Lebanon continues to face a serious and increasingly challenging employment and labour market situation, exacerbated by the financial and economic crisis starting in 2019 and the COVID-19 pandemic that hit the country in 2020, bringing the economic activity to a halt. The multiple crises endured by Lebanon have worsened already fragile socio-economic conditions, resulting in heightened levels of vulnerability, poverty and informality and social tensions. This disproportionately affects marginalized groups including refugees but also increasingly the host communities.
The country has weak labour market institutions, coupled with a deficient demand for labour and low levels of job creation, particularly in high productivity/ high value-added sectors. Other structural challenges, such as skills mismatch, and a highly deficient social protection system that does not facilitate the transition from social assistance to decent employment opportunities have also hindered progress towards full and productive employment in the country, with the skills provided by training and education institutions not adequately and fully responding to the labour market needs.
Refugees and host communities have become increasingly subject to poor living and working conditions, requiring further support through urgent and well-targeted measures.
The ILO responds to these challenges by providing alternative livelihoods to selected Syrian refugees and host communities, particularly women. This will be done through employment-related services and skills training for enhanced employability, as well as through short-term employment in local employment intensive infrastructure programmes. A further track will be through entrepreneurship development for self-employment.
The incumbent will lead the ILO "Improving living conditions and resilience of refugees displaced by the Syrian crisis and vulnerable hosting communities in Lebanon” project.
The project team is comprised of the (P4), three National Skills Officers (NOA), one Communication Assistant (G5) and one Project Assistant (G6).
Reporting lines
The incumbent reports to the Deputy Regional Director/Decent Work Team (DWT) Director of the Regional Office for the Arab States (ROAS) and is backstopped by the Senior Resilience and Crisis Response Specialist, in coordination with other ROAS technical specialists.
Description of Duties
Responsible for effective implementation, monitoring and evaluation of all 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, in consultation with the responsible Field Office.
Interact with all relevant stakeholders and donors at national level and establish synergies regarding project activities with other interventions as part of the UN Strategic Framework for Lebanon and the Lebanon Crisis Response Plan.
Provide support to socio-economic development, decent work and employment promotion as required in relation to Lebanon.
Ensure coordination and delivery of project outputs relevant to other ILO projects in an effective manner and is able to properly support and represent the ILO in respective coordination meetings with partner agencies and donors respectively.
Responsible for design, development, and presentation of proposals for new projects, and contribute to further resource mobilization under leadership of the Partnerships Officer.
Ensure that gender equality is appropriately mainstreamed in all activities and documents produced by the project.
Manage the budget of the project(s) and ensure adequate coaching and performance management of staff under his/her supervision.
Review the efficiency and effectiveness of the project activities through regular monitoring; identify bottlenecks to timely implementation of the projects and select alternative strategies, after internal consultations.
Liaise with ILO constituents and ensure their involvement in project implementation and relevant consultations in coordination and communication with the respective DWT specialists.
Prepare and conduct capacity development seminars, workshops and technical meetings and build networks and alliances with employers, trade unions, and other relevant stakeholders.
Perform other duties as may be assigned by the Director of the DWT/Beirut.
Required qualifications
Education
Advanced university degree (Master‘s or equivalent) in international development studies, social sciences, public administration and governance, economics or other relevant technical fields, or first level degree with nine years of relevant in experience.
Experience
At least Seven years including at the international level of relevant experience of professional experience in the management, implementation, evaluation or funding of technical cooperation programmes.
Knowledge of and experience in working on socio-economic matters related to employment, skills and decent work.
Proven experience in the design, development and presentation of project proposals, and fundraising.
Proven experience in refugee crisis response, in areas such as access to work for refugees and livelihoods support. Experience in livelihoods refugee crisis response in Lebanon is an advantage.
Excellent knowledge of crisis response related to livelihoods, in particular labour issues.
Demonstrated experience in running projects in conflict or crisis affected areas.
Knowledge and experience of working with ILO constituents, and in Arab states, is an advantage.
Languages
Excellent command of English. Knowledge of Arabic would be a further asset.
