Grade: P3
Vacancy no.: BEY/DC/P/2025/01
Publication date: 20 January 2025
Application deadline (midnight local time): 02 February 2025
Job ID: 12669
Department: RO-Arab States/DWT-Beirut
Organization Unit: RO-Arab States/DWT-Beirut
Location: Amman, Jordan or Beirut, Lebanon
Contract type: Fixed Term
Contract duration: Two years as of 1 March 2025
Under article 4.2, paragraph (e) of the Staff Regulations, the filling of vacancies in technical cooperation projects does not fall under Annex I of the Staff Regulations and is made by direct selection by the Director-General.
In order to support the best informed process in the filling of the present vacancy by direct selection, the ILO invites interested candidates to submit their candidature online by the above date.
Technical cooperation appointments are not expected to lead to a career in the ILO and they do not carry any expectation of renewal or conversion to any other type of appointment in the Organization. A two-years fixed-term contract will be given. Extensions of technical cooperation contracts are subject to various elements including the following: availability of funds, continuing need of the functions and satisfactory conduct and performance.
The following are eligible to apply:
The ILO values diversity among its staff and welcomes applications from qualified female candidates. We also encourage applicants with disabilities. If you are unable to complete our online application form due to a disability, please send an email to ilojobs@ilo.org.
The ‘PROSPECTS’ Partnership for improving Prospects for host communities and forcibly displaced persons, was launched by the Government of the Netherlands in 2019 bringing together the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the International Labour Organization (ILO), the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the World Bank. It aims to bring about a paradigm shift towards a development approach on forced displacement and refugee crises by focusing on nexuses between education, employment, and protection (the three pillars of the partnership). The partnership spans eight countries, namely Egypt, Ethiopia, Iraq, Jordan, Kenya, Lebanon, Sudan, and Uganda. In January 2024, a second phase of the PROSPECTS partnership was launched, which builds on the results and draws on the lessons learned from the first phase in order to maximize impact.
The first pillar of the partnership aims to increase the number of forcibly displaced and host community members with access to quality education and learning, including skills development. As a key technical agency in skills development, the ILO plays a central role in improving employability and the transition to the work force through skills interventions. In both Jordan and Lebanon, ILO’s skills pillar has focused on enhancing access of members of host communities and Syrian refugees to the labour markets by improving access to and capacities to deliver market-relevant Vocational and Technical Education and Training (TVET) and implementing on-the-job training. In Jordan, PROSPECTS has been specifically working on adapting recognition of prior learning to different sectors and occupations where refugees and host communities are employed. In Lebanon, it has been supporting Lebanese formal TVET as well as non-formal vocational training providers to ensure improved quality of skills development targeted to the needs of the market. Moving forward, ILO’s skills activities in Lebanon will be adapted to meet the needs of reconstruction and recovery after the war, while its work under PROSPECTS in both countries will also support skills development interventions that are catered for Syrian refugees seeking return to their country in light of the latest developments in Syria. Additional work on skills is being done in Iraq under PROSPECTS.
In addition, the second pillar of the partnership focuses on improving livelihoods and expanding economic opportunities through a range of interventions at the upstream and downstream levels, including inter alia access to career guidance and employment services, which complement skills development efforts under pillar one, and support the transition from training to employment.
The PROSPECTS Skills Technical Officer will be responsible for direct technical support to the skills component under the first pillar in Jordan and Lebanon, while contributing to the broader ILO outcomes of the partnership in the two countries. The incumbent will assist in promoting ILO policies in the project project-related technical areas and other components of the ILO Decent Work Agenda. S/He will take the lead on skills related activities in both PROSPECTS Jordan and Lebanon, while also being involved as needed in Iraq and making linkages to ongoing and future ILO skills and employment interventions inside Syria.
Reporting lines:
The incumbent will be based in ILO Project Office in Jordan or the ILO Regional Office in Lebanon, within the regional PROSPECTS team. If based in Beirut s/he will report to the PROSPECTS Regional Chief Technical Adviser as the first level Manager and to the PROSPECTS Project Manager as the Matrix Manager and if based in Amman s/he will report to Jordan Country Coordinator as the first line Manager and to the PROSPECTS Regional Chief Technical Adviser as the Matrix Manager while working closely with PROSPECTS Jordan Project Manager. She/He will receive technical backstopping from the Senior Regional Skills and Employability Specialist and Employment Policy Specialist within the Decent work team of the ILO Regional Office for Arab States. The incumbent will closely collaborate with other members of the PROSPECTS Jordan and Lebanon teams and skills teams in other projects in the two countries, as well as coordinate with the Skills Officer in PROSPECTS Iraq. and to align approaches, as well as to the ILO Syria team to build synergies.
1. Assist the PROSPECTS Regional CTA in Lebanon and the Project Manager in Jordan in the implementation of the PROSPECTS project in the two
respective countries by providing technical inputs, planning, and monitoring of the skills activities under pillar 1 on Education and Learning. Ensure
conformity with ILO policies and project strategies, ILO programming guidelines and country/action programs, and Office procedures and practices.
2. Provide technical advice and support to project staff and national partners in the design, implementation, and monitoring of the skills activities, in
coordination with the ILO Senior Skills Specialist and Skills Department at HQs.
3. Conduct research and integrate technical inputs on skills activities for regional and country analyses, reports and publications related to the
PROSPECTS program and prepare discussion notes.
4. Develop training materials and conduct seminars and workshops in the skills area.
5. Under the guidance of the PROSPECTS Regional CTA in Lebanon and the Project Manager in Jordan, maintain close liaison with governments, workers' and employers' organizations, PROSPECTS partners, and other UN/non-governmental organizations, to discuss matters and follow up on a broad range of country programmes and projects.
6. Provide mentoring and coaching, and technical advice as required to national institutions and project partners in Jordan and Lebanon, in particular related to Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL), competency-based training (CBT), work-based learning (WBL), conducting market assessments, skills surveys, tracer studies, lifelong learning, and other capacity building efforts to support TVET providers in designing and implementing improved skills training, in line with international labour standards, as envisaged in the education pillar of the PROSPECTS Partnership. Support the analysis of assessments and studies conducted under PROSPECTS, and design evidence-based recommendations for concrete interventions.
7. Provide technical support and advise on the implementation of Job Search Clubs and other employment services to strengthen their linkages with TVET programs in Lebanon and Jordan.
8. Co-ordinate, promote linkages and share best practices and lessons learnt related to skills with other team members in the PROSPECTS program, relevant ILO projects/programs, ILO units and external stakeholders.
9. Promote ILO policies regarding the project/programme, other fundamental rights at work and the relevant International Labour Standards through coordination with a range of relevant national policies and the strategies of various projects, including those being undertaken by other agencies or in complementary fields of activity. Promote the inclusion of gender equality and non-discrimination in all aspects of the skills activities of the PROSPECTS programme.
10. Maintain working contacts and collaboration with the relevant technical focal points of the PROSPECTS partner organizations and donor, as well as other multi-lateral and bilateral donor agencies. Draft and draft proposals/provide inputs to proposals for Jordan and Lebanon, in response to calls for proposals under PROSPECTS opportunity fund and other funding opportunities.
11. Undertake regular missions in relation to project implementation to support the implementation of the PROSPECTS skills activities.
12. Undertake other duties, including within the PROSPECTS programme in Iraq, as required by the supervisors.
Advanced university degree in social sciences, economics, education, business administration, international relations or international law, with demonstrated expertise in the relevant technical field.
A first-level university degree (Bachelor’s or equivalent) in one of the afore-mentioned fields or other relevant field with an additional two years of relevant experience, in addition to the required experience stated below, will be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree.
At least five years of relevant professional experience with a focus on skills development, vocational training, and/or labour market assessments. Prior experience in skills development in the Arab States, particularly in Jordan and /or Lebanon is an advantage. Previous experience in projects focusing on the digital economy and/or innovation is also an asset.
- Experience in project design and implementation at the field level is also a requirement.
- Proven experience in coordinating with the government, NGOs and UN agencies.
- Proven experience in planning and facilitating training workshops and seminars, including serving as a trainer.
- Familiarity with ILO policies and procedures including experience working with officials of ministries of labour and/or education would be an advantage.