National Project Coordinator - Small Enterprise Promotion NOB (DC) (11378)

Kenya hosts 540,000 refugees and asylum-seekers, of which the majority are women and children (UNHCR, December 2021). As the country is following an encampment policy, the overwhelming majority of refugees lives in two camps – Dadaab and Kakuma. An additional 81,000 registered refugees live in urban areas (UNHCR, 2022). Urban refugees face gaps in support for meeting their basic needs and accessing social protection as well as livelihood opportunities, as most of the development and humanitarian assistance for refugees is concentrated in Dadaab and Kakuma. The dynamic environment in urban areas offers the opportunity to integrate livelihood and social protection interventions, supporting refugees and asylum seekers to become economically independent while protecting them against life-cycle contingencies such as illness, maternity, old age, unemployment or disability.

The International Labour Organization (ILO), with funding from the US Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration (PRM), is therefore launching a new project entitled “Promoting Pathways to Economic Inclusion and Social Protection for Refugees and Host Communities in Kenya” focused on supporting refugees and their host communities in Kenya’s urban areas. The program will focus on immediate and long-term solutions for livelihoods and social protection and work simultaneously on the macro-, meso-, and micro-level. 

The programme will pursue three interlinked objectives, all contributing to the ultimate goal of improving refugee and host community access to decent livelihood opportunities and social protection:

• Objective 1:  Policy frameworks are more inclusive of refugees and workers in the informal economy, with a specific focus on enterprise promotion and social protection
• Objective 2: Refugees and host communities have access to decent work and livelihood opportunities
• Objective 3: Social protection is available and accessible to refugees and host communities, including for workers in the informal economy.

To promote livelihoods of urban refugees and vulnerable host communities, the project will make use of the ILO’s Approach to Inclusive Market Systems (AIMS) that looks at sectors with potential for inclusive growth and job creation and designs targeted and holistic strategies to develop these for the benefit of refugees and host communities. Work to integrate refugees into national social protection schemes will follow ILO standards on universal social protection and will build on ongoing ILO work towards more inclusive social protection policies and programmes in Kenya. 

The recruitment is subject to the availability of funds.

Reporting Lines:

The National Technical Officer on Small Enterprise Promotion will work under the overall responsibility of the Director of ILO Country Office for the United Republic of Tanzania, Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda (CO-Dar Es Salaam), and the direct supervision of the Project Manager, Social Protection and Enterprise Promotion . The incumbent will receive technical guidance and backstopping support from the Enterprise Specialist of the Decent Work Team (DWT) in Pretoria, as well as the Entrepreneurship and Inclusive Markets Team at SME/Enterprises within the Jobs and Social Protection Cluster at ILO Headquarters. The position will be based in the ILO Project Office in Nairobi, Kenya. 

• Conduct research, including field research, to support analyses in selected sectors and value chains and assist in the design of innovative strategies to engage the private sector in initiatives to promote decent job creation for host communities and refugees in selected sectors and value chains.
• Prepare action plans for the implementation of activities to develop selected sectors and value chain in close collaboration with key private sector actors, undertake travel to different regions of Kenya to coordinate project activities with relevant project partners.
• Contribute to the organization of workshops and capacity building measures with and for key project partners, including BDS and training providers, market actors in key sectors and constituents, as well as refugees and host communities as needed.
• Support the development, implementation, and assessment of overall project activities, including pilot interventions with key private sector actors for the benefit of refugees and host communities in selected sectors, and scaling up of those interventions that are successful. 
• Assist with the development and implementation of a comprehensive monitoring system to measure progress and results of project activities, monitor market developments and private sector engagement in targeted sectors, and use the collected information to inform the project strategy.
• Assist in developing strategies to mainstream gender and environmental issues in the project, ensuring gender perspectives and environmental considerations are central to all the activities during both the inception and implementation phases. 
• Support the development and implementation of an effective communication and knowledge sharing strategy and plan for relevant national and international audiences.
• Liaise in a timely manner with other relevant ILO projects and the DW Technical Team covering the country to maximize synergy that may exist with other ILO core priorities and ensure the project is in line with the outcomes established under the P&B, the DWCPs, and ensure smooth collaboration with the Entrepreneurship and Inclusive Markets Global Technical Team of the ILO.

First level university degree in economics, development or other relevant discipline/field.

At least three years of professional experience in the area of small enterprises promotion, private sector development or market systems development at the national level. A good knowledge of the economic context in Kenya and/or the situation of urban refugees in Kenya would be an advantage

Excellent command of English. Working knowledge of an official national language of the duty station.

• Ability to maintain effective working relationships with key stakeholders.
• Good analytical skills, and ability to conceptualise, plan, coordinate and conduct activities consistent with the project's objectives.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to write reports 
• Ability to work in a multicultural environment and gender-sensitive behaviour and attitudes are also required.