National Project Coordinator

Introduction

Across the Southern Neighbourhood, many young people remain outside employment, education and training (NEET), reflecting limited decent job opportunities and persistent barriers in the transition from education and training to work. In Jordan, these challenges are compounded by gaps in the TVET system, including fragmented coordination, skills mismatches, limited links with employers, and barriers affecting women, youth, persons with disabilities and other groups in vulnerable situations. Training providers require greater institutional and technical capacity to deliver modern, inclusive and labour-market-responsive programmes, while stronger engagement with employers and Sector Skills Councils is needed to expand work-based learning and apprenticeships. The system also needs stronger career guidance, progression pathways, graduate tracking and links between training and employment, alongside greater integration of digital and green skills to respond to Jordan’s evolving economy.

Against this backdrop, the ILO is supporting two complementary initiatives in Jordan. The Youth NEET project aims to improve young people’s access to employment, education and training by strengthening policies, institutions and employment services, with a focus on identifying, reaching, profiling and referring young NEETs to appropriate services. In Jordan, the project supports the Ministry of Labour in strengthening employment and activation services, outreach, referral mechanisms and coordination among relevant stakeholders.

The TVET for Decent Work in Jordan (2026–2029) project is a €10 million EU-funded programme implemented by UNESCO and the ILO under the EU TVET4All framework. It aims to strengthen Jordan’s TVET system by improving governance and quality, building the capacity of training providers, and strengthening pathways from learning to decent work through employer engagement, work-based learning, apprenticeships and career guidance, with particular attention to women, youth, persons with disabilities and groups in vulnerable situations.

The ILO Office in Jordan is seeking to recruit a National Project Coordinator to support the implementation of the regional development cooperation project “Youth NEETs in Southern Neighbourhood Countries”, and the project “TVET for Decent Work in Jordan”, funded by the European Union, and to contribute to complementary priorities of the ILO country programme in the fields of employment, youth inclusion and labour market services. The position will be co-financed by both projects. The allocation of duties and work planning will reflect this shared financing arrangement and seek to maximise substantive and operational synergies across the relevant programmes.

Reporting lines

The National Project Coordinator will report jointly to the Regional Programme Manager of the Youth NEET Programme, acting as Matrix Manager, and the Project Manager of the TVET for Decent Work Project, acting as First-Line Manager, within their respective areas of responsibility. The two Programme/Project Managers will jointly oversee the incumbent’s work planning, coordination and performance monitoring, ensuring coherence, alignment and balanced implementation across both projects.

The incumbent will work under the overall responsibility of the ILO Country Representative in Jordan and will receive technical guidance from the ILO Decent Work Technical Support Team for Arab States, relevant specialists in the Regional Office for Arab States, and the responsible technical departments at ILO headquarters, including the Employment, Skills and Sustainable Enterprises Department.

Description of Duties

In close coordination with the relevant supervisors, the National Project Coordinator will develop and implement a consolidated workplan aligned with the objectives, expected results and budgets of the programmes supported by the position. The incumbent will promote timely, effective, high-quality and gender-responsive implementation in accordance with ILO policies, procedures, values and standards. In particular, the incumbent will:

1. Coordinate the planning and implementation of Youth NEET and TVET for Decent Work activities in Jordan, including interventions to strengthen the relevance, quality and inclusiveness of skills development and young people’s transition to decent employment. Design and revise regularly project detailed workplans, implementation schedules, budgets, risk registers and follow-up matrices.

1. Monitor the implementation and progress of project activities against agreed indicators, milestones and results frameworks. Collect, verify and consolidate disaggregated quantitative and qualitative data to support inclusive analysis; identify implementation constraints, delays and risks; and recommend practical corrective measures. Follow up on pending documentation, clarify information and processing requirements, and facilitate timely clearances to ensure the successful delivery of activities and outputs within budget and in line with agreed technical standards and project objectives.

1. Facilitate operational partnerships among institutions, social partners and service providers, for enhanced coordination and improved relevance, accessibility and inclusiveness of services leading to better pathways and transitions for all beneficiaries, with a special focus on those facing multiple barriers.

1. Coordinate and monitor the work of consultants, service providers and implementing partners. Contribute to the preparation of terms of reference and procurement process documentation; support technical evaluation and contracting processes as required; review methodologies, draft outputs and final deliverables; and ensure consistency across technical products and alignment with International Labour Standards, and ILO approaches.

1. Participate in the preparation and conduct of technical workshops, validation sessions, training and capacity-development activities, stakeholder consultations, field missions, peer-learning events and study visits. Prepare agendas, briefing materials, presentations, minutes and follow-up notes, and ensure that stakeholder and beneficiaries’ feedback, is appropriately reflected in technical products and implementation decisions.

1. Establish and maintain effective working relationships with the Ministry of Labour, relevant TVET authorities and institutions, public employment offices, the Department of Statistics, the Ministry of Youth, education and training providers, employers’ and workers’ organisations, UN agencies and other national and local stakeholders.

Description of Duties (continued)

1. Support technical coordination arrangements, consultations and review meetings, and ensure systematic follow-up on agreed actions and priorities.

1. Support the design, testing, documentation and refinement of operational approaches or pilot interventions. Coordinate feedback from service providers and beneficiaries, assess the usability and relevance of tools to the Jordan context, document implementation lessons and contribute to recommendations for institutionalisation, replication or scale-up.

1. Contribute to cooperation and knowledge management at national, regional and global levels. Facilitate Jordanian participation in workshops, policy dialogues and peer exchanges; document and disseminate Jordanian experience; identify relevant practices from other countries; and support their adaptation to the Jordanian context.

1.  Assist in the programming administration and control of resources of the project, including expenditure monitoring, budget forecasts, procurement planning, mission preparation and compliance with ILO administrative and financial procedures.

1. Perform other relevant duties assigned by the responsible supervisors.

Required qualifications

Education

First-level university degree (Bachelor’s or equivalent) in economics, public policy, labour studies, human resources, education and training, development studies, social sciences or another relevant field. An advanced university degree would be an advantage.

Experience

At least one year of professional experience at the national level in the design, coordination or implementation of employment, youth inclusion, skills development, public employment services, labour market or socio-economic development policies, programmes or projects.

Proven experience in development cooperation project coordination, working with government institutions and coordinating multiple stakeholders is required.

Experience related to young NEETs, outreach, referral systems, case management, labour market information or active labour market programmes would be an advantage.

Familiarity with the mandate, tripartite structure and working methods of the ILO would be an asset.

Languages

Excellent command of written and spoken Arabic and English. 

Competencies

• Knowledge of programme and budget management, results-based management and monitoring and evaluation concepts and procedures; Knowledge of project administration.
• Knowledge of Jordan’s employment, skills and social protection institutions and of the mandate and structure of labour market institutions in Jordan.
• Knowledge of the office’s financial rules and regulations.
• Good knowledge of the context and challenges for the project areas of expertise.
• Strong analytical and digital skills and ability to justify requirements and approaches to problem resolution, and good drafting skills. Ability to review and synthesise qualitative and quantitative information.
• Good ability to interpret project information and to identify and analyze problems with implementation.
• Ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing. Ability to clarify information.
• Demonstrate collaborative and team work experience and ability to work effectively with a multicultural and interdisciplinary team, as well as to work on his/her own initiative.
• Ability to work independently, quickly, precisely, and take initiative and responsibility.
• Ability to work under pressure and to meet the deadline.
• Proficient in Microsoft Word, Power Point, Excel, web-browsers and database applications.
• Ability to deal with people with tact and diplomacy. Demonstrate sound judgement and political sensitivity.
• Ability to work in a multicultural environment and gender-sensitive behaviour and attitudes are also required.