Project Director, Nurturing, Advancing and Sustaining High-potential Women-led Microenterprises through Innovations Accelerating growth in Jordan (NASHMIA) project

Position Title: Project Director,
Nurturing, Advancing and Sustaining High-potential Women-led Microenterprises through Innovations Accelerating growth in Jordan (NASHMIA) project

Position Location: Amman, Jordan

Reports To: Jordan Country Director

Contract Term: 1 Year fixed term (renewable)

Languages Required: Arabic, English (required)

APPLICATION DEADLINE: April 17 2026

EXPECTED START DATE: 1 June 2026

Are you a seasoned leader with experience in women’s enterprise development and growth, the green economy, and market systems development? WUSC is currently looking for a Project Director to oversee an exciting new initiative focused on enhancing the competitiveness and sustainability of women-led climate micro, small and medium enterprises in Jordan

BACKGROUND

WUSC is a Canadian global development organization working to catalyze positive education and economic outcomes for young people. We bring together and collaborate with a diverse network of partners (including students, volunteers, schools, governments, not-for-profits, and businesses) who share this mission. Together, we influence systems change, and foster inclusive, youth-centered solutions that enable young people to thrive and belong. We work with all young people, with a focus on women and displaced populations. WUSC currently operates in 28 countries across Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as in Canada, with an annual budget of approximately CAD $65 million. Our global team includes over 100 staff in Canada and more than 250 staff internationally, implementing a diverse portfolio of development projects in collaboration with numerous multilateral and bilateral donors, and philanthropic foundations.

Pending approval, the Nurturing, Advancing and Sustaining High-potential Women-led Microenterprises through Innovations Accelerating growth in Jordan (NASHMIA) project

is a five-year initiative which supports economic wellbeing for women and female youth in Jordan, particularly refugees and those living with disabilities. NASHMIA will enhance the capacities of ecosystem actors to drive competitiveness and sustainability of women-led climate businesses, as well as reducing gender specific barriers to women’s climate entrepreneurship and participation in the green economy. The Project will strengthen the capacity of Jordanian

intermediary organizations through training, technical assistance, and ecosystem support to enhance their delivery of finance, business development, networking, co-working spaces, and integrated services for an estimated 3,000 women climate entrepreneurs in Balqa, Mafraq, Ajloun, Jerash, Karak, and Ma’an regions of Jordan.

The project is designed to align with Jordan’s national priorities for climate resilience, green growth, and green job creation and facilitate transition to a low-carbon and climate resilient economy. The project offers significant opportunities for positive environmental impact as it will support climate friendly enterprise growth, raise awareness about environmental sustainability among project participants and partners, promote the development of green skills among women entrepreneurs, and support key actors to strengthen the policies, programs, and services that enable the development of environmentally responsible climate MSMEs.

RESPONSIBILITIES

The Project Director (PD) oversees all aspects of the NASHMIA project in Jordan to ensure it is a learning initiative, with the ability to innovate, adapt and produce high-quality outcomes. The PD has overall responsibility for programme strategy, results and reporting, maintaining technical rigor in intervention design, and driving a high performance and learning-oriented culture. The PD is also responsible for budgeting, monitoring and communicating results, and managing risks to project performance. This is closely linked to ensuring compliance, coherence, and smooth collaboration between NASHMIA, its partners, its donor, and other WUSC programming. The PD translates the funders’ objectives and research findings into relevant interventions that deliver results and value for money. They drive innovation and adaptation, providing strategy, technical and project leadership, as well as guidance and performance management to an interdisciplinary team.

The NASHMIA Project Director will report to the Jordan Country Director, and will be responsible for the following:

Vision and Strategy

• Oversee the development of NASHMIA’s strategic documents (Annual Work Plan, Annual Report, Market System Strategies) and communications products;
• Create a culture that balances control/compliance with innovation, embracing risk and dynamic organizational structures.

Technical innovation

• Drive innovation and adaptation in Market Systems Development (MSD), and refine and adapt tools and techniques of a systems approach to work with NASHMIA’s context;
• Ensure that innovation and learning is shared across WUSC’s programming and in-country stakeholders;
• Provide strategic direction to the program’s monitoring and results measurement (MERL) agenda to ensure it delivers real time intelligence to the team and other stakeholders;
• Develop specific strategies for cross-cutting themes (capacity building, gender equality, private sector engagement, environmental sustainability) for the initiative.

Leadership and culture

• Take the lead in developing a team culture that promotes teamwork, critical enquiry and creativity, which brings together different skills to generate innovative development solutions;
• Provide strategic oversight of NASHMIA’s learning and capacity building agenda;
• Identify current and future talent requirements, competencies, risks and opportunities to ensure that the NASHMIA attracts the caliber of staff required to fulfill its objectives;
• Work with colleagues and partners to ensure the effective mobilization, orientation and coaching of volunteers and technical advisor.

Partner Relations and Communications

• Establish and maintain effective relationships between key project partners in Jordan and internally;
• Establish effective coordination and collaboration between the consortium partners (WUSC and ECO Consult);
• Establish a strong working relationship with the Donor, including planning, capacity building and information sharing;
• Develop robust relationships with project stakeholders, including relevant governments, private sector actors, consultants and civil society organizations;
• Promote harmonized approaches and methodologies across consortium partners by developing common tools, monitoring their use, and facilitating learning and experience‑sharing opportunities.
• Organize and manage governance structures / committees;
• Represent WUSC among stakeholders, ensuring that the NASHMIA project can provide value to local actors and make a positive impact within the green economy and entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Technical Direction & Project Management

• Provide technical and managerial direction and guidance to the initiative, in line with the project’s expected outcomes;
• Oversee day-to-day coordination and delivery of project activities in conjunction with staff, technical advisors, volunteers and partners.

Monitoring & Evaluation

• Stay apprised of developments in key markets of interest to the project and develop systems for monitoring changes and adaptations in these markets over time;
• Regularly monitor progress towards results, ensuring appropriate course correction and iterative management;
• Work with team members to produce regular reports to key stakeholders, including the donor agency;
• Maintain regular communication with WUSC colleagues in Canada and with key overseas partners to ensure appropriate support.

Human Resources Management

• Manage the project team in Jordan;
• Supervise, guide and evaluate the work of project staff and consultants;
• Facilitate effective cooperation and coordination between partner teams working on the project.

Financial oversight

• Work closely with the Finance team to establish and oversee a financial management system for the project;
• In conjunction with the finance and project teams, develop and monitor the project budget and ensure regular reporting to the donor.
• Ensure compliance with contractual obligations, support partners in understanding donor requirements, rules, and procedures, and oversee budget amendments and revisions.

Donor Liaison & Coordination

• Convene Project Steering, Advisory, and Consortium Committee meetings at regular intervals;

• Coordinate regularly with other development actors to ensure harmonization and synergy with similar initiatives;
• Represent the Project in official communication and fora.

QUALIFICATIONS AND COMPETENCIES

Education

• A university degree in international development, business administration, finance or other relevant area;
• Specialized training in entrepreneurship support, financial inclusion, green economy / climate entrepreneurship, gender, and/or working with refugees and/or women with disabilities would be an advantage.

Experience and Competencies

• A minimum of ten years of progressively more responsible assignments related to management of development initiatives;
• Knowledge and experience in entrepreneurship ecosystem support, particularly for women, and/or green growth / climate businesses. Experience with the market systems development approach strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated experience in managing diverse teams and building a culture of curiosity and learning.
• Knowledge of Results Based Management (RBM) and environmental and gender policies and reporting requirements preferred;
• Demonstrated experience working with institutional donors, including familiarity with donor compliance and reporting requirements;
• Proven technical, financial, administrative and organizational skills;
• Proven experience managing a multi-disciplinary team of staff;
• Diplomatic skills and the knowledge of cross-cultural, inter-personal communication;
• Proven experience of adaptability to a challenging and constantly changing environment requiring iterative planning on a regular basis;
• Experience in capacity building with local partner organizations and a commitment to a participatory partnership approach to development.

Language and other

• Fluency in oral and written Arabic and English is required
• Ability to travel nationally and internationally as required
• Ability to work a flexible schedule with multiple time zones

WHY WORK WITH WUSC?

Join Us. Our work is important, cutting-edge, and rewarding. We encourage curiosity, innovation, and flexibility.

WUSC offers a dynamic international work environment with a diverse intercultural workforce. We offer employees exciting opportunities to apply their skills and gain experience all while making a difference in the lives of youth around the world. Employees at WUSC work hard to create lasting change in education, economic opportunities and empowerment.

The headquarters of this initiative is located in Amman, Jordan; the Project Director must already possess the relevant work authorizations

APPLICATIONS

WUSC’s activities seek to balance inequities and create sustainable development around the globe; the work ethic of our staff, volunteers, representatives and partners shall correspond to the values and mission of the organization. WUSC promotes responsibility, respect, honesty, and professional excellence and we will not tolerate harassment, coercion, sexual exploitation or abuse of any form.

Persons with disabilities who need accommodation in the application process, or those needing job postings in an alternative format, may e-mail a request to hr-rh@wusc.ca.

WUSC is an equal opportunity employer. We welcome and encourage applications from individuals of all backgrounds and abilities. Accommodations are available upon request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the selection process. Please note that only the candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.