Introduction

The International Labour Organization is devoted to promoting Social Justice and internationally recognized Human and labour rights. Today, the ILO helps advance the creation of decent work and the economic and working conditions that give working people and business people a stake in lasting peace, prosperity and progress. Its tripartite structure provides a unique platform for promoting decent work for all women and men. Its main aims are to promote rights at work, encourage decent employment opportunities, enhance social protection and strengthen dialogue on work-related issues.

At the International Labour Conference (ILC) in 2008, it was stressed that education, training, and lifelong learning foster a virtuous circle of higher productivity, more employment of better quality, income growth, and development. Skills development is therefore, an essential prerequisite for sustainable development.

In Tanzania, skills systems and institutions face many challenges including low capacity by TVET institutions to deliver effective and efficient trainings. Many young people are not able to access skills development due to inadequate number of TVET centres, restrictive conditions such as fees, entry qualifications etc. As a result thousands of young people resort to informal apprenticeships as a means for skills acquisitions. For those who receive trainings, often the skills and competency levels do not match labour market requirements hence longer transitions periods and growing unemployment among graduates.

In response, the ILO country office Dar es Salaam is supporting skills development strategies and policy initiatives that promotes employability, reduces transition periods from school to work, promotes training partnerships with companies and enterprises, ensure inclusion of marginalized groups and strengthen capacity of TVET institutions to provide relevant trainings. Support on skills development initiatives is provided through active collaboration and involvement of our social partners (government, Workers and Employers). In particular our strategy is to provide technical assistance in promoting work based trainings programmes such as Quality Apprenticeships including Informal Apprenticeships; strengthen capacity of social partners and training institutions to link skills supply and demand and develop training programmes for rural economic empowerment.

Reporting Lines

Under the overall supervision of the director of the ILO Country Office for United Republic of Tanzania, Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda, the Programme Officer will work under the direct supervision of the Programme Manager Skills Development. The overall technical backstopping will be done by the Senior Skills and employment Specialist from DWCT-Pretoria.

Description of Duties

• Organize consultations with line-Ministries, Government Departments and Agencies; social partners, NGOs and other development partners on skills development issues particularly work based training programmes.
• Support the coordination of project implementation including through discussions with project implementing partners, field visits, analysis of progress reports, and participation in reviews and evaluations determining targets delivery.
• Carry out administrative operational/control tasks for project and programme activities including communication and advocacy
• Organize training and orientation courses, seminars and workshops envisaged within the programme, and perform data analysis on participation, take notes of proceedings and write associated reports
• Coordinate the organization of meetings, workshops and seminars. Represent the ILO at these events
• Work closely with the Financial and Administrative Assistant to check financial reports prepared by programme staff and partners to ensure accuracy and integrity of the reports before their submission to the Finance and Administration Unit of the ILO Office Dar Es Salaam
• Assist in the consolidation of reviews, analyses and interpretations of data on economic, social and political trends, with a view to identify priorities for action and to integrate them in the action plans of the Office in particular where skills development is concerned
• Prepare briefs, periodical reports and data on status of project activities to ILO Dar es Salaam Country Office, Decent work country team Pretoria, Regional office and Headquarters.
• Ensure visibility of the project activities by drafting news items, taking quality pictures etc. and sharing them with the office communication unit Dar es salaam, Pretoria ,regional office and HQ
• Assist in the capacity building of selected implementing partners to facilitate knowledge, awareness and smoother implementation of apprenticeship programmes other skills strategies ; working closely and collaboratively with them to implement project activities
• Participate in the management of the relations with the other skills development partners meet on a regular basis with other development partners and explore partnership options and synergies;
• Gain an in-depth understanding of the skills development interventions and initiatives at macro and micro levels
• Provide support to the set-up of tripartite committee on apprenticeship programmes
• Follow-up with relevant departments at executing agencies, government offices, constituents and other organizations to expedite implementation and meet targets;
• Provide programming and administrative support to programmes and project in areas of responsibility assigned;
• Prepare budget estimates and expenditure forecasts by analysing and monitoring situations of resources as compared to planned activities and making recommendations to for remedial actions;
• Facilitate missions from Technical Units in Decent Work Team (DWT)-Pretoria and Skills unit Geneva
• Perform other duties as may be assigned by the Director

Required qualifications

Education

First level University Degree (or equivalent) in Education, social sciences, development studies. The Applicant should also have proven experience on Project development and management

Experience 

At least two or more years of work experience of programme/project implementations in the area of Education, TVET development; entrepreneurial and skills development, poverty reduction, microfinance, applied research or social work. Experience in implementing development projects is an asset. Experience in working with Governments, employers and workers in Zanzibar is desirable.

Languages

Excellent written and spoken command of English. Good knowledge of Swahili. 

Competencies

• Good interpersonal and communication skills.
• Ability to organize and meet deadlines with minimum supervision.
• Ability to work proactively in the spirit of teamwork.
• Ability to establish and maintain a good working relationship with international and national colleagues working in the same field.
• Excellent verbal and written English and Swahili
• Knowledge of programme and budget, project administration and evaluation concepts and procedures.
• Ability to interpret project information and to identify and analyse problems with implementations
• Good drafting skills
• Ability to organize own work
• Ability to work with different computer software and databases
•  Must demonstrate responsible behaviour and attention to detail