadline) Currently accepting applications   Organization unit:   DWT/CO-Yaounde Duty Station:  Yaounde, Cameroon
General introduction 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. 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. In accordance with the Staff Regulations and letters of appointment, successful candidates for positions in the Professional category would be expected to take up different assignments (field and Headquarters) during their career, the desirable length of an assignment in any specific position being two to five years, following which the incumbent should be willing to move to another assignment and/or duty station. Within the context of the Office's renewed efforts to promote mobility, staff members seeking mobility are encouraged to apply to vacancies. Mobility will be given special consideration at the screening and evaluation stages. The ILO values diversity among its staff. We welcome applicants from qualified women and men, including those with disabilities. If you are unable to complete our online application form due to a disability, please send an email to erecruit@ilo.org. Applications from qualified candidates from non- or under-represented member States, or from those member States which staffing forecasts indicate will become non- or under-represented in the near future, would be particularly welcome. A list of these countries is in Appendix I. Successful completion of the Assessment Centre is required for all external candidates. Conditions of employment are described in Appendix II.
INTRODUCTION The position is located in the Decent Work Technical Support Team for Central Africa. DWT/CO-Yaoundé provides high quality, timely and integrated support for the preparation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of Decent Work Country Programmes in Cameroun, Angola, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of Congo, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon and Sao Tome and Principe. DWT/CO-Yaoundé also provides strategic guidance in formulating policy and work programmes as required by the ILO country offices and the constituents in Central Africa, under the supervision of the Regional Office for Africa and in collaboration with headquarters technical departments. The Specialist will consider all legal and practical aspects of international labour standards, with a view to strengthening and improving the application and dissemination of such standards at all levels. The Specialist will ensure that normative aspects of the ILO are fully integrated in DWCPs in the countries covered by the office. S/he will work in close collaboration with other technical specialists in the Decent Work Team and in the region, including with the colleagues responsible for the workers' and employers' organizations on the legal and practical aspects of International Labour Standards. The Specialist will collaborate with other United Nations organizations and relevant actors in civil society for the promotion of international labour standards. She/he will also act as a focal point for one cross-cutting issue or priority theme. The incumbent will report to the Director of DWT-Yaounde. The incumbent will receive technical guidance and support from the International Labour Standards Department and the Governance and Tripartism Department at Headquarters.
Description of Duties Specific duties 1.Ensure that governments timely discharge their reporting obligations under article 22 of the Constitution, and take suitable action on comments made by ILO supervisory bodies such as the Committee of Experts on the Application of Conventions and Recommendations, the Conference Committee on the Application of Standards and the Committee on Freedom of Association. 2.Provide capacity-building to the government and social partners, as well as to the judiciary and parliamentarians on international labour standards and the supervisory system. 3.Formulate policy and give advice on legal issues to ILO constituents regarding institutional strengthening, application of ILO standards, including as regards the extension of their application to the informal economy as well as in the promotion and delivery of technical cooperation activities. 4.In collaboration with the International labour Standards Department and the Governance and Tripartism Department, analyse draft labour legislation submitted by the governments for the ILO comments, formulate and coordinate the comments, assist in preparation of draft labour legislation. Provide advice and assistance to workers' and employers' organizations on existing and proposed labour legislation. 5.Promote the establishment and effective operation of procedures for tripartite consultations in accordance with Convention N°144 and promote the ratification and implementation of international labour standards. 6.Advise ILO constituents on the application of, or effect given to, Conventions and Recommendations as an effective means to attaining the Organisation's decent work and social justice objectives. 7.Develop and examine legal frameworks, institutions and practices that may be useful for social partners to improve, implement and evaluate social dialogue. Conduct research and analytical work in the field of international labour standards and labour law. 8.Elaborate projects, analyse proposals, formulate, revise, evaluate and present project proposals, and negotiate financing, with special regard to international labour standards. 9.Cooperate with the other specialists of the DWT/CO to ensure that international labour standards are fully taken into account in the design, implementation and evaluation of DWCPs. 10.Disseminate information on action programmes through publications, manuals, guidebooks, press releases, etc. and ensure representation in donors meetings, international, regional and local forums, and promotional campaigns. 11. Contribute to the dissemination of the ILO Declaration of Principles and Fundamental Rights at Work through the organization of workshops and seminars. Prepare promotional material. 12.Mainstream gender equality concerns into all international labour standards and labour legislation related activities. These specific duties are aligned with the relevant ILO generic job description, which includes the following generic duties: 1.Examine reports by governments on ratified and unratified Conventions and Recommendations. Examine and analyse complaints. Prepare comparative analyses of the legislation and practice of the different member States. Draft comments for presentation to and discussion with high-level committees and/or groups of experts. Provide advice to colleagues on labour standards under the incumbent's responsibility. 2.Prepare legal opinions and interpretations on a variety of legal questions or in a specialized field. 3.Prepare notes, reports and documents concerning questions of international law or labour standards, including requests for interpretations on complex legal questions, for consideration by governments, the Governing Body, the International Labour Conference and the Director-General. Develop strategies for follow-up to decisions made by policy bodies. 4.Analyse draft labour legislation submitted by governments to the ILO for comments prior to adoption. 5.Undertake research and write studies on complex problems (i.e. judging compatibility between legislation and practice) relating to international labour standards, labour law and labour relations, as well as prepare general surveys, manuals and articles. Supervise the preparation of statements on questions of public international law relevant to the work of the ILO. Advise on the position to be taken by the Organization on these issues. 6.Review and approve instruments of ratification. 7.Provide technical support to special tripartite committees established by the Governing Body or commissions of inquiry to examine alleged infringements of ratified Conventions. 8.Represent the work unit at meetings, including Conference committees and industrial committees, to provide advice on legal questions or questions concerning international labour standards or labour relations. Act as adviser to Conference committees and assist in the drafting of international legal instruments and participate in pre-conference work, including drafting committees. Represent the Office at meetings of other international organizations. 9.Develop, plan and implement technical advisory and promotional activities, including tripartite seminars, workshops, lectures and discussion groups. Represent the Office on missions which may be of a sensitive or controversial nature and before judicial bodies. Represent the work unit on internal committees or at inter-agency meetings. 10.Participate in the secretariat of various committees dealing with legal issues or labour standards, including preparation of background material and documents, drafting records of meetings, drafting reports, etc.
Required Qualifications
Education Advanced degree in law
Experience Minimum of eight years' practical experience at the national level or at least six years at the international level. Practical experience and proven ability to work in close cooperation with social partners and government representatives. Proven experience and knowledge of ILO procedures for the adoption of standards and the supervision of their application. Proven knowledge and understanding of the ILO's fundamental and governance standards, including the practice of ILO supervisory bodies related to their application.
Languages Excellent command of French and working knowledge of English. Knowledge of Portuguese and/or Spanish is an asset.
Competencies  In addition to the ILO core competencies, this position requires: Technical competencies: The ability to design research studies and conduct comparative analyses involving the application of principles of law to the analysis of administrative, substantive and procedural problems of substantial intricacy; advise and persuade colleagues and constituents on legal questions. Ability to perform tasks in accordance with instructions and guidelines; ability to make use of analytical, and technical qualitative and quantitative tools; ability to conceptualise, plan, coordinate and direct investigations; Capability to participate effectively in technical missions and within team; ability to provide direct technical advice in the field of specialisation; ability to guide and coordinate external collaborators" work, general service staff or young professionals; ability to prepare technically accurate reports and publications, with conclusions that may lead to an action plan and the elaboration of programmes; ability to contribute to multidisciplinary research carried out through work team, project formulation and its application. Ability to facilitate adequate advice regarding eminently good practices, and to approach wider issues other than the ones of the field of specialisation field; ability to elaborate project proposals, policies and procedures and to bring them up to high level meetings. Behavioural competencies: Integrity and transparency, sensibility to diversity, orientation to learning and knowledge sharing, client orientation, communication, orientation to change, takes responsibility for performance, quality orientation, collaboration. Diplomatic skills; deal with colleagues and constituents with tact and discretion. The ability to work in a multicultural environment and gender-sensitive behaviour and attitudes are also required. Ability to work in a multicultural environment with gender-sensitive and non-discriminatory behaviour and attitude.
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 November 2016 and February 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
Angola Antigua and Barbuda Armenia Austria Azerbaijan Bahamas Bahrain Barbados Belize Botswana Brazil Brunei Darussalam Cabo Verde, Republic of Cambodia Chad China Congo Cook Islands Cyprus Czech Republic Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste Djibouti Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Gabon Gambia Georgia Grenada Guatemala Guyana Haiti Iceland Indonesia Iraq Japan Kazakhstan Kiribati Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Latvia Liberia Libya Maldives, Republic of the Malta Marshall Islands Mozambique Namibia Nicaragua Oman Palau Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Poland Qatar Republic of Korea Russian Federation Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Samoa San Marino Saudi Arabia Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Slovakia Solomon Islands Somalia South Sudan, Republic of Sri Lanka Suriname Swaziland Tajikistan Tonga Turkey Turkmenistan Tuvalu United Arab Emirates United States of America Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela Yemen
APPENDIX II 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: P.4 Salary and post adjustment (with dependants) US$ Salary Minimum 74130 rising to Maximum 96710 Post adjustment for Yaounde Minimum 24537 Maximum 32011 Salary and post adjustment (without dependants) US$ Salary Minimum 69032 Maximum Maximum 89454 Post adjustment for Yaounde Minimum 22849 Maximum 29609
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 Yaounde, 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.