Digitalisation and Platform Work Specialist

Organization
WIEGO Consultancy Opportunity
Location
Remote
Job Type
Contract; Up to 100 days per year; 12 months (renewable by mutual agreement)
Deadline for Applications
11/11/2025
Where to Apply
https://www.wiego.org/careers/digitalisation-platform-work-specialist/
Tags
Contract

About WIEGO

Women in Informal Employment: Globalizing and Organizing (WIEGO) is a global network dedicated to improving the status of the working poor – especially women – in the informal economy. We work through a combination of research, policy advocacy, and support for grassroots organizing, ensuring that workers in informal employment gain recognition, rights, and representation. Our Organization and Representation Programme (ORP) supports groups of informal workers to strengthen their collective voice, develop leadership, and advocate effectively for fair working conditions, social protection, and access to resources.

About the Role

WIEGO is seeking an experienced Digitalisation and Platform Work Specialist to lead our strategic work at the intersection of technology, labour, and the informal economy. Digitalisation is transforming how work is organised, accessed, and valued. This role will explore how workers in the informal economy can adapt to and influence these changes — ensuring that technology becomes a tool for empowerment rather than exclusion. You will work closely with WIEGO’s networks, including those representing home-based workers, domestic workers, waste pickers, and street vendors, as well as global partners, researchers, and civil society allies. The consultant will report to the ORP Programme Director and contribute primarily to Priority 3.3: Digitalisation and Platform Workers within WIEGO’s 2025/26 objectives.

  • Priority 3: Thought Leadership & Worker Education
  • 3.1. Social Solidarity Economy and all sectors (SSEA)
  • 3.2. Climate Justice and rural workers, (CJRW)
  • 3.3. Digitalization and platform workers (DPW)

Key Responsibilities

The consultant will:

  • Bring awareness about digitalization, digital labour platforms, its impacts and how these tools could be utilised more efficiently.
  • Keep WIEGO’s labor movement stakeholders informed of emerging trends in digitalization and the future of work.
  • Support WIEGO in developing strategies and actions to address these trends.
  • Advance advocacy efforts for strengthened policies and regulations at national, regional, and international levels to benefit informal economy workers.

Specific responsibilities will include:

  • Developing an overall strategy on digitalization and platform work at WIEGO.
  • Coordinate with Nets and allies to formulate joint policy positions on digitalization and platform work, in preparation for next year’s ILC.
  • Respond to technical requests and provide analytical support for worker engagement in broader advocacy and influential discussions.
  • Provide policy advice and develop briefing materials (e.g., reports, speeches) to enhance understanding of platforms and its implications on the informal economy workforce.
  • Contribute worker perspectives—especially those of women—to ongoing international initiatives on digitalization and platform work.
  • Represent WIEGO at relevant forums and meetings related to digitalization and the future of work.
  • Build and sustain relationships with policy experts in organizations such as ITUC, ILO, and other civil society actors.
  • Liaise with relevant civil society organizations, academic institutions, and allies.
  • Support fundraising proposals focused on digitalization and future of work initiatives.

About You

You are a strategic thinker who combines strong technical expertise with a deep understanding of worker organising and social justice. You are skilled at navigating the intersections of policy, advocacy, and research – and you bring a passion for ensuring that digital transformation works for all workers, including those in the informal economy.

Essential Criteria

  • Minimum 10 years’ experience in the labour movement, including international-level engagement and advocacy.
  • Demonstrated expertise in digitalisation and the future of work, including research, analysis, and application to worker organising strategies.
  • Proven ability to develop strategies and policies on digitalisation and platform work, with examples of published reports, policy advice, or strategic frameworks.
  • Knowledge and experience of digital labour platforms and their implications for workers in the informal economy.
  • Postgraduate qualification (or equivalent professional expertise) in a relevant discipline related to digitalisation, labour studies, or the future of work.
  • Experience providing policy advice, advocacy support, and analytical inputs to international forums (e.g. ILO, ITUC, regional or global processes).
  • Ability to translate complex technical issues into clear, accessible communication for diverse audiences (workers, policymakers, allies).
  • Strong advocacy, research, presentation, and negotiation skills, demonstrated through international engagements or policy influence.
  • Excellent written and spoken English, with evidence of drafting high-level reports, speeches, or policy documents.
  • Ability to build and maintain strategic relationships with worker organizations, civil society, and academic institutions.

Desirable Criteria

  • Proficiency in French or Spanish in addition to English.
  • Fundraising experience, including contributing to or developing proposals for projects on digitalisation and the future of work.
  • Experience representing organisations at international policy forums specifically on digitalisation and platform work.

What we offer

  • A flexible consultancy contract of up to 100 days per year (approximately 8 days per month).
  • Remuneration in US Dollars, commensurate with experience, location, and role profile.
  • The opportunity to work remotely as part of a diverse and international team.
  • A chance to shape WIEGO’s strategic direction on digitalisation and platform work — influencing how workers across the informal economy engage with technology and the future of work.

‌‌Next Steps

To apply for this position, please complete the form below which needs to include the screening questions (max 250 words per question), a cover letter explaining your motivation and how you fulfil the above requirements and your CV by the closing date of 11th November 2025 (23:59 GMT). Only applications that include all three components – CV, cover letter, and responses to screening questions – will be considered.