Introduction

This is a short-term position located in Luanda, Angola, within the International Labour Organization (ILO) Country Office for Angola, Cabo Verde, Equatorial Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique and Sao Tome and Principe (CO-Luanda). The appointment is governed by the ILO Rules Governing Conditions of Service of Short-Term Officials and other applicable internal rules. The ILO is the United Nations specialized agency whose mission is to promote social justice through improved access of men and women to decent and productive work in conditions of freedom, equity, security and dignity.

The project “Expanding Social Security to Support the Formalization of the Angolan Economy” (ESSAFE) is anchored under the European Union Delegation programme “Support to formalisation of the economy including social protection and support to Public Finance Management”, including a Budget Support Operation and complementary measures, to be carried out under the 2021-2027 Multiannual Indicative Programme (MIP) for Angola, with the general objective to contribute to accelerating the transition from the informal to the formal economy in Angola, by expanding Angola’s contributory social security coverage and benefits.

The project aims at supporting the formalization efforts from the Government of Angola through the strengthening and expansion of its social protection system.
Within the overall framework of the EU programme, the Project focuses particularly on the extension of social security to facilitate the transition to the formal economy, in conjunction with employment and formalization policies as well as improvement of the public finance management.

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The ESSAFE project works in partnership with government institutions, policymakers, employers’ and workers’ organisations, civil society and other relevant stakeholders to expand social security coverage through six mutually reinforcing areas: strengthening evidence-based government decision-making on social security policy and reform; enhancing the communication, awareness-raising and outreach capacities of Angola’s National Social Security Institute (INSS); advancing the digitalisation of INSS services and administration, with particular attention to user accessibility and the interoperability of information systems; strengthening INSS governance and administration in line with international standards and good practices; increasing the knowledge and technical capacities of INSS, government institutions and social partners in social protection and social insurance; and reinforcing consultation, social dialogue and consensus-building among government institutions, employers’ and workers’ organisations, civil society and other stakeholders.

The coordinated implementation of these areas has strengthened the accessibility, effectiveness and sustainability of Angola’s social security system, contributed to the expansion of coverage, particularly among workers in the informal economy, and supported the country’s transition towards a more formal, inclusive and resilient economy.

In this context, the ILO seeks to recruit a Project Manager for the implementation of the ESSAFE project in Angola.

Within the policy and procedural requirements established by the ILO, the Project Manager will provide overall leadership for the planning, implementation, monitoring and reporting of the project, including the supervision of the project team and the effective coordination of project activities on a day-to-day basis. He/she will ensure that the objectives stated in the project document are attained within the stated time frame and budget and ensure compliance with the ILO’s and the project’s financial and operating procedures. The incumbent will promote ILO policies in the project related technical areas and other components of the ILO Decent Work Agenda.

Reporting lines

The incumbent will report to the Director of CO-Luanda. He/she will collaborate closely with the Social Protection Specialist of the Decent Work Team for Central Africa, based in Yaoundé, Cameroon, who is the backstopping officer of the project, and will receive technical guidance and advice from other technical experts from the Labour and Social Protection Department in Geneva.

Main duties and responsibilities

Project Management:

1. Ensure effective implementation, reporting, evaluation and closing of the Project through the provision of inputs, the delivery of outputs, and the planning, monitoring and evaluation of activities. Deliveries and outcomes must be in conformity with ILO policies and project strategies and in accordance with ILO programming guidelines and country/action programs, and the administrative and financial procedures in consultation with the CO-Luanda.
2. Manage the funds and budgets allocated to the project effectively and efficiently, ensuring compliance with ILO financial rules, regulations and procedures.
3. Manage effectively the staff and consultants of the project, in accordance with ILO standards, results-based management principles and the Performance Management Framework (PMF).

Technical Leadership and advice:

4. Serve as the in-country technical lead for social protection[CB1.1], providing high-quality technical support at the national level to advance the Decent Work Agenda and social justice in line with ILO’s approach and policy framework. Integrate relevant cross-cutting policy drivers into this work, including international labour standards, social dialogue, gender equality and non-discrimination, and a just transition towards environmentally sustainable economies and societies.
Provide expert policy and technical advice on social protection, and link with formalisation, to support the formulation, implementation and monitoring of inclusive and gender-responsive policies and programmes, as well as the development of inclusive institutional, legal and policy frameworks in line with international labour standards.
5. Provide technical inputs to the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of Decent Work Country Programmes, United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Frameworks and other country level development cooperation frameworks.
6. Prepare and provide technical inputs to reports, publications and other Office documents. Peer-review and edit technical documents as required, ensuring consistency with the ILO’s approach and policy framework.

Advocacy, networking and partnership:

7. Identify opportunities for technical and strategic partnerships in social protection and related areas. Strengthen existing collaborative relationships and develop new partnerships with traditional and non-traditional partners to advance the ILO’s strategic objectives and support the scaling up of its interventions.
8. Promote and facilitate the effective participation and advocacy role of employers’ and workers’ organizations in the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of national social protection and formalization policies, schemes and programmes and the project.
9. Promote ILO policies and approaches in social protection and related areas covered by the project/programme, as well as the fundamental principles and rights at work and relevant international labour standards, in collaboration with other technical specialists. Mainstream gender equality and non-discrimination throughout the project/programme.

Mobilization of resources:

10. Contribute substantively to resource mobilization by identifying funding opportunities and conceptualizing, formulating, discussing and submitting development cooperation proposals related to the project/programme, in coordination with CO-Luanda, the subregional specialist in the DWT in Yaoundé, the Labour and Social Protection Department and the Multilateral Partnerships and Development Cooperation Department (PARTNERSHIPS).
11. Engage with the EU Delegation in Luanda for the preparation and negotiation of the project’s next phase, develop and submit related project documents.

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Knowledge management and capacity-building:
12. Support ILO constituents in identifying and assessing their needs and provide appropriate technical support, including through comparative policy analysis.
13. Develop and lead or coordinate the preparation of evidence-based technical and policy knowledge products and tools that document the project’s results and practices in extending social protection to support formalisation in Angola.
14. Contribute to Office-wide efforts to identify, document and disseminate lessons learned and innovative practices. Initiate, design, conduct, commission and/or coordinate innovative and gender-responsive research and analysis addressing the evolving needs of constituents and other key stakeholders, with a view to informing policy advice on social protection.
15. Oversee the development of tools, capacity building and learning materials. Lead or coordinate workshops, training activities, meetings and other events using appropriate innovative methods, digital platforms and communication tools. Develop and implement capacity-development, knowledge-sharing and training initiatives, including in collaboration with the International Training Centre of the ILO (ITCILO) and other relevant partners, as appropriate.

16. Perform other relevant duties as assigned

Required qualifications

Education

Advanced university degree (Masters or equivalent) in economics, actuarial studies, law, social policy, administration/management, or other social sciences with proven expertise in the field of social protection.

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 relevant professional experience, including at the international level, in the management, supervision, administration, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of projects related to social protection. Familiarity with ILO policies and procedures including experience working with officials of ministries of labour and/or social affairs would be an advantage.

Languages

Excellent command of Portuguese and English. Good working knowledge of French is an advantage.

Competencies

Knowledge and technical/behavioural competencies
Excellent knowledge and understanding of theories, trends and approaches around Social Protection 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.