Project Manager
Project Manager
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Job Description
Grade: P4
Vacancy no.:BEY/DC/P/2025/15
Publication date: 20 August 2025
Application deadline (midnight local time): 03 September
Job ID: 13187
Department: RO-Arab States/DWT-Beirut
Organization Unit: RO-Arab States/DWT-Beirut
Location: Damascus
Contract type: Fixed Term
Contract duration:Two years (as of 01/12/2025)
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-year 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:
- ILO Internal candidates in accordance with paragraphs 31 and 32 of Annex I of the Staff Regulations.
- External candidates.
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 .
Introduction
The garment sector in Syria concentrated in Aleppo and Damascus and traditionally cotton based employed some half a million people before the crisis that lasted for 14 years starting from 2011 with current estimate stands below 100000 people. The garment sector supply chains in Syria have significant potential for creating decent job opportunities. The political change that occurred since 8th December 2024 coupled with the resilience of the sector paves the way for the revitalisation of the garment and textile sectors. Manufacturers face systemic challenges including high energy costs outdated machinery market dumping from low-cost imports and a lack of access to international markets due to sanctions. Despite these challenges the industrial sector is determined to revive and promote the recovery of the country.
Against this backdrop Weaving Hope is a collaborative intervention by the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) aiming to enhance the competitiveness and proper job creation potential of the garment supply chain. This intervention targets the entire supply chain from production to export through comprehensive measures that integrate economic social and environmental dimensions. The initiative leverages UNIDOs technical support for infrastructure and technology improvements to incentivize factories to improve labour practices as well as ILOs expertise in promoting sustainable enterprises while promoting decent work thus ensuring both productivity and livelihoods enhancement and adherence to decent work standards.
Reporting lines: The Project manager will be based in the ILO project office in Damascus and will report to the ILO Syria Country Coordinator and will receive technical backstopping support from the ILO Senior Specialist Employers Activities the Enterprises Specialist at the Regional Office for Arab States (ROAS) in Beirut and technical support from Textile and Garment Advisor in Amman. The incumbent will perform the following tasks.
Description of Duties
Project management:
- Ensure effective implementation of the Project through the provision of inputs the delivery of outputs and the planning monitoring and evaluation of activities. Deliveries and outcomes must be in conformity with ILO policies and project strategies and in accordance with ILO programming guidelines and country/action programs and the administrative and financial procedures in consultation with the responsible Field Office if applicable.
- Responsible for the effective management of funds/budget allocated to the project including the management of joint UN programming.
- Manage the human resources of the project efficiently including recruitment and performance management.
- Prepare technical progress reports new project documents ILO outcome-based work plan reporting in collaboration with the Country Coordinator
Technical leadership and advice:
- Provide technical advice and support to relevant employers organizations governments ministries and other key partners in close collaboration with the DWT in Beirut and the Syria Country coordinator.
- Coordinate studies and analysis as well as support and undertake enterprise assessment of labour standards and management systems at the enterprise level.
- Support in coordination with garment supply chain and HR experts specific factory level analysis in English on 1) assessments findings 2) recommendations for improvement 3) enterprise improvement plans and 4) progress/monitoring report on implementation in close coordination with ILO and UNIDO experts.
- Design capacity building programmes in different aspects including decent work and working conditions access to markets etc. to improve enterprise performance and compliance and assist in coaching facilitating management and evaluation using the ILO tools and standards
- Support data collection monitoring and evaluation of advisory activities or any other service provided.
- Select adapt and contextualize ILO enterprises development and supply chain tools for use at the individual enterprise level based on needs.
- Write and disseminate information on project materials in close collaboration with other relevant technical specialists at HQ.
Advocacy networking and partnership:
- Engage with employers and business organizations and sectoral organizations in Syria to identify specific needs supporting their advocacy functions and capacity to deliver added value services to garment sector.
- Engage with line ministries and governmental organizations or other supply chain actors as per the project needs including to support measures aiming at improving the sector performance such as business development support provision or market access and business procedures facilitation
- Liaise with UNIDO and other UN counterparts to promote ILOs values increase the projects visibility and facilitate the scaling-up of the project interventions.
Mobilization of resources:
- Undertake local and international resource mobilization activities with the multi-lateral and bilateral donor community for the development of future activities linked to the project in coordination with the responsible Country Office and PARTNERSHIPS.
- Undertake other duties as required.
Required qualifications
Education
Advanced university degree with demonstrated experience in international development social sciences industrial relations or another relevant field.
A first-level university degree (Bachelors or equivalent) in 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 seven years of relevant professional experience including at the international level in the management and implementation of technical assistance programmes in areas relevant to this role such as training and capacity building programmes in developing countries social dialogue corporate social responsibility labour standards compliance etc. Experience of working with businesses and with the garment sector is highly desirable.
Languages
Excellent knowledge of English. Knowledge or Arabic is a strong asset.
Competencies
- Excellent leadership and management skills. Can motivate and lead multidisciplinary team of professionals and provide authoritative policy and technical advice and guidance.
- Strong strategic skills with ability to adapt them to different challenges. Skills in designing and evaluating programmes in relevant fields including evaluating capacity building programmes in developing country contexts.
- Technical knowledge of corporate social responsibility (CSR) issues such as compliance needs assessments remediation capacity building and training including a proven capacity to liaise and work with ILO constituents and with international buyers of the textile and garment sectors.
- Demonstrated experience in industrial relations particularly in the garment sector.
- Demonstrated ability to define and resolve problems in a manner that reflects the interests of stakeholders in technical assistance projects and activities the ILOs commitment to fundamental principles and rights social dialogue and tri-partism as well as supporting sustainable private sector development
- 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.
- Ability to work in a multicultural environment and to demonstrate gender-sensitive and non-discriminatory behaviour and attitudes.
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
Conditionsof employment
- Any appointment/extension of appointment is subject to ILO Staff Regulations and other relevant internal rules. Any offer of employment with the ILO is conditional upon certification by the ILO Medical Adviser that the person concerned is medically fit to perform the specific inherent requirements of the position order to confirm an offer from the ILO the successful candidate will be required to undergo a medical examination.
- Any extension 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.
For more information on conditions of employment please visit the ILO Jobs International Recruitment page.
Recruitment process
Please note that all candidates must complete an on-line application form. To apply please visit ILO Jobs. The system provides instructions for online application procedures.
Applicants will be contacted directly if selected for a written test and/or an interview.
Depending on the location and availability of candidates assessors and interview panel members the ILO may use communication technologies such as Skype Video or teleconference e-mail etc for the assessment and evaluation of candidates at the different stages of the recruitment process including technical tests or interviews.
The ILO has zero tolerance for acts of sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA) and is determined to ensure that all staff members and all beneficiaries of ILO assistance do not suffer directly or indirectly from sexual exploitation and abuse.
To ensure that individuals with a substantiated history of SEA sexual harassment or other types of abusive conduct are not hired by the Organisation the ILO may conduct a background verification of candidates under consideration.
Fraud warning
The ILO does not charge any fee at any stage of the recruitment process whether at the application interview processing or training stage. Messages originating from a non ILO e-mail account - @ - should be addition the ILO does not require or need to know any information relating to the bank account details of applicants.
Required Experience:
IC
Employment Type
Contract
