The ‘PROSPECTS’ Partnership for improving prospects for host communities and forcibly displaced persons, was launched by the Government of the Netherlands in 2019 in response to forced displacement crises, bringing together the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the International Labour Organization (ILO), the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the World Bank.
A second phase of the partnership started in 2024 and will last until end 2027, building on strategic areas of intervention and maximizing impact from phase one. In the Arab States, PROSPECTS operates in Iraq, Jordan and Lebanon.
In Lebanon, Syria and Iraq, the ILO is launching multiple interventions across the programme’s three pillars, guided by emerging priorities of the social partners and needs of the beneficiaries. In parallel, the latest political and economic developments in Syria are shaping new dynamics in Lebanon and the region at large and creating real prospects for the voluntary return of Syrian refugees to their country. In this context, the ILO is engaged in developing several new initiatives to promote durable solutions for Syrian refugees, including under the PROSPECTS Opportunity Fund and a complementary new EU-funded programme, under which it is joining forces with UNHCR and IOM.
Within the framework of the PROSPECTS partnership in the Arab States region, ILO’s focus is on contributing to rebuilding livelihoods, strengthening labour market institutions, enhancing skills systems, and revitalizing micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in Syria and in the host countries. They are implemented in close coordination to ensure a coherent, cross-border approach to return and reintegration, aligned with the ILO’s Programme of Support for Syria and its broader mandate to promote decent work, social justice, and inclusive recovery.
Against this backdrop, the objectives of the National Project Coordinator – Financial Inclusion is to support ILO’s expanding interventions under PROSPECTS in the area of enterprise development and financial inclusion.
This will be achieved through supporting the delivery of tailored services for MSMEs and youth, coordinating with BDS providers and Microfinance institutions within the targeted regions to ensure timely disbursement of loans. The incumbent will be based in the ILO office in Beirut, Lebanon and will be supporting the entrepreneurship and financial inclusion in the country.
Reporting lines:
The National Project Coordinator will report to the Technical Specialist – Financial Inclusion and Enterprise Development and will receive overall technical guidance and backstopping support from the DWT Beirut Enterprise Specialist.