UNESCO: Associate Programme Officer – Education/ TVET – Amman

Organization Mission

UNESCO (the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) is a specialized UN agency created after World War II with the central mission of building peace in the minds of men and women. Its core objective is to promote peace, sustainable development, and international cooperation by strengthening collaboration in education, science, culture, communication, and information. UNESCO works to advance mutual understanding between peoples and cultures, support inclusive and quality education for all, protect cultural and natural heritage, promote freedom of expression and access to information, and foster scientific cooperation to address global challenges. Through these efforts, it seeks to reduce inequalities, support human rights, and contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.
In Jordan, UNESCO applies this global mission by working closely with national authorities and partners to strengthen education systems, promote cultural heritage preservation, enhance media and information literacy, and support youth skills development and employment opportunities, all in alignment with national priorities and sustainable development objectives.

Context

UNESCO in Jordan supports national efforts to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and lifelong learning opportunities for all. Working closely with the Ministry of Education of Jordan and other stakeholders, UNESCO contributes to strengthening education systems to be more resilient, evidence-based, gender-responsive, and aligned with national priorities.
Within this framework, UNESCO is implementing the Technical Assistance programme “Transforming Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in Jordan”, funded by Canada. The programme supports ongoing national reforms to make the TVET system more responsive to labour market needs, reduce youth unemployment, and address gender disparities. It aligns with key national strategies, including the Education Strategic Plan (2018–2025) and the Economic Modernisation Vision.
The programme focuses on three main areas: strengthening institutional and policy frame-works for skills development, enhancing the quality and relevance of TVET provision, and improving the image and inclusiveness of TVET as a pathway for young women and men. It complements a Canadian-funded loan supporting infrastructure upgrades, digitalization, and improved learning environments in vocational education, implemented by the Ministry of Education.
In this context, the UN Volunteer will join a dynamic UNESCO team and contribute to strengthening project coordination, activities planning management and visibility, and monitoring and evaluation, particularly in relation to large-scale education reform initiatives. The role offers a unique opportunity to engage with government counterparts, development partners, and UN agencies, while contributing to impactful reforms in the education and skills sector in Jordan.

Key Responsibilities

Under the direct supervision of TVET Project Manager the UN Volunteer will undertake the following tasks:
– Programme Implementation & Support
• Support the day-to-day implementation of the TVET programme by assisting in the coordination of activity with stakeholders and following up on agreed actions.
• Assist in organizing workshops, trainings, and events (logistics, participant coordination, preparation of materials).
• Support basic administrative processes, including procurement follow-up and budget tracking.

– Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning (MEL)
• Support in collecting, analysing, and synthesizing data on the progress of TVET pro-jects, including compiling inputs from partners and updating monitoring tools in coordination with the M&E officer.
• Assist in analysing data and consolidating key results and lessons learned
• Contribute to drafting progress reports using evidence collected

– Communication & Donor Visibility
• Contribute to the preparation of donor reports by compiling inputs and supporting drafting.
• Draft communication materials such as success stories, short articles, and social media content
• Support the documentation of programme activities through photos, summaries, and highlights

-Teamwork & Learning
• Provide day-to-day support to the programme team in operational and coordination tasks
• Assist in coordinating inputs from consultants and partners to ensure timely delivery of outputs
• Contribute to a collaborative, respectful, and learning-oriented team environment

The UN Volunteer will be placed at the core of programme implementation, providing hands-on exposure to how TVET initiatives are planned, delivered, and monitored in a real development context. Through this role, the Volunteer will gain practical experience in project coordination, stakeholder engagement, and results-based management, while developing a solid understanding of monitoring and evaluation processes. The assignment will strengthen key skills such as data analysis, report writing, communication, and organizational abilities, as well as enhance the capacity to work in a multidisciplinary team and manage multiple tasks effectively.

During the first month of the assignment, the UN Volunteer will work closely with his/her direct supervisor to finalize an agreed-upon work plan. The work plan should outline key objectives and activities and include regular check ins with the supervisor to review progress and receive performance.

Required Skills and Experience

Demonstrated interest or experience (up to 3 years) in:
• Technical and vocational education and training (TVET), education, youth employment, or related fields
• Volunteering, internships, or entry-level roles in development or humanitarian con-texts
• Working with NGOs, community-based organizations, or development projects

Skills in:
• Coordination and organization of activities, meetings, and events
• Basic project management and follow-up of tasks and timelines
• Data collection, organization, and basic analysis (e.g. using Excel or similar tools)
• Drafting clear and concise reports, summaries, and communication materials
• Communication and interpersonal engagement with diverse stakeholders
• Administrative support, including document management and tracking processes
• Time management and ability to handle multiple tasks simultaneously
• Teamwork and collaboration in a multicultural environment

Core Competencies

• Accountability
• Adaptability and Flexibility
• Building Trust
• Commitment and Motivation
• Commitment to Continuous Learning
• Communication
• Creativity
• Ethics and Values
• Integrity
• Judgement and Decision-making
• Knowledge Sharing
• Leadership
• Managing Performance
• Planning and Organizing
• Professionalism
• Respect for Diversity
• Self-Management
• Technological Awareness
• Vision
• Working in Teams

Living Conditions

Location: The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan is located in the Middle East. Bound by Syria to the north, Iraq to the northeast, Saudi Arabia to the east and south, Red Sea to the south and the Palestinian National Authority to the west.

Weather: Jordan’s climate can be classified as semi-arid (Bsh) on the Koeppen-Geiger classification. It features a hot, dry climate characterized by long, hot, dry summers and short, cool winters. The climate is influenced by Jordan’s location between the subtropical aridity of the Arabian desert areas and the subtropical humidity of the eastern Mediterranean area. January is the coldest month, with temperatures from 5°C to 10°C, and August is the hottest month at 20°C to 35°C. Daily temperatures can be quite hot, especially in the summer; on some days it can be 40°C or more, especially when a hot, dry southerly wind blows. Such winds can sometimes be very strong and can cause sandstorms.
About 70 percent of the average rainfall in the country falls between November and March; June through August are often rainless. Rainfall varies from season to season and from year to year. Precipitation is often concentrated in violent storms, causing erosion and local flooding, especially in the winter months.

Safety and Security: Jordan is a relatively stable country. The potentials for internal or external armed conflict are considered very unlikely in the current political environment. Peaceful demonstrations, and sometimes road blockages, do occur in Jordan, motivated by domestic factors such as unemployment, deprivation of resources and development or for regional issues such as solidarity with the Palestinian cause or with the Syrian crises. Most of these events are driven by civil society unions and Islamic parties. Domestic tribal civil unrest sometimes turns violent, especially outside main cities, due to tribal disputes or socio-economic reasons. In all occasions law enforcement agencies usually manage to contain the situation rapidly.
Road traffic accidents are the primary threat against UN personnel in Jordan. Poor road conditions and bad driving behaviours are the main reasons for the high rate of traffic accidents.
Amman is a category A duty station with security level 1.

Transportation and housing: Taxis as well as ride-hailing services (Uber and Careem) are abundant and affordable in Amman. Medical facilities are generally very good, particularly in Amman where there are several modern, well-equipped public and private hospitals. Public minibuses are the most common form of public transport. They normally only leave when full, so waiting times of an hour or more are inevitable, especially in rural areas. The larger air-con buses offer a speedy and reliable service, departing according to a fixed schedule. Housing is readily available with rents for one- to two-bedroom apartments ranging between 500 and 800 JD (1 JD = 0.708 USD) depending on the location.

Health Services: Medical facilities are generally very good, particularly in Amman where there are several modern, well-equipped public and private hospitals. Almost all doctors (and most pharmacists) speak English; many have studied abroad.

Language: The official language of Jordan is Arabic, but English is widely spoken – especially in the cities. Many Jordanians have travelled or have been educated abroad so French, German, Italian and Spanish are also spoken, but to a lesser extent.

Learn more about Jordan from the Ministry of Tourism’s website:
https://www.mota.gov.jo/Default/En