Introduction

More than a decade into the Syria crisis, Jordan continues to be at the forefront of one of the worst humanitarian and forced displacement crisis in modern history. In response to the challenges Jordan faces as a main host country of an estimated 1.3 million Syrian refugees, the PROSPECTS partnership brings together the expertise of 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 with support from the Kingdom of the Netherlands, to address multiple dimensions of the displacement crisis. In addition to Jordan, the PROSPECTS partnership is being implemented in seven other countries affected by forced displacement, including Egypt, Ethiopia, Iraq, Kenya, Lebanon, Uganda, and Iraq.

PROSPECTS interventions align with national strategies and have a longer-term goal of supporting human development through wider access to quality education, skills, and learning, increased economic and employment opportunities, and enhanced protection (including social protection) mechanisms. More recently, a new dimension has been introduced in the PROSPECTS partnership focusing on the support to critical infrastructure.

The ILO’s competitive advantage in the partnership in Jordan makes it well placed to support: the creation of livelihoods opportunities and the transition to formal employment for Jordanians, Syrians refugees and other vulnerable groups; and promotion of labour protection for all workers. It is doing so by supporting the development of market relevant skills, enhancing career guidance and employment placement services, promoting cooperatives development, fostering an enabling regulatory environment for labour protection and the expansion of social protection to vulnerable groups of workers.

The ILO interventions with the PROSPECTS programme are aligned with the Decent Work Country Programme in Jordan agreed with the tripartite constituents and the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) and includes cooperation with the PROSPECTS partners.

Reporting Lines

The incumbent will report to the ILO Jordan Coordinator based in Amman. The technical reporting line will be to the Regional Chief Technical Adviser for the PROSPECTS programme in the Arab States covering Iraq, Jordan, and Lebanon and based in Beirut, who will also be providing overall strategic, technical and policy guidance, including on the engagement with the PROSPECTS partners, to ensure regional coherence of the PROSPECTS programme in the Arab States.

Description of Duties

1. Conduct, plan, develop and coordinate the implementation of the PROSPECTS Jordan programme as part of the wider ILO programme in Jordan, through timely provision of inputs, timely and efficient delivery of outputs, and planning, control, monitoring and evaluation of the project activities, in conformity with ILO policies and project strategies, and in accordance with ILO programming guidelines and country/action programs, and administrative and financial procedures.

2. Responsible for the effective management of funds/budget assigned to the project based on a workplan agreed on with the Regional PROSPECTS CTA.

3. Ensure effective and timely reporting of technical activities covered under PROPSECTS Jordan.  

4. Manage efficiently the human resources of PROSPECTS Jordan team, including recruitment, performance and talent management aspects. Plan, organize, supervise and monitor the work of officials working under the project.

5. Interact with all relevant stakeholders, PROSPECTS partners and donors at national level and establish synergies regarding project activities with other interventions as part of the UNSDCF for Jordan and the Jordan Crisis Response Plan.

6. Coordinate and to the extent feasible ensure joint delivery of outputs in cooperation with other ILO projects and interventions under the Jordan DWCP. coordination meetings with partner agencies and donors respectively.

Description of Duties (continued)

7. Support the design, development, and presentation of proposals for new projects, and contribute to further resource mobilization in coordination with the Regional PROSPECTS CTA, other responsible ILO officials at the Regional Office in Beirut and ILO Office in Amman.

8. Review, analyse and interpret economic, social and political trends in Jordan. Provide inputs related to trends or developments for which further research and programme development work is needed to further promote decent work and social justice for all within the humanitarian development nexus.

9. Liaise with ILO constituents and ensure their involvement in project implementation and relevant consultations in coordination and communication with the Regional PROSPECTS CTA, the respective DWT specialists, and the ILO Jordan Coordinator based in Amman.

10. Increase the project’s visibility and facilitate the scaling-up of the project’s interventions.

11. Prepare and conduct capacity development seminars, workshops and technical meetings with employers, trade unions, and other relevant stakeholders.

12. Perform other duties as may be assigned by the direct supervisor.

Required qualifications

Education

Advanced university degree in economics, development studies, social sciences, management, or a related field. A first-level university degree in combination with two (2) additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Experience

At least seven years of relevant experience in the management of development cooperation activities, of which at least three years at the international level. This includes field experience in a leadership role for the implementation of projects, preferably in the fields of forced displacement. At least four years demonstrated expertise in senior managerial positions, preferably with the ILO or a UN agency, with sound knowledge and experience in all aspects of project cycle, i.e. design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation. Proven experience in partnership building and networking and in effective fundraising, resource mobilization and donor relations.

Technical expertise in at least one of these fields is required: employment services, entrepreneurship development, skills development, Employment Intensive Investment Programme (EIIP), digital economy, green economy, social protection.  

Familiarity with ILO policies and procedures, including experience in managing large and complex development cooperation projects would be an advantage, as would be work experience in the Arab region and/or in other forced displacement contexts.

Languages

Excellent command of English. Knowledge of Arabic would be a strong advantage. 

Competencies

Professionalism: Excellent interpersonal skills, including the ability to operate effectively across organizational boundaries and the ability to establish and maintain effective partnerships and working relations in a multicultural, multi-ethnic environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity. Experience in mentoring staff and in coordinating their work.

Accountability: takes ownership of all responsibilities and commitments; delivers outputs for which one has responsibility within prescribed time, cost and quality standards; operates in compliance with organizational regulations and rules, provides oversight and takes responsibility for delegated assignments.

Leadership: serves as a role model that other people want to follow; empowers others to translate vision into results; proactive in developing strategies to accomplish objectives; establishes and maintains relationships with a broad range of people to understand needs and gain support; anticipates and resolves conflicts by pursuing mutually agreeable solutions; drives for change and improvements; demonstrate knowledge of strategies and commitment to the goal of gender balance in staffing.

Vision: identifies strategic issues, opportunities and risks clearly communicates links between the organization’s strategy and the work unit’s goals; generates and communicates broad and compelling organizational direction, inspiring others to pursue that same direction; conveys enthusiasm about future possibilities.

Competencies (continued)

Ability to prioritize work and meet strict deadlines. Excellent organizational skills. Ability to work in a multicultural environment. Gender-sensitive behaviour and attitude. Ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing, including the ability to write accurate reports and to build networks to obtain cooperation with partners. Ability to negotiate. Ability to take initiatives.

– 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.

– Ability to advocate and provide policy advice.

– Ability to develop training materials, alternative courses of action, project proposals, policy, procedural matters and present them at high-level meetings.

– Ability to promote a knowledge sharing and learning culture in the office, and to focus and guide others to meet objectives at individual and group level.

– Proven capacity to initiate and implement development cooperation programmes and activities with ILO constituents and NGOs, including negotiation skills with governments, social partners and to mobilise the support of international donor agencies and provide quality services.

Competencies (continued)

– Ability to plan and support the development of individual’s skills and abilities for a more effective fulfilment of job/role responsibilities.

– Ability to maintain effectiveness when experiencing major changes in work tasks or environment, and to adjust effectively to work within new work structures, processes, requirements or cultures.

– Drive to seek or encourage others to seek opportunities for different and innovative approaches to organisation challenges and opportunities for improvement.