Over the past two decades, Somalia has endured persistent periods of conflict, political instability, and environmental and economic shocks, resulting in widespread hunger and malnutrition. Over half of the country’s population live below the poverty line. Conflict, drought and floods have triggered large-scale displacements:  millions of Somalis are displaced and an additional around one million are refugees in neighbouring countries. Since 2012, Somalia has made considerable strides with the establishment of the Federal Government of Somalia. Significant progress continues with the founding of permanent political institutions and a federal institutional structure.

From mid-2015, severe drought conditions, conflict, increased displacement, lack of access to basic services and the absence of a formal social protection system caused an acute crisis that brought Somalia to the brink of famine in 2017.

There are currently no large-scale, government-led social protection programmes in Somalia, and the government lacks the basic capacity to identify the poorest and most vulnerable community members. Somalia’s rich tradition of familial and community-based coping strategies, including substantial remittances from the diaspora, is insufficient to address the challenges of the context. Humanitarian assistance has reached some 2.5 million people a month since April, mostly displaced, returning, and extremely poor people in rural and peri-urban areas. This assistance has been a major driver of the slight improvement in food security figures. However, such assistance is short term and designed to address acute needs, missing the underlying causes of vulnerability to poverty and risk. The rare social protection interventions that are implemented are fragmented, and social protection gaps remain the norm. Overall coverage and quality of programmes remain marginal and low. Even the formal public and private sectors workers do not have access to a proper social protection system.  Furthermore, provision of other social services is also limited, especially nutrition, health, education and water and sanitation services.

In this context, the ILO, UNICEF and WFP have developed a joint project.  The purpose of the Joint programme is to strengthen the capacity of the Government of Somalia to focus on prioritizing support to the most vulnerable populations, with a view of transitioning from short-term emergency response, to long-term predictable social protection mechanism – with linkages to education, health and justice systems. This will help in achieving SDG 1.3 to which, the Government of Somalia is fully committed.  More specifically it aims to strengthen the Ministry and Labour and Social Affairs (MoLSA) leadership on social protection through a targeted institutional support and capacity development.  This support will be done both at federal government and at federal member state (FMS) levels and will focus on three areas: (i) Supporting MoLSA institutional capacity for policy analysis and coordination of partners activities in order to ensure national ownership and leadership of the social protection reform agenda; (ii) Support MoLSA role to create an adaptive approach to reform through capturing the potential for scale of past and present social protection and link them with human capital (nutrition, health and education); and (iii) Strengthen MoLSA capacity on International Standards for Social Protection.

The ILO seeks to recruit the services of a ‘National Project Coordinator’ to manage the implementation of the ILO component in this project on “Toward a Somali led transition to National Social Protection System”.

Reporting lines

• The National Project Coordinator (NPC) will directly report and work under the overall supervision of the Director  of CO-Addis Ababa. At national level, s/he will coordinate with office and other projects through the Head of Office in Somalia.
• The National Project Coordinator will work in close collaboration with ILO Technical Specialist on Social Protection, based in DWT-Cairo, and will implement the Project in collaboration with the Ministry of Labour & Social Affairs (MoLSA) and will coordinate with Employers organization (Somali Chamber of Commerce & Industries) and Workers Organization (Federation of Somali Trade Unions), where necessary.

The National Project Coordinator will support the effective implementation of the project through the technical, efficient and timely execution of tasks in accordance with the policies, values and procedures of the ILO, overall guidance from the donor and alignment with Somali government strategic orientations.  The incumbent will initiate, sustain and guide cooperation with key partners, in close collaboration with the Head of ILO Somali Office, counterparts in UNICEF and WFP and relevant ILO technical specialists to ensure that Social Protection Systems are established and mainstreamed in existing Government institutions.

He/she will:

• Undertake measures for institutional capacity of the Ministry of Labour & Social Affairs and other social partners to fully understand social protection dynamics and adopt an institutional system for future social protection interventions;
• Support capacity development of Ministry of Labour & Social Affairs and social partners in contributing towards Social Protection Policy implementation at National, Regional and Enterprise levels – through effective Social Dialogue process
• Ensure a flow of regular and complete information on the status of the activities planned and implemented between the Project team in Somalia, and ILO CO Addis Ababa.
• Participate in the organization of conferences, seminars, workshops, training sessions and meetings in collaboration with the technical support of experts and represent the project in various meetings, including technical working group committee meetings.
• Organize and conduct technical missions in target regions, guide and advise national and international experts on site and remotely and ensure the proper and effective use of project resources.

• Assist in the monitoring and coordination of research carried out by external collaborators and implementing partners.
• Review project reporting timelines and assist in the preparation of relevant technical reports to donors and the steering committee.
• Periodically report, monitor and facilitate the evaluation of all project’s components according to the project’s document and work plan.
• Prepare required technical progress reports and ad hoc reports on the status of project planning and implementation for submission to the ILO and the donor.
• Identify problems, propose solutions and action and follow-up with relevant departments at headquarters and regional office, executing agencies, government offices, constituents and other organizations to expedite implementation and meet targets
• Ensure high-level communications to increase project’s visibility at the national and international levels. This includes the responsibility to liaise with the UN country team, and other key stakeholders to ensure effective coordination with relevant national strategies and related technical projects. Under direct guidance of CO-Addis Ababa maintain relations with mass media and concerned media groups in order to increase the impact of the project in society as a whole.
• Liaise and co-ordinate with NGOs, other UN Agencies and government departments operating complementary activities and initiatives.
• Perform other duties as assigned by the Head of Somalia Office & the CO- Addis Ababa Director as part of the implementation of the project.

First level university degree in a Social Science, Business Administration, Economics and any Specialization on Labour Studies or Industrial Relations or related field and strong knowledge on development issues particularly in Somalia.

At least three years of professional experience on areas related to Social Protection, Decent Work, Social Dialogue, and capacity building on labour-related issues.

Excellent knowledge of English and good knowledge of Somali language.

• Good knowledge about social, economic development, including social protection, labor and employment, trends in  the country
• Ability to maintain good working relationships with all project stakeholders.
• Ability to establish and maintain systems within project operations.
• Demonstrated ability to manage technical co-operation projects of international organizations.
• Ability to understand and effectively work with Government, workers and employers organizations, non-government organizations and UN agencies.
• Ability to conduct action oriented research and write analytical technical report in English.
• Ability to conduct policy discussion and high-level political processes.
• Good communication skills, both written and verbal, to successfully advocate for and mobilize action to promote freedom of association and right to collective bargaining principles.
• Clear commitment to mainstream gender into project activities.
• Ability to lead and work in a team and good interpersonal relations.
• Ability to train and guide personnel.
• Ability to work under time pressure and meet deadlines.
• Ability to work in diversified environments.
• Proficient in basic computer software (Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Adobe Reader) and ability to use other software packages required by the Office
• Ability to work independently with a minimum of supervision