INTRODUCTION
Better Factories Cambodia (BFC) is a programme of the International Labour Organization. It benefits workers, employers and their organizations. It benefits consumers in western countries and helps reduce poverty in one of the poorest nations of the world. BFC does this by assessing and reporting on working conditions in Cambodian garment factories according to national and international labour standards, by helping factories to improve working conditions and productivity, and by working with the Royal Government of Cambodia, unions, employers' organizations and international buyers to ensure a rigorous and transparent cycle of improvement.
The project grew out of a trade agreement between the United States and Cambodia. Under the agreement the US promised Cambodia better access to US markets in exchange for improved working conditions in the garment sector. The ILO project was established in 2001 to help the sector make and maintain these improvements.
Improving labour standards in global supply chains is an important part of a pro-poor development strategy. Ensuring workers' rights and entitlements are protected helps to distribute the benefits of trade. Better Factories Cambodia supports enterprises in implementing the ILO core international labour standards and national labour law. This helps enterprises compete in global markets where many buyers demand compliance with labour standards from their suppliers. Improved labour standards also assist enterprises to be more competitive through higher productivity and quality. These benefits help build the business case and supplier support for improved labour standards.
The program has three components: 1) Enterprise assessments against (a) the principles of the ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, 1998 and local labour law and (b) quality and productivity; 2) (Enterprise advisory, training and capacity building services designed to support practical improvements; and (3) Stakeholder engagement and sustainability.
For more information about the project see www.betterfactories.org
Description of Duties
Function:
Assist the Better Factories Cambodia Program Manager with the further development of the monitoring and training/advisory units including upgrading and refining staff skills and solidifying the monitoring unit's reorganization.
Supervision:
The Technical Officer reports to the Better Factories Cambodia Program Manager and coordinates closely with the two Monitoring Unit Program Officers/Team Leaders, Training and Advisory Program officer and managers in related program units.
Responsibilities:
- Act as part of Better Factories Cambodia management team, helping to make both operational decisions and well as strategic decisions regarding program direction. This will include participation in decisions regarding hiring and HR, budget, services development and expansion, programmatic targets, and other. Will also include staff management as needed, in particular with the Factory Advisor team.
- Assist in the expansion of Better Factories Cambodia to larger numbers of factories and international buyers; provide support to the program on further evolution of internal systems to support this expansion. Responsibilities will include support in developing and managing relationships with factories and buyers through focal point groups, regular forums, one-on-one meetings, and answering ongoing inquiries.
- Oversee Better Factories Cambodia factory assessment processes, tools, and implementation systems, including coordination of the internal team tasked with monitoring and improving factory assessments. Responsibility will be for helping to develop the capacity of national staff to take the primary role in many areas, acting increasingly in an oversight and coaching role.
- Assist in the coordination between Better Factories Cambodia factory assessment, advisory, and training services. This will entail analyzing how best to link the program's core services so that the program delivers an integrated package to participating factories. In addition, the position will be responsible for creating internal processes for sharing information among staff so that the program can best target our services to the needs of specific factories.
- In collaboration with the BW team in Cambodia, Develop and oversee the Quality Assurance systems necessary to ensure more systematic oversight of Better Factories Cambodia activities. Responsibilities will include implementing a standardized QA process, with associated timelines, roles and responsibilities, tools, and reporting forms.
- Develop the plan for and oversee induction process for new Better Factories Cambodia factory advisors, in coordination with Better Factories Cambodia Program Manager and the Better Work global program.
- Support the Better Factories Cambodia Program Manager in meeting with national and international project stakeholders and other constituents, including factories and buyer representatives. This will include responding to regular meeting requests that come into the Better Factories Cambodia office as well as proactively reaching out to project stakeholders to provide updates and for other information needs.
Required Qualifications
Education
First level university degree in education, social science, law, international studies or other relevant field.
Experience
At least 5 years professional experience working in the areas of social dialogue, capacity building, corporate social responsibility, enterprise development, and/or labour standards compliance including practical experience conducting enterprise assessments of labour standards compliance and advisory services in the region. Background working specifically with the apparel industry and Cambodia specific experience a plus.
Languages
Excellent command of English is required. Knowledge of Khmer a plus.
Competencies
- Excellent knowledge of labour-related laws and regulations, especially in Cambodia, including a good understanding of common issues of non-compliance in the apparel industry;
- Ability to contribute to the formulation, administration and evaluation of projects, including the ability to identify and analyse problems with project implementation;
- Good understanding of corporate social responsibility and labour compliance issues in global supply chains in general and more specifically in the apparel and footwear sectors in Cambodia including practical knowledge of the practices of buyers in the US and Europe;
- Capacity to manage, and to build effective teamwork, to achieve agreed outcomes including coordinating the work of others;
- Experience in industrial relations and building social dialogue between management and unions\worker representatives at the workplace level;
- Experience developing training and advisory programs related to labour compliance, aimed at factory management and workers;
- Capacity to liaise and network with a range of stakeholders including staff, donors, buyers, government officials, management, unions and NGOs;
- Ability to negotiate persuasively with donor representatives;
- High level communications skills, both oral and written;
- Excellent analytical skills;
- Commitment to gender equality and knowledge of gender mainstreaming principles and approaches.
How to apply:
Only on-line applications trough the ILO recruit system are accepted.
To complete your CV on-line and apply for the above-mentioned position, please refer to instructions available here:https://erecruit.ilo.org/public/hrd-cl-vac-view.asp?intra=1&jobinfo_uid_...
