International Cooperation and Municipal Partnerships Coordinator
Position Title
International Cooperation and Municipal Partnerships Coordinator – APLA
Position Purpose
The International Cooperation and Municipal Partnerships Coordinator will play a central role in implementing APLA’s Decentralized Cooperation and International Partnerships Program. This program focuses on developing structured cooperation models between Palestinian Local Government Units (LGUs) and international municipalities, activating twinning pathways, coordinating bilateral and multilateral partnerships, and strengthening APLA’s municipal diplomacy across global platforms.
The Coordinator will support the design, activation, and follow-up of cooperation tracks, and ensure that each partnership contributes effectively to local development, resilience, and service improvement at the LGU level.
APLA Background
Established in 1997, the Association of Palestinian Local Authorities (APLA) is an independent institution that brings together all Palestinian Local Government Units. APLA is mandated to represent the collective interests of LGUs, provide lobbying and advocacy to strengthen their capacities, and facilitate the exchange of information and best practices among them.
APLA also serves as a key channel of dialogue between the central government and LGUs across Palestine, with the aim of enabling local governments to provide better services to Palestinian citizens. To this end, APLA defends the rights of LGUs and represents them at national, regional, and international levels.
Program Background
APLA’s Decentralized Cooperation Program is a strategic framework that positions Palestinian municipalities within the sphere of global municipal diplomacy. The program promotes structured, long-term partnerships with international cities and networks in order to:
- Strengthen the political visibility of Palestinian LGUs.
- Support their resilience under the current context.
- Open pathways for technical, developmental, and advocacy-based cooperation.
The program focuses on three core tracks:
- Building municipal readiness through standardized city profiles and cooperation priority sheets.
- Facilitating structured twinning and cooperation rounds that lead to concrete joint initiatives.
- Using international partnerships as a tool for municipal diplomacy, narrative building, and advancing the rights and development priorities of Palestinian municipalities.
Key Responsibilities
The International Cooperation and Municipal Partnerships Coordinator will be responsible for:
- Coordinating the implementation of APLA’s Decentralized Cooperation Program.
- Following up on cooperation initiatives, partnership requests, and joint projects with local and international partners.
- Supporting LGUs in identifying priority areas for cooperation and preparing required documents and materials.
- Leading the preparation of City Profiles and Cooperation Priority Sheets for interested municipalities.
- Coordinating data collection and organizing workshops or working sessions to support municipalities in producing cooperation materials.
- Applying APLA’s Municipal Readiness Assessment Tool and preparing readiness summaries and mapping outputs.
- Maintaining regular communication with international municipal networks, associations, and other partners.
- Organizing meetings, exchange activities, technical visits, and joint workshops related to decentralized cooperation.
- Supporting the preparation of cooperation documents, background briefs, and concept notes.
- Supporting APLA’s participation in international events and networks, including preparing talking points, presentations, and institutional materials.
- Coordinating logistical and communication arrangements for delegations, missions, and international meetings.
- Maintaining updated records of partnerships, agreements, minutes of meetings, and cooperation outcomes.
- Preparing periodic progress reports on achievements, challenges, and lessons learned in the area of international cooperation.
- Documenting lessons learned and proposing improvements to enhance the effectiveness and impact of the program.
Reporting Requirements
The International Cooperation and Municipal Partnerships Coordinator will report on a day-to-day basis to the Communication and Advocacy Officer at APLA, and will work in close coordination with the relevant technical teams.
Minimum Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in International Relations, Development Studies, Public Administration, Political Science, or a related field.
- Minimum of 5 years of relevant professional experience in international cooperation, project coordination, network or partnership management.
- Good understanding of the local government sector and decentralized cooperation approaches.
- Experience working with municipal associations, international organizations, or development partners is considered an asset.
Skills
- Strong diplomatic communication skills and political sensitivity in dealing with different stakeholders.
- Intercultural competence and familiarity with official protocol when dealing with delegations and foreign municipalities.
- Strong writing skills for briefs, concept notes, and analytical and narrative reports.
- Ability to manage multiple parallel tasks while maintaining high attention to detail and quality.
- Fluency in Arabic and English (spoken and written); knowledge of additional languages is an advantage.
- Proficiency in MS Office applications and virtual communication tools.
- Strong research and mapping abilities related to partnerships and international networks.
- Familiarity with basic project management tools and digital collaboration platforms.
Place of Assignment
Ramallah, Palestine
Monthly Salary
USD 1,000
Application Instructions
Qualified candidates are invited to submit their most recent resume, including contact details for three professional references, along with a cover letter explaining their interest in and suitability for this position, to the following email address: hr@apla.ps
Please clearly indicate the position title in the email subject line:
International Cooperation and Municipal Partnerships Coordinator
Deadline for submitting resumes and cover letters: Thursday, 12 December 2024.
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for an interview.
“APLA is an equal opportunities employer.”
Contract Period
One year, with the possibility of extension based on performance and organizational needs.