Programme Officer, ILO Africa

About the role

The International Labour Organization regularly recruits Programme Officers across its African field offices (Addis Ababa, Cairo, Dakar, Pretoria, Yaounde). Programme Officers manage technical cooperation projects on decent work, youth employment, social protection, labour standards, and skills development. Typical application deadline 31 August 2026 for current vacancies (check the careers portal for live listings).

Responsibilities

• Manage technical cooperation projects from design through delivery, monitoring, and evaluation.
• Coordinate with government counterparts (Ministries of Labour, Education, Youth), employer and worker organisations, and other UN agencies.
• Author project documents, donor reports, and substantive briefings.
• Support resource mobilisation through proposals to bilateral and multilateral donors.
• Represent the ILO at country and regional forums.

Requirements

• Advanced university degree in social sciences, economics, public policy, or labour studies.
• Seven or more years of relevant professional experience including project management.
• Demonstrated knowledge of the ILO’s mandate, conventions, and recommendations.
• Excellent written and verbal communication in English or French (or both); Arabic, Portuguese, or Spanish an asset.
• UN security clearance and willingness to travel within the duty station country.

Nice to have

• Prior UN system experience.
• Experience working with African Union or Regional Economic Communities (ECOWAS, EAC, SADC).
• Field experience in fragile or conflict-affected contexts.

How to apply

Open the ILO Jobs portal at the apply link, search for “Programme Officer” filtered by your duty station of interest, and apply through the UN Common System (Inspira-style portal). CV, cover letter, and competency-based interview follow. Closing dates vary by vacancy.