Professional Development Manager

Lifting Hands International is looking for a Professional Development Manager to start as soon as possible with a minimum six-month commitment in Greece. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

About Us

Lifting Hands International operates a community center in Serres, a small city about an hour away from Thessaloniki in Northern Greece. We work with a population of 1000+ refugees at the local camps, providing regular aid distributions and a range of psychosocial support programs.

Role Profile

The Professional Development (PD) Manager plays a key role in the LHI Community Program, which focuses on engaging community members (camp residents) and supporting community volunteers (camp residents who are part of the LHI team) in program planning and implementation, while also providing continuous learning opportunities to foster both personal and professional growth.

Working closely with the Director of Outreach and Development and the Community Engagement Manager, the PD Manager collaborates directly with LHI’s community volunteers across the Child-Friendly Space, Female-Friendly Space, Arts & Recreation, Education, Logistics, and Distribution programs. The role focuses on fostering a culture of mutual learning, peer support, and inclusivity, while also encouraging active participation of community members in LHI’s psycho-social support activities, professional development programs and skill-building sessions.

Main Responsibilities

• Induct and onboard new community volunteers, supporting their transition into the program.
• Support community volunteers in taking ownership of the programs by assisting them in developing, planning, and facilitating training, classes, and workshops.
• Design, implement, and oversee skills development and employability workshops, e.g., barber workshop, salon workshop, and computer class.
• Organize and facilitate weekly training for community volunteers and community members.
• Assist community members in building their CVs.
• Collaborate with other program managers to assess needs and implement new program-specific workshops and trainings for community volunteers.
• Expand collaboration with local businesses and partner organizations to enhance community engagement, professional development, and training opportunities.
• Monitor and evaluate program outcomes.
• Oversee program development, ensuring alignment with LHI’s vision plan and adapting structures and strategies to meet current situational needs and requests.

Essential Criteria

• Proactive, with the ability to work both independently and collaboratively
• Previous humanitarian experience working with vulnerable populations
• Experience in professional development and skills training, including program facilitation
• Understanding of the implementation of psycho-social support (PSS) programs and a community-led approach
• Previous experience in leading and managing teams
• Ability to handle safeguarding with professionalism and care
• Calm and professional demeanor, with the ability to work effectively under pressure
• Strong communication skills and ability to work efficiently in a large, multicultural team
• Strong problem-solving skills and flexibility in dynamic environments
• Minimum six-month commitment required
• Fluent in English

Desirable Criteria

• Knowledge of Greek / Arabic / Kurmanji / Farsi / French
• International Drivers License
• Potential to commit to the team for 6-12 months

We offer

• Free shared accommodation
• Five-day work week with a full week break after every 6-8 weeks of work
• Monthly stipend (starting from 550 euros per month)
• Mental health counseling