Needed Labour Market Assessment Consultant

About ICMC

The International Catholic Migration Commission (ICMC) is an international operating non-governmental organisation serving and protecting uprooted people – refugees, internally displaced persons and migrants –regardless of faith, race, ethnicity or nationality. ICMC advocates for rights-based policies and durable solutions directly and through a worldwide network of member bishops conferences, and alongside government and non-governmental partners.

ICMC has been operational in the Middle East since 2002, implementing humanitarian assistance programs in support of refugees in Lebanon, Jordan and Syria. Most recently, ICMC is providing emergency humanitarian assistance to Syrian refugees in Jordan with funding support from the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration (BPRM).

ICMC is recruiting a qualified and experienced consultant to conduct a labour market assessment which will inform its livelihoods program in Jordan funded by the Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration (BPRM)

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES AND PURPOSE OF THE LABOUR MARKET ASSESSMENT:

Specific Objectives:

• To identify local demand for specific goods and services, as well as areas where there is a limited, or lack of demand, in various sectors.
• To carefully investigate the local labour market and document formal employment and self-employment (including home-based business) opportunities for refugees and Jordanians from host communities especially persons with disabilities to improve their current livelihoods options.
• To identify the occupational interests of the target population.
• To identify specific skills/capabilities needed for the target population to engage in the identified employment opportunities.
• Assess the barriers for VT graduates to gain employment or start their own business in the industry of their choice and/or to be successful in their employment.
• Identify the weaknesses of the current vocational training offer based on feedback from past ICMC VT graduate and their employers and provide recommendation for a demand driven VT offer.
• To map the existing livelihood and vocational training programs provided by other partners, to avoid duplication and over-saturation in specific geographic locations.
• To document the training resources needed to improve livelihoods opportunities for the target population.
• To identify private sector partners, business associations and job-matching platforms which could facilitate access to employment for ICMC VT graduates.
• To make specific and achievable recommendations for ICMC’s livelihoods program to improve the quality and impact of its vocational training activities in the country.

Scope of the Market Assessment:

Local Supply and Demands

• Analysis of goods and services in demand and their available supply.
• Documentation of emerging and declining markets in the local economy.
• Existing Employment Opportunities.
• Review of existing formal employment opportunities by the sectors identified.
• Potential for home-based business/self-employment opportunities by the sectors identified.
• Differences in opportunities by nationality (i.e. refugees of various nationalities VS Jordanians) noting how these are informed by existing legal frameworks and ability.
• Occupational Interests and Skills of the Target Population.
• The occupational interests of the target population for the program.
• The required skills/capabilities in various sectors and occupations based on consultation with local employers.
• Mapping of Available Services.
• Review of existing vocational training opportunities provided by both humanitarian and national actors, avoiding over saturation/duplication.
• Identification of existing job-matching resources and platforms that can be utilized with graduates of the program.
• Documentation of the training resources needed to improve livelihoods opportunities for the target population.
• Identification of private sector businesses and trade associations could partner with to facilitate access to employment for VT graduates.
• Sustainability and Impact.
• Specific and achievable recommendations for ICMC’s livelihoods program to improve the quality and impact of its vocational training activities and access to employment in the country.

Methodology:

Literature review of the existing labour market based on available resources from both governmental and non-governmental resources.
Focus group discussions with individuals from the target population (representative of gender, age, ability, nationality, and geography) who have an interest in livelihoods training.
Semi-structured interviews with local employers and job matching service providers.
Semi-structured interviews with members of the national vocational training center (VTC).

Field visits to the project areas (Mafraq and Irbid) and field observations.

Stakeholders, including ICMC staff and program participants, as well as local partners, should be meaningfully involved in the market assessment process.

The consultant will adhere to Core Humanitarian Standards and the ‘Do No Harm’ principle at all stages. Tools and the specific methodological approach will be discussed and agreed upon between ICMC and the consultant.

Required Qualifications and competencies:

• Master’s degree in Development Studies, Economics, Measurement and Statistics or a closely related field from a recognized University
• At least 3-5 years of experience conducting labour market research and assessments for humanitarian and development livelihoods programs in Jordan/ Middle East region.
• Demonstrated expertise in markets systems analysis, approaches, and assessments conducted in the Jordan context.
• Knowledge of the vocational training sector.
• Experience working with the public and private sectors for humanitarian livelihoods program development.
• Expertise in business analysis, including market recovery, risk and challenges is desirable.
• Experience working with government and donors is an advantage.