Technical Specialist on Labour Migration Statistics

The ILO seeks to recruit the services of a Technical Specialist in Labour Migration Statistics to lead the implementation of the statistical component of the ILO Project “Better Regional Migration Management” (BRMM) financed by the UK Foreign Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO). The position is located in the Country Office for the United Republic of Tanzania, Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda (CO – Dar es Salaam) and is based in Kampala, Uganda. The technical specialist will lead the statistics component work of the BRMM project.

The BRMM project Phase II will continue the work carried out by BRMM Project Phase I and will focus on strengthening the capacities of countries in East and Horn of Africa namely Ethiopia, Djibouti, South Sudan, Somalia, Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania , to govern labour migration by using evidence-based policies, enhancing migrant workers’ qualifications and skills, and actively engaging the social partners. The BRMM Project Phase II will cover three inter-related components of intervention, namely:

I.    Labour migration policies and programmes that support productive migration in East and the Horn of Africa are evidence-based and gender sensitive;
II.    Labour migration governance is more equitable and effective recognizing skills and facilitating social inclusion and decent work;
III.    Labour migration governance is strengthened through being more inclusive of social partners.

The Technical Specialist will support the project with technical work on labour migration statistics. The Specialist will advise constituents on improving official labour migration statistics and support the constituents to ensure that labour migration statistics are relevant to support evidence-based policy making, towards promoting regular pathways for migration. The project’s statistical component seeks to build the capacity to produce official labour migration statistics aligned with the latest international standards among key national stakeholders in selected project countries, with a view to strengthening their quality, integration and use, as part of national, regional and global labour market and migration information systems and enhance the statistical capacity of partners.  The project intends to build on what has already been implemented by national stakeholders and donors’ initiatives.

Within the policy and procedural requirements established by the ILO and the project, the Technical Specialist in Labour Migration Statistics will be responsible for providing direct high-level technical advisory services to implement the statistical activities specified in the above project and contribute to the expected outcomes. The incumbent will promote ILO policies in the project related technical areas and other components of the ILO Decent Work Agenda.

The incumbent will report to the Chief Technical Adviser of the BRMM project and will receive technical support from the Department of Statistics (STATISTICS) at ILO headquarters. The incumbent will also closely work with colleagues in other relevant technical departments in Geneva, such as the Labour Migration Branch (MIGRANT), the Skills and Employability Branch (SKILLS), the Social Protection Department (SOCPRO), the Enterprises Department (ENTERPRISES) and other HQ units and in the Region. He/she will maintain close communication and coordinate activities with CO Dar Es Salaam, Senior Statisticians based in the ILO Regional Office for Africa (RO-Africa), the Decent Work Team in Pretoria (DWT/CO-Pretoria), the Decent Work Team in Cairo (DWT/CO-Cairo) and the Decent Work Team in Dakar (DWT/CO-Dakar), as well as other projects in the region.

1.    Responsible for the implementation of technical statistical activities of the project through the provision of technical inputs, planning and control in conformity with ILO policies and project strategies, and in accordance with ILO programming guidelines.
2.    Enhance the capacity of producers and users of labour migration statistics in East and Horn of Africa through providing training and developing practical tools on international labour migration statistics and indicators, in line with the latest international statistical standards.
3.    Support selected countries in establishing or scaling up labour market information systems (LMIS) that integrate international labour migration as a key topic in East and Horn of Africa and other African countries.
4.    Support selected countries in strengthening national sources and statistics on international labour migration, including from population censuses, household surveys and administrative records.
5.    Provide technical advice and technical backstopping to national stakeholders in the priority countries, project partners and monitor the implementation of recommendations on technical activities (key outcomes) and evaluate the project’s progress and report to the donor.
6.    Identify training needs, review existing drafts and contribute to validating and finalizing the ILO practical guide on labour migration statistics, develop training materials and organize training workshops to enhance capacity building. Participate as resource person in project capacity-building activities.
7.    Draft proposals to improve selected national sources of labour migration statistics identified through the assessments conducted. Develop or adapt methodology to the national context. Disseminate and validate the proposals with the relevant stakeholders.
8.    Contribute to the design and monitoring of project activities leading to increased productivity, improved quality and effective delivery of project expected outcomes in the assigned technical area.

9.    Coordinate and strengthen relationships with other organizations involved in the collection, dissemination and analysis of labour migration statistics in the region, including African Union, East African Community, UN Economic Commission for Africa, Southern African Development Community, Intergovernmental Authority for Development, International Organization for Migration, Intergovernmental Authority on Development, African Development Bank, World Bank and others as relevant, with a view to identify potential synergies during the design and implementation of the Project activities.
10.    Represent the project at international, regional and national fora on issues of the assigned technical area.

11.    Participate in the production of research and promotional materials which target policy makers, programme managers and the general public that assist in promoting ILO technical recommendations and standards and enhance ILO visibility.
12.    Promote ILO policies in the related technical areas of the project, other fundamental rights at work and the relevant International Labour Standards in collaboration with other Technical/Labour Standards Specialists.
13.    Supervise and evaluate the work of external collaborators and consultants engaged to address specific research questions in the area of labour migration statistics.
14.    Develop project proposals and engage in resource mobilisation.
15.    Coordinate project implementation with other similar projects in the region, such as Free Movement of Persons & Transhumance, Program for the Implementation of Djibouti Declaration, FAIRWAY, Joint Labour Migration Programme etc.
16.    Undertake other tasks assigned by the Chief Technical Adviser and Director of CO- Dar es Salaam and CO-Addis Ababa.

Advanced university degree in the relevant field of statistics, demography or other related disciplines and training in basic and applied statistics or similar studies.

• At least seven years of relevant professional experience, including in a national statistical office with proven experience of work in international labour migration statistics, population censuses, labour force surveys or similar household surveys to capture international migrant workers. Experience working at the international level in the development or promotion of official statistics and international statistical standards.
• Familiarity with the International Conference of Labour Statisticians, and ILO’s work in labour force and labour migration statistics
• Familiarity with ILO policies and procedures including experience working with officials of ministries of labour and/or interior affairs would be an advantage.

Excellent oral and written knowledge of English.

• Demonstrated capacity to provide relevant and effective technical advice on the technical area and related topics.
• Ability to conceptualise, design, plan and implement research work including analysis of complex cross-national practices and data sets.
• Ability to participate effectively in technical missions and decent work teams.
• Ability to guide and coordinate the work of external collaborators, general service staff and young professionals in the area of specialization.
• Ability to formulate new concepts and methodologies.
• Excellent writing skills to draft reports and prepare guidelines relating to programme development and implementation. Ability to provide technical support to senior specialists carrying out research, project formulation and implementation.
• Excellent analytical skills and knowledge of analytical tools, and qualitative and quantitative techniques.
• Good computer skills.
• The ability to work in a multicultural environment and to demonstrate gender-sensitive and non-discriminatory behaviour and attitudes.