Skills and Employability Technical Officer - PROSPECTS

Introduction

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 Jordan, this builds on years of experience adapting on-the-job-training, recognition of prior learning and certifications to different sectors and occupations where refugees and host communities are employed, while in Iraq, ILO’s interventions are focused on supporting partners to deliver market-relevant skills training for host communities and forcibly displaced persons with strong engagement of the private sector. 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.

Introduction (Cont'd)

Within the policy and procedural requirements established by the ILO and the PROPSECTS partnership, the ILO PROSPECTS Skills Technical Officer will be responsible for providing direct technical support to the above project and contribute to the expected outcomes. The incumbent will assist in promoting ILO policies in the project-related technical areas and other components of the ILO Decent Work Agenda.

The PROSPECTS Skills Technical Officer for Jordan and Iraq will be responsible for direct technical support to the skills component under the first pillar, 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 Iraq, while aligning approaches related to skills work in PROSPECTS Lebanon.

Reporting lines:

The incumbent will be based in ILO Office in Jordan within the PROSPECTS team. S/he will report to the ILO Jordan Coordinator based in Amman and will be receiving overall guidance and supervision from the PROSPECTS Regional Chief Technical Adviser (Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq), while working closely with both the PROSPECTS Project Managers in Jordan and Iraq. She/He will receive technical backstopping from the Senior Regional Skills and Employability Specialist with 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 Iraq teams and skills teams in other projects in the two countries, as well as coordinate with the National Skills Officer in PROSPECTS Lebanon to align approaches.

Description of Duties

1. Assist the PROSPECTS Regional CTA and the Project Managers in Jordan and Iraq in the implementation of the PROSPECTS project in the 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. 

3. Develop training materials and conduct seminars and workshops in the skills area.

4. Under the guidance of the PROSPECTS CTA and Project Managers in Jordan and Iraq, 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.

5. Provide mentoring and coaching, and technical advice as required to national institutions and project partners in Jordan and Iraq, in particular related to market assessments, tracer studies, competency-based training, RPL, work-based learning, 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.

Description of Duties (Cont'd)

6. Provide technical support and advise on the implementation of Job Search Clubs and other employment services to strengthen their linkages with TVET programs, and the integration of Youth Rights at Work manual and guidelines into the skills trainings in Iraq.

7. 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.

8. 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.

Description of Duties (Cont'd)

9. Maintain working contacts and collaboration with multi-lateral and bilateral donor agencies and draft proposals/provide inputs to proposals for Jordan and Iraq, in response to calls for proposals under PROSPECTS opportunity fund and other funding opportunities.

10. Undertake international and local missions in relation to project implementation, including to Iraq to support the implementation of the PROSPECTS skills activities.

11. Undertake other duties as required by the Regional PROSPECTS CTA and Project Managers.

Required qualifications

Education

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.

Experience

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 Iraq is an advantage.

-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.

Languages

Excellent knowledge of English (oral and writing skills). Knowledge of Arabic would be a strong advantage.

Competencies

In addition to the ILO core competencies [Integrity and transparency, Sensitivity to diversity, Orientation to learning and knowledge sharing, Client orientation, Communication, Orientation to change, Takes responsibility for performance, Quality orientation, Collaboration], this position requires:

• Ability to provide technical advice and to guide and coordinate the work of external collaborators, general service staff and young professionals in the area of specialization.
• Ability to conceptualise and design research techniques and analyse complex cross-national practices and data sets covering a wide range of issues in the specialized technical field.
• Ability to formulate new concepts and methodologies.
• Ability to draft reports and prepare guidelines relating to programme development and implementation.
• Ability to provide technical support to senior specialists, carrying out research, project formulation and implementation.
• Ability to participate effectively in technical missions and to provide technical inputs for the ILO Decent Work Agenda.

Competencies (Cont'd)

• Excellent analytical skills and knowledge of analytical tools and qualitative and quantitative techniques.
• Good computer skills.
• Ability to work in a multicultural environment and gender-sensitive behaviour and attitudes are also required.

optional section (if needed)

Candidates assessed by the Panel and considered to be eligible for appointment but who are not selected for this vacant post may be offered an assignment to another position at the same or lower grade provided that they meet the minimum qualifications required.