National Project Coordinator - NOB (DC) Social Protection

Introduction

The core challenge for social protection in Africa is the limited coverage for workers in the rural and informal economy, with only 17% of the total population and 13.9% of the working population effectively covered. Universal health coverage remains a priority for many governments, yet social health protection remains limited, as seen in countries like Mozambique (13.4%), Malawi (21.3%), and Zambia (24.6%).

The IrishAid project aims to extend social protection coverage and increase financing sustainably by addressing gaps and barriers through national dialogue, policy coherence, and integration of contributory and non-contributory schemes. It also fosters political will and partnerships with governments, social partners, development banks, and private investors. The project operates in Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique, and Viet Nam, with a global coordination hub in Lusaka.

The DCI Project focuses on enhancing Zambia’s core social protection systems by improving interoperability between the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIMA), Social Cash Transfer (SCT), and Disability Management Information Systems (DMIS). This digital transformation is critical to accelerating SDG 1.3 and expanding health and social protection coverage.

The UNJPSP-III is a multi-agency programme designed to strengthen social protection systems, build climate resilience, and promote gender and disability inclusion. The ILO plays a key role in improving social protection policies, financing strategies, and information systems. Under Pillar 1, it strengthens systems and ensures interoperability, while Pillar 3 focuses on gender-transformative and disability-inclusive interventions, promoting integrated and inclusive social protection for vulnerable populations. 
The National Project Coordinator (NPC) position is co-funded by three projects: the ILO-Irish Aid programme, the Digital Convergence Initiative (DCI) project in Zambia, and the UN Joint Programme on Social Protection – Phase III (UNJPSP-III).  As such, the NPC will lead the coordination and management of the ILO-Irish Aid programme, which runs until 2025, and the DCI project, which concludes in 2026. In addition, the NPC will provide technical support across the UNJPSP-III, particularly in strengthening social protection systems (Pillar 1) and promoting gender and disability-transformative interventions (Pillar 3).  

The NPC will be responsible for overseeing the implementation, monitoring, and delivery of activities and expenditures in Zambia under both the DCI and ILO-Irish Aid workplan and budget, in close collaboration with the Chief Technical Advisor (CTA). Based in Lusaka, the NPC will work within a project team composed of international and national experts and will coordinate closely with members of the ILO Lusaka Social Protection team, including staff in Malawi, Mozambique, and Viet Nam under the ILO-Irish Aid partnership framework, as well as with experts in the Region, and in Geneva where the CTA of the DCI project is located.  

The NPC will serve as a focal point on social protection issues, particularly on digitalization, contributory schemes and public finance management. This includes managing stakeholder relations, ensuring timely delivery of project activities, and contributing to technical discussions and capacity-building initiatives aimed at improving the coherence, coverage, and sustainability of social protection systems in Zambia.

Reporting lines

Under the overall responsibility of the ILO Lusaka Country Director for Zambia, Malawi and Mozambique, the National Project Coordinator will report directly to the Project Manager responsible of the Social Protection Unit in the ILO Lusaka Country Office.

For the DCI project, he or she will work under the technical supervision of the DCI project manager in ILO HQ Geneva (Universal Social Protection Department/ASU Unit). The NPC will work in coordination with project staff and national partners involved in the coordination and implementation of Social Protection Programmes. S/he will also work closely with the Social Protection and Informal Work Senior Specialists attached to the ILO Decent Work Team in Pretoria and with the Social Protection Department at HQ Geneva (SOCPRO). 

Description of Duties

1.    Overall Project Coordination
•    Lead the implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of the Irish Aid Zambia component, DCI Zambia project, and UNJPSP-III projects, ensuring activities are delivered on time and within budget.
•    Provide technical and managerial support to national partners for project implementation. Including facilitating stakeholder coordination to align project objectives with national policies and SDGs.

2.    DCI Project Responsibilities (principal tasks)
•    Coordinate activities under the DCI, particularly strengthening data interoperability between NHIMA, SCT systems, and DMIS.
•    Provide technical support to national partners for developing APIs, improving NHIMA's MIS, and enabling data integration.
•    Support dialogue and capacity-building initiatives to enhance collaboration among social protection stakeholders.
•    Supervise the development and testing of digital tools and platforms, ensuring their deployment meets project objectives.

3.    UNJPSP-III Project Responsibilities
•    Provide technical support under Pillar 1 to strengthen Zambia’s core social protection systems, including lifecycle-based approaches, information systems, and decentralized service delivery.
•    Support efforts to improve social protection data systems and ensure their integration with national registries.
•    Facilitate technical assistance to strengthen the Zambia Integrated Social Protection Information System (ZISPIS) and related data-sharing initiatives.

4.    Policy Development and Knowledge Products
•    Draft and oversee studies, policy briefs, and knowledge products related to Irishaid, DCI and UNJPSP-III outcomes.
•    Organize policy dialogues and workshops to enhance social dialogue, and stakeholders’ understanding of digital integration and social protection systems.
•    Develop tools and training materials to strengthen technical capacities for system integration.

5.    Capacity Building and Advocacy
•    Act as a resource person for capacity building and research initiatives
•    Contribute to advocacy efforts to promote inclusive and integrated social protection systems at national and regional levels.

6.    Partnership and Resource Mobilization
•    Foster partnerships with government agencies, UN agencies, and other stakeholders for effective project implementation.
•    Identify resource mobilization opportunities to scale up DCI and UNJPSP-III initiatives.
 

(see below more duties)

(continued, duties)

7.    Ensure high-level communications with key stakeholders, aligning ILO’s contributions to Zambia’s social protection priorities.

8.    When requested, represent the project in various fora, under the guidance of the Project Manager responsible of the Social Protection Unit and the Director of the ILO Lusaka Country Office. Ensure high-level communications to increase ILO’s advocacy and project’s visibility at the national and international levels. This includes the responsibility to liaise with ILO communication officers, SOCPRO and other key stakeholders to ensure effective coordination with relevant national strategies and related technical projects. 

9.    Working with Project Manager, develop and maintain strong links with ILO specialists within the ILO Decent Work Team in the Region, other colleagues in the field and HQ on specific technical areas requiring comprehensive and collaborative interventions, such as the Global Accelerator on Jobs and Social Protection for Just Transition. 

10.    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 in coordination with the Social Protection Project Manager for submission to the ILO and the donor.

11.    Other related duties as assigned by the Supervisor.
 

Required qualifications

Education

First level university degree in economics, social sciences, or related field and strong knowledge on development issues particularly in Zambia and in the Africa region.

Experience

At least three years of experience in social protection information systems, contributory/non-contributory schemes, and multi-stakeholder coordination with demonstrated experience in project management, supervision, administration and implementation of grant/cooperative agreement requirements (including meeting deadlines, achieving targets, and overseeing the preparation and submission of required reports to the project donor).  Experience in managing donor funded project in international organizations or the UN system.

Languages

Excellent command of English.

Competencies

•    Good knowledge of national trends in social, environmental, and economic development, including labour and employment in Zambia 
•    Good knowledge of ILO norms and standards in the field of social protection with a focus on contributory schemes and public finance management.
•    Strong understanding of social protection systems, digital integration, and lifecycle-based approaches.
•    Proficiency in digital MIS development processes
•    Ability to understand and effectively work with Government, workers and employers’ organizations, non-government organizations, and UN agencies.
•    Good analytical skills, and ability to conceptualise, plan, coordinate and conduct activities consistent with the project's objectives.
•    Ability to maintain effective working relationships with key stakeholders.
•    Ability to organize trainings and workshops and coordinate project activities and implementation with project partners  
•    Clear commitment to mainstream gender into project activities. 
•    Ability to conduct action-oriented research and write analytical technical reports in English
•    Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to successfully advocate and mobilise action to promote freedom of association and right to collective bargaining principles.
•    Ability to work in a multicultural environment and gender-sensitive behaviour and attitudes are also required. Ability to work under time pressure, manage multiple tasks and work streams and meet deadlines.
•    Proficient in basic computer software (Microsoft Word, Power Point, Excel, web-browsers and database applications, among others).
•    Proven ability to take ownership of all responsibilities, to act with integrity and transparency by maintaining social, ethical and organisational norms, and to meet all commitments within the prescribed time, cost and quality standards.

Assessed candidates who will be considered as appointable but not selected for this position can also be offered to be assigned on another temporary position at the same or at a lower grade provided that said candidates possesses the minimum qualifications for this position.