Senior Specialist in Labor Law

The post is attached to the Social Dialogue, Industrial Relations and Labour Governance Service (LABGOV) of the Governance and Tripartism Department (GOVERNANCE), within the ILO’s Governance, Rights and Dialogue Node.

GOVERNANCE leads global efforts to advance good governance and realise rights in the world of work through effective social dialogue, inclusive labour market institutions and integrated policy approaches. It supports constituents in promoting strong social dialogue and industrial relations; in developing and implementing labour law reforms and promoting access to labour justice; in strengthening labour administration and inspection systems; in promoting a safe and healthy working environment and respect for and realisation of fundamental principles and rights at work, as well as in improving working conditions, respect for labour rights and promoting competitiveness in supply chains. 

The Department is composed of four services, namely: Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work Service; Better Jobs Service; Occupational Health and Safety and Working Environment Service; and Social Dialogue, Industrial Relations and Labour Governance Service.

LABGOV’s mandate is to promote effective and inclusive governance of labour and industrial relations by improving legal and regulatory frameworks, promoting collective bargaining and social dialogue, as well as strengthening labour administration and inspection and systems for the prevention and resolution of labour disputes. 

The LABGOV Service’s Labour Law Reform and Access to Justice (LABOURLAW) Team promotes social justice by supporting governments and employers’ and workers’ organizations in establishing the rule of law and good governance in the field of labour and employment. Its mission is to provide proactive and integrated policy advice on the possibilities offered by labour laws and labour dispute resolution systems, drawing on the experience of other countries. Specifically, the Team provides services aimed at: 

• increasing the number of member States that base their labour and other employment-related legislation on ILO standards and advice on comparative best practices, and use tripartite consultative processes in the preparation of such legislation;
• assist Member States in improving access to labour justice by establishing and strengthening dispute resolution mechanisms, including through new forms of work and technologies, so that individual and collective disputes are dealt with efficiently, effectively and equitably, and in order to promote compliance with labour laws, in coordination with labour inspection as appropriate; and
• assist Member States in integrating gender considerations into all aspects of labour legislation and labour dispute resolution systems.
• In carrying out this mandate, the incumbent will lead LABOURLAW and report to the Head of LABGOV. 

Specific functions

• Direct, manage and coordinate the work of LABOURLAW. This includes: defining work priorities in line with the overall vision and mandate of the Service and the Department; establishing the strategic direction of research, country activities and partnerships and monitoring and evaluating their implementation; and ensuring direct supervision of team members and providing technical support and guidance to labour law specialists in field offices.
• Prepare and monitor strategic work plans that address constituent needs and priorities in line with the Programme and Budget and ensure integration and synergy with other LABGOV and Department teams, as well as other units within the Office, as appropriate.
• Coordinate LABOURLAW’s contributions to the ILO Strategic Plan and relevant Programme and Budget outcomes and outputs.
• Ensure timely and quality technical advice and guidance to ILO constituents on labour law reform and labour dispute prevention and resolution systems, in accordance with international labour standards and comparative best practices.
• Establish new or strengthen existing networks to facilitate the exchange of experience and expertise in the field of labour law, industrial relations and access to industrial justice, in order to broaden and promote the ILO knowledge base, standards and principles in these policy areas.
• As the central hub of the ILO’s global network of labour law and labour dispute resolution specialists, design and implement new products and tools for knowledge dissemination; introduce working methods and technological solutions to support labour law reform; improve labour dispute resolution systems; and promote compliance with labour laws. Identify strategic alliances and mobilize resources to develop new policy and training tools and methods and to improve access to labour justice for all by strengthening the role and impact of dispute resolution mechanisms and institutions, such as labour courts.
• Plan and coordinate in-depth research on international, analytical and comparative policy issues on a wide range of policy topics relating to labour law, the regulation of labour relations and the resolution of labour disputes for policy advice and training, for publications or for consideration at sessions of the Governing Body and the International Labour Conference and other official meetings of the ILO.
• Perform other related tasks as assigned.

Required qualifications:

Education:

• Advanced university degree in Law. Instead, a first-cycle university degree (Bachelor’s degree or equivalent) in Law will be accepted, in combination with two years of relevant professional experience, in addition to the experience listed below.

Experience:

• At least ten years of practical experience, including at international level, in the field of labour law and industrial relations. Proven experience in providing legal advice and high-level advisory services in the field of labour law. Experience in conducting research and comparative analysis on a wide range of policy issues related to labour law, with a particular focus on the relationships between regulation, industrial relations practices and labour market developments. Field experience is an asset.

Languages:

• Excellent command of one of the Organization’s working languages ​​(Spanish, French or English) and practical knowledge of a second working language. One of these languages ​​must be English. Knowledge of a third working language will be an asset.

Source: https://jobs.ilo.org/job/Ginebra-Especialista-superior-en-Derecho-del-Trabajo-1200/1151986301/