The selection of a People Lead for the Education Modernization Office (EMO)

Terms of Reference: Education Modernization Office (EMO) – People Lead

• Background

The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan has embarked on extensive and ambitious reforms in 2022, by launching three pathways to modernization: political, economic, and administrative. Two of the three pathways, the Economic Modernization Vision (EMV) and the Public Sector Modernization (PSM), prioritize reforming the education sector to better prepare local talent to meet future skill requirements and enhance quality of life. To actualize this vision, the Public Sector Modernization Roadmap has specifically addressed restructuring the education sector under its “organizational structure and governance” pillar. The roadmap proposes centralizing educational policy-making alongside planning, programming, and educational services to support citizens’ lifelong learning trajectories across all phases - from early childhood development and education to primary and secondary education, higher education, and technical and vocational education and training (TVET). This will be done through establishing the Ministry of Education and Human Resources Development (MoEHRD), which will have a broader mandate, integrating the mandates of the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, and partial mandates of other stakeholders in the ecosystem. The Government of Jordan has received financing from the World Bank through “The Modernizing Education, Skills, and Administrative Reforms” (MASAR) Program, which became effective in September 2024 and will continue until 2029. MASAR is a transformative, system-wide reform initiative anchored in Jordan’s EMV, and its operation is designed to support the Ministry of Education (which is the implementing agency) in addressing foundational bottlenecks in access, quality, and relevance of education, with a dual emphasis on equity and efficiency. The operation aims to strengthen institutional capacity while enabling measurable improvements in learning outcomes and employability, particularly through early childhood education and labor-market-aligned TVET. To drive and coordinate the transition of the education ecosystem, the Education Modernization Office (EMO) has been recently launched as part of Jordan’s broader public sector reform. It is a dedicated governmental unit established to oversee, coordinate, and drive the implementation of large-scale institutional reforms within the education sector. It functions as the central engine for alignment, execution, and coordination to ensure reforms are delivered effectively and in line with Jordan’s Public Sector Modernization Roadmap. The EMO provides central oversight, coordination, and governance to support the restructuring of the education ecosystem; ensures strategic alignment across mandates and systems; oversees change management and capacity-building efforts; facilitates evidence-based decision-making; and provides technical and operational support across legal, HR, operations, and policy domains to enable effective implementation. Job Overview The position holder will oversee all workforce related aspects of integration, including employee mapping, role alignment, competency assessments, HR system integration, change management, and culture development. The role oversees the execution of the integration and modernization activities by the HR departments to ensure smooth staff transition and provide regular updates to the EMO Director on workforce readiness and risks. Key Responsibilities A. Integration Oversight and Coordination

• Monitor the execution of the HR integration plan by the respective HR departments.
• Ensure alignment of implementation activities with the approved roadmap, timelines, and reform objectives.
• Act as the central point of contact between the Education Modernization Office (EMO) and ministry HR units and relevant bodies (e.g., Service and Public Administration Commission (SPAC), and the Institute of Public Administration (IPA).
• Oversee harmonization of HR policies, processes, procedures, and systems across entities ensuring compliance with Jordanian labor and civil service frameworks.
• Oversee the process of standardizing the rules on recruitment, promotion, leave, performance evaluation, and disciplinary actions and ensure compliance with those policies and procedures.
• Facilitate integration of HR information systems and data governance and providing advice on systems advancements.

B. Human Resources Planning and Design

• Oversee the development of a new HR strategy for the new ministry in alignment with national priorities (e.g., Economic Modernization Vision, Public Sector Modernization Roadmap).
• Oversee the development of a detailed organizational structure for the ministry.
• Supervise the development of positional structures and the related job descriptions in alignment with the governmental policies and practices.
• Oversee the development and implementation of a comprehensive workforce planning framework aligned with reform objectives for the new ministry.
• Ensure alignment of workforce plans with budgetary constraints, institutional mandates, and service delivery goals.

C. Employee Placement and Assessment

• Develop clear competency assessment frameworks to inform employees placement.
• Provide advice on people mapping principles (fitment assessment, critical positions identification, staff retention strategies) and ensure that those principles are being implemented and align with the government practices.
• Define assessment objectives, criteria, and tools in alignment with organizational restructuring goals and in coordination with Service and Public Administration Commission (SPAC).
• Identify and recommend appropriate assessment tools (e.g., competency-based interviews, psychometric tests, performance reviews) in alignment with the overall requirements.
• Coordinate with SPAC and the National Competency Assessment Center and relevant HR teams to conduct competency assessments of all employees across departments and units.
• Provide technical guidance to assessors and HR teams conducting evaluations.
• Lead and supervise the assessment process for personnel placement and activation of the new organizational structure, including providing expert guidance on appropriate assessment tools and ensuring the process is executed effectively and in alignment with integration objectives.
• Oversee workforce transition across merging entities, including staff mapping, role alignment, and restructuring.
• Support HR-related changes such as transfers, reassignments, and onboarding.
• Ensure full organizational structure transition and onboarding of staff, readiness of workforce to operate under the new entity.
• Coordinate the efforts between related stakeholders such as committee members, EMO staff and leadership, related departments, and His Excellency the Minister.
• Ensure all assessment and placement activities comply with labor laws, civil service regulations, and ethical standards.
• Ensure proper documentation for transparency and accountability.

D. Change Management

• Supervise and monitor the development of a change management plan.
• Oversee execution of change management plans to ensure smooth integration and restructuring.
• Support definition of the culture, values, and behaviors of the new MoEHRD.
• Promote open communication, staff engagement, and motivation throughout the transition.
• Ensure alignment of training, orientation, and capacity building with reform objectives.
• Align with related entities (e.g. IPA) to provide the necessary upskilling for the purpose of change management.

E. Oversight & Reporting

• Oversee execution of people-related tasks by HR departments.
• Collaborate with relevant departments and stakeholders to ensure smooth execution and timely delivery of HR tasks.
• Identify risks related to HR integration and provide regular updates to the EMO Director.
• Maintain clear and consistent communication with the EMO Director, including progress updates, challenges, and milestone tracking.
• Provide weekly progress report on transition status, workforce readiness and integration risks.

Qualifications & Experience

• Minimum 15 years of senior experience in HR leadership, organizational transformation, or workforce planning.
• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Public Administration, or related field is required.
• Proven experience in managing large scale integration or restructuring programs (government, public sector or international corporations or donor-funded programs).
• Strong expertise in workforce transition, staff assessments, and competency mapping.
• In depth knowledge of Jordanian labor laws, HR frameworks, and public sector HR policies.
• Proven ability to lead multi-stakeholder HR initiatives in Jordanian government or donor-funded programs.
• Track record in change management, cultural integration, and HR systems alignment.
• Excellent communication, facilitation, negotiation, and interpersonal skills.
• Master’s degree in Human Resources, Public Administration, Organizational Development, or related field preferred.
• Fluent in Arabic and English (spoken and written).

Key Competencies

• Workforce transition and people mapping
• Change management and cultural integration
• HR policy, systems, and compliance
• Organizational design and workforce sizing
• Stakeholder engagement and facilitation
• Leadership and supervision of HR teams
• Analytical, negotiation, and problem-solving skills
• Conflict management
• Excellent communication skills

Reporting The People Lead will report directly to the EMO Director. Duration & Location The assignment is considered as a full-time job, starting in January 2026 for a duration of one year, with the possibility of renewal based on performance. The People Lead will be based in Amman, Jordan. For submission info, Please refer to: https://moe.gov.jo/ar/international-tenders Agency: Ministry of Education Procurement method: Individual Consultant Selection Notice type: Request for Expression of Interest Status: Published Value: 50775.0 USD