Job ID
45732
Job Title
Employable Skills Lead
To work for
Aga Khan Foundation
Country
Syria
City
Hamah
Field of Work
Humanitarian/Disasters
Job Type
Project Based
Military service
Not Specified
Minimum Education Level
Bachelor/ License Degree
Responsibilities
The Aga Khan Foundation in Syria seeks to employ a full-time Employable Skills Lead for its office in Salamieh.
JOB NUMBER: W&E/ 05
JOB SUMMARY:
The Employable Skills Lead (ESL) leads AKF's employable skills development portfolio. He/ she provides leadership, coordination, and technical oversight for initiatives enhancing workforce readiness, bridging labor market gaps, and creating career pathways. This role involves designing and implementing innovative programs fostering digital skills, entrepreneurship, vocational training, and market linkages. The incumbent will report directly to the Program Manager, Work and Enterprise.
ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Develop and implement a comprehensive employable skills strategy aligned with AKF’s Work and Enterprise objectives.
- Oversee all projects and initiatives related to skills development, career pathways, and labor market integration.
- Develop detailed work plans in line with AKF overall strategy and operations and in close consultation with the Program Manager - Work and Enterprise.
- Conduct regular field visits to provide technical guidance, ensure quality control, and monitor progress against targets and performance indicators.
- Lead the design and execution of emerging skills initiatives around digital skills and e-commerce, freelancing and remote work opportunities, on-the-job training and apprenticeships, Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) and Youth Entrepreneurship and Employable Skills (YES)
- Coordinate closely with area offices to support annual budget allocation, planning, and review processes, ensuring quality and coherence across all interventions.
- Provide technical assistance, develop guidelines, Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), and tools to ensure quality implementation and compliance with AKF standards and donors’ requirements.
- Build partnerships and liaise with stakeholders, including local authorities, ministries, LNGOs, INGOs, and donors as requested by the Program Manager to expand programs to create employment opportunities
- Assist in the design and execution of market assessments to understand the emerging labor market needs and engage in-house and external training programs to design and deliver market-led courses
- Build strong partnerships with local and national employers and the private sector entities to inform the design of training programs, unlock internships, and facilitate recruitment.
- Work closely with the Humanitarian Microenterprise Project (HME) team to link TVET and employable skills graduates to entrepreneurship training and financing opportunities to create self-employment pathways
-Actively contribute to the concept notes and proposals related to employable skills programs
- Ensure that interventions operate within the safety, policies and procedures of AKF; ensure that gender and environmental standards are integrated throughout the project outputs and outcomes.
- Ensure that relevant data and information are collected and systematic monitoring, evaluation, and impact assessments take place.
- Ensure coordination, synergies and cross-integration with other key AKF themes and relevant programmes for mutually reinforcing impact.
- Integrate gender equity, youth inclusion, and sustainability into all interventions.
- Work closely with the finance team to monitor project budgets, track expenditures, and ensure alignment with financial compliance requirements.
- Collaborate with the Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning (MERL) team to define an employable skills research agenda, data and insights agenda and support research, assessments, and case studies.
- Promote learning, innovation, and continuous improvement within the employable skills domain, including participation in the W&E Community of Practice.
- Identify and mitigate the safeguarding risks through planning for safeguarding prevention measures within the team, programs and operations, ensuring that staff understand and follow safeguarding policies and that concerns are reported and addressed appropriately.
JOB NUMBER: W&E/ 05
JOB SUMMARY:
The Employable Skills Lead (ESL) leads AKF's employable skills development portfolio. He/ she provides leadership, coordination, and technical oversight for initiatives enhancing workforce readiness, bridging labor market gaps, and creating career pathways. This role involves designing and implementing innovative programs fostering digital skills, entrepreneurship, vocational training, and market linkages. The incumbent will report directly to the Program Manager, Work and Enterprise.
ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Develop and implement a comprehensive employable skills strategy aligned with AKF’s Work and Enterprise objectives.
- Oversee all projects and initiatives related to skills development, career pathways, and labor market integration.
- Develop detailed work plans in line with AKF overall strategy and operations and in close consultation with the Program Manager - Work and Enterprise.
- Conduct regular field visits to provide technical guidance, ensure quality control, and monitor progress against targets and performance indicators.
- Lead the design and execution of emerging skills initiatives around digital skills and e-commerce, freelancing and remote work opportunities, on-the-job training and apprenticeships, Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) and Youth Entrepreneurship and Employable Skills (YES)
- Coordinate closely with area offices to support annual budget allocation, planning, and review processes, ensuring quality and coherence across all interventions.
- Provide technical assistance, develop guidelines, Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), and tools to ensure quality implementation and compliance with AKF standards and donors’ requirements.
- Build partnerships and liaise with stakeholders, including local authorities, ministries, LNGOs, INGOs, and donors as requested by the Program Manager to expand programs to create employment opportunities
- Assist in the design and execution of market assessments to understand the emerging labor market needs and engage in-house and external training programs to design and deliver market-led courses
- Build strong partnerships with local and national employers and the private sector entities to inform the design of training programs, unlock internships, and facilitate recruitment.
- Work closely with the Humanitarian Microenterprise Project (HME) team to link TVET and employable skills graduates to entrepreneurship training and financing opportunities to create self-employment pathways
-Actively contribute to the concept notes and proposals related to employable skills programs
- Ensure that interventions operate within the safety, policies and procedures of AKF; ensure that gender and environmental standards are integrated throughout the project outputs and outcomes.
- Ensure that relevant data and information are collected and systematic monitoring, evaluation, and impact assessments take place.
- Ensure coordination, synergies and cross-integration with other key AKF themes and relevant programmes for mutually reinforcing impact.
- Integrate gender equity, youth inclusion, and sustainability into all interventions.
- Work closely with the finance team to monitor project budgets, track expenditures, and ensure alignment with financial compliance requirements.
- Collaborate with the Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning (MERL) team to define an employable skills research agenda, data and insights agenda and support research, assessments, and case studies.
- Promote learning, innovation, and continuous improvement within the employable skills domain, including participation in the W&E Community of Practice.
- Identify and mitigate the safeguarding risks through planning for safeguarding prevention measures within the team, programs and operations, ensuring that staff understand and follow safeguarding policies and that concerns are reported and addressed appropriately.
Qualifications
- The applicant must have a Bachelor’s degree in Education, Business Administration, Economics, Development Studies, or a related field.
- At least 4 years of progressive experience in skills development, workforce readiness, or economic empowerment programs.
- Proven track record in employable skills initiatives design, implementation, and partnership building.
- Strong understanding of labor market dynamics, digital economy, and entrepreneurship ecosystems.
- Technical expertise in TVET, digital skills, and market systems development.
- Strong leadership, team management, and stakeholder coordination skills.
- Excellent analytical, communication, and reporting abilities.
- Strong command of written and spoken English
- Proficient computer skills
- At least 4 years of progressive experience in skills development, workforce readiness, or economic empowerment programs.
- Proven track record in employable skills initiatives design, implementation, and partnership building.
- Strong understanding of labor market dynamics, digital economy, and entrepreneurship ecosystems.
- Technical expertise in TVET, digital skills, and market systems development.
- Strong leadership, team management, and stakeholder coordination skills.
- Excellent analytical, communication, and reporting abilities.
- Strong command of written and spoken English
- Proficient computer skills
Specific Vacancy Requirements
Deadline for application submission is Tuesday, December 16th 2025.
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
Salary and Benefits
According to AKF Salary scale
Health and Life Insurance
Health and Life Insurance
About us
The Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) is a group of development agencies with mandates that include the environment, health, education, architecture, culture, microfinance, rural development, disaster reduction, and the promotion of private-sector enterprise and the revitalization of historic cities. AKDN agencies conduct their programmes without regard to faith, origin or gender.
Safeguarding Commitments:
AKF is committed to maintaining the highest standard of ethical behaviour among its staff, representatives, and partners to make sure of do no harm of the beneficiaries and whom they deal with. In line with this commitment; the selected incumbent must adhere to the AKF Code of Conduct and the relevant Safeguarding policies
Safeguarding Commitments:
AKF is committed to maintaining the highest standard of ethical behaviour among its staff, representatives, and partners to make sure of do no harm of the beneficiaries and whom they deal with. In line with this commitment; the selected incumbent must adhere to the AKF Code of Conduct and the relevant Safeguarding policies
Required employees number
1
Posted On
Dec 02, 2025
Expiry Date
Jan 01, 2026
CV Language
English
