Specialist on Occupational Safety and Health and Labour Inspection

Introduction

The position is located in the ILO Decent Work Technical Support Team for South Asia and Country Office for India (DWT/CO-New Delhi). The DWT/CO-New Delhi supports seven countries in South Asia i.e., Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and the Maldives; to realize decent work for inclusive growth and sustainable development. DWT/CO-New Delhi provides overall technical support for the preparation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of Decent Work Country Programmes. DWT/CO-New Delhi also provides strategic guidance in formulating policy and work programmes as required by the ILO country offices and the constituents in South Asia in close collaboration with the ILO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (RO-Asia and the Pacific), the Decent Work Technical Support Team for East and South-East Asia and the Pacific (DWT-Bangkok) and headquarters technical departments.
The main role of the position is to provide policy advice, technical support and to coordinate initiatives and activities related to Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) and labour inspection in the countries covered by DWT/CO-New Delhi. The incumbent will be responsible for contributing towards the development and implementation of the ILO’s objectives in these important areas and building the capacity of tripartite constituents to improve “safety and health for all workers, strengthen labour inspectorates and achieve compliance with labour laws and regulations”.
The incumbent is expected to promote the ratification of OSH and labour inspection-related international labour standards and the development and implementation of OSH policies, systems and programmes for prevention, labour inspection strategies and methodologies, and training at the national level, including legislation and regulations and provide advice for up-scaling projects. The position contributes to a regional cluster of OSH and other specialists within the Asia-Pacific region.
The incumbent works under direct supervision of the Director of DWT/CO-New Delhi. The incumbent also receives technical oversight and advice from the Governance and Tripartism Department at ILO headquarters. The incumbent will work in close collaboration with other DWT technical specialists and with the other ILO Country Offices in the sub-region, as well as UN bodies and other relevant sub-regional and national institutions and initiatives.  

Key Duties and Responsibilities

1.    As primary specialist in the area(s) of OSH and labour inspection, is responsible for substantial segments of the work programme. Identify priorities for tripartite constituents on OSH and labour inspection, develop strategies, as well as deliver and coordinate high-quality technical support at subregional and national levels to advance the Decent Work Agenda and social justice, taking into account the integration of cross-cutting policy drivers, including international labour standards, social dialogue, gender equality and non-discrimination, and a just transition towards environmentally sustainable economies and societies. Lead work streams/teams involved in this work and ensure the effective management of staff and consultants in accordance with ILO standards, the results-based management framework and through timely and effective use of the Performance Management Framework (PMF) and other feedback mechanisms, as applicable.
2.    Review and facilitate the strengthening and effective implementation of inclusive institutional, legal and policy frameworks. Provide expert policy and technical advice in drafting and revision, dissemination and enforcement of laws and regulations pertaining to OSH and labour inspection to ILO constituents and other concerned stakeholders with a view to promoting the formulation of inclusive and gender-responsive policies and programmes, and their impactful implementation and monitoring to ensure equitable outcomes. Promote relevant international labour standards.
3.    Support ILO constituents in identifying their needs and provide adequate technical support, including through comparative policy analyses. Facilitate the effective participation and advocacy role of employers’ and workers’ organizations in policy design, implementation and evaluation of decent work programmes and projects. 
4.    Provide technical inputs to the design and implementation of Decent Work Country Programmes (DWCPs) as well as UN and other development cooperation frameworks. Participate in multidisciplinary initiatives, efforts, developments, plans, reviews, activities with a view to ensuring an integrated approach for the delivery of the Decent Work Agenda.
5.    Initiate, design, conduct/commission and/or coordinate innovative and gender-mainstreamed research and analysis that meets the evolving needs of constituents and other key stakeholders in the world of work and decent work, and OSH and labour inspection areas and leads to the formulation of policy advice, recommendations, policy and technical guidelines and the development of new and enhancement of existing methodologies and concepts to promote policies and programmes targeting women’s access to quality and relevant training. 

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6.    Develop and lead/coordinate the development of policies, systems and programmes that enforce laws and regulations pertaining to OSH and labour inspection and other working conditions and support the application of the principles set out in the relevant ILO Conventions and Recommendations and the Global Strategy on Occupational Safety and Health.   Develop and lead/coordinate the development of a range of original and evidence-based technical and policy knowledge products and tools responding to constituents’ needs and priorities and advancing the Decent Work Agenda. Promote and facilitate their dissemination at the global, regional, and country levels and provide advice and technical support to constituents and other stakeholders on effectively using such tools. Contribute to Office-wide efforts to analyse, document and disseminate lessons learned and information on innovative practices.
7.    Provide technical inputs to oversee the drafting of/draft, peer review and edit reports, publications and other office documents, including for the Governing Body, International Labour Conference and regional, sectoral and expert meetings.
8.    Support the strengthening of ILO constituents’ capacity to identify key priorities, design, develop, monitor and refine coherent and relevant policies and measures and to implement effective national programmes in the area of OSH and labour inspection. Develop and prepare OSH and labour inspection related training and information campaigns, projects and activities targeting high-risk sectors and the most vulnerable groups of workers.  Oversee the design of tools and learning materials, pilot new guidelines, lead and/or coordinate workshops, meetings and other events, using innovative methods, digital platforms and communication tools. Develop and run/implement global and/or regional capacity development programmes, knowledge sharing and training events including in collaboration with the International Training Centre in Turin (ITC-ILO) and/or with other relevant partners as applicable.
9.    Identify opportunities for technical and strategic partnerships in the  areas of OSH and labour inspection and related areas and develop new/reinforce existing partnerships and collaborative relationships with traditional and non-traditional partners, entities of the UN system, other international organizations, regional and national actors, private institutions, multilateral development banks, international financial institutions, research institutions, academia, civil society, other key stakeholders with a view to advancing ILO’s strategic objectives and ensuring policy coherence, joint programme design and implementation, promoting awareness of ILO’s values and strategic objectives, resource mobilization, influencing policy and financing decisions in support of decent work objectives.
10.    Organize, facilitate and make technical contributions at seminars, conferences and other events. Represent and engage the ILO as a key player in meetings, conferences and forums at the international, regional, subregional, national and subnational levels concerned with strategies, policies or programmes in the field of OSH and labour inspection while supporting the mainstreaming of gender issues in national skills development policies and systems, and where appropriate promote policies and programmes targeting women’s access to quality and relevant training.

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11.    Conceptualize, formulate, discuss and submit development cooperation project proposals, taking into account regional, subregional and national priorities on OSH and labour inspection and the need to position these within relevant cooperation frameworks. Provide technical backstopping for development cooperation projects and promote and facilitate coherence and knowledge sharing among projects. 
12.    Play a key role in resource mobilization efforts to secure funding for new projects and activities in the field of  OSH and labour inspection. Ensure effective coordination with concerned headquarters departments and field offices.
13.    Perform other relevant duties as assigned.

Required qualifications

Education

Advanced level university degree (Master’s or equivalent) in law, engineering, medicine, health sciences or related disciplines.
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 experience stated below, will be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree.

Experience

At least seven years of experience, including at the international level, in occupational safety and health and labour inspection, with particular emphasis on policy development and advisory services.

Languages

Excellent command of English.  A working knowledge of a second working language (French, Spanish) of the Organization would be an advantage. 

In addition to the ILO core competencies, the following are required:

Knowledge and technical/behavioural competencies

Excellent knowledge and understanding of theories, trends, methodologies and approaches in the area(s) of OSH and labour inspection including mainstreaming gender into projects and programmes with the ability to plan, coordinate and guide the development and implementation 
of new concepts policies, techniques and procedures in response to evolving technical needs.
Good knowledge of the substantive nature of Organization’s work programmes and activities and ability to address broader issues outside the field of specialization.  
Ability to lead and manage individual and group assignments and to supervise those undertaking the work.
Ability to share knowledge and provide technical advice and guidance on latest policy developments in the technical area.
Excellent research and analytical skills. 
Excellent drafting skills.
Excellent communication skills, excellent presentation skills, negotiation, promotion and advocacy skills. Ability to adapt communication style to diverse audiences.
Ability to adapt quickly to new software and systems. 
Ability to network and build and maintain effective and collaborative working relationships with key stakeholders and to create and promote synergies across the Organization and with external stakeholders.
Ability to represent the Organization and present/promote the technical area of work and the ILO’s position on it to partners with a view to gaining their support to advance the desired course of action. 
Ability to mobilize resources.
Ability to work effectively in a multicultural environment and to demonstrate gender-responsive, non-discriminatory and inclusive behaviour and attitudes.