Background/Context:
The IRC has operated in Syria since 2012, providing protection, health, economic recovery, and early childhood development programs in Idleb, Aleppo, Ar-Raqqa, Hassakeh, and Deir ez-Zor, with new programs expanding into Hama, rural Damascus, and Homs. With a team of over 700 members, the IRC has established trust and strong community relationships, ensuring access and effective service delivery. It plays a significant role in Syriaโs NGO, donor, and coordination forums, holding key positions and adapting to the evolving context.
With the new realities under the new government, as of December 2024, the IRC has deployed a team to Damascus to set up operations and engage in coordination structures for newly accessible areas across Syriaโincluding parts of NES, NWS, and other previously unreachable locations in South and Central Syria, adjusting operations to maximize coverage and efficiency.
Economic Recovery and Development (ERD)
IRC has over 10 years of experience in Syria implementing cash, agriculture, and livelihoods programming, and was one of the first organizations to use cash transfers, supporting vulnerable communities with MPCT since 2014 in the northwest, and 2015 in the northeast.
Job overview:
The IRC is seeking a highly motivated Agriculture officer to play a pivotal role in the successful implementation of our agriculture projects. The ideal candidate will be responsible for a diverse range of tasks, including field assessments, beneficiary selection, input distribution (Cash/in-kind), training facilitation, and project monitoring, technical support providing. This role requires strong organizational, communication, and agriculture expertise to ensure the project's success.
The agriculture officer will be an integral part of the Syria response team. This position supports the delivery of agricultural assistance to those affected by the conflict in the target areas of NWS and new accessible areas.
Responsibilities:
Project Planning and Preparation:
Organize project planning, kick-off and start-up meetings and workshops with the project team and partners. Facilitate stakeholder and community sensitization and mobilization sessions, meetings, and events. Conduct field assessments and surveys to design project approaches, target groups, beneficiary selection criteria and collect baseline data. Support to design monitoring and evaluation plan for the assigned project components. Coordinate with local authorities and stakeholders to ensure FS, Livelihood and resilience program is well coordinated with local actors and necessary approval in place to implement the program.Monitoring and Supervision:
Monitor the work of field staff, partners, and service contractors through periodic field visits, progress reviews, and monitoring & progress reports from field teams. supervise field assessments and surveys to design project approaches, target groups, and beneficiary selection criteria. Lead the verification and registration processes for farmers in targeted project locations. Lead the distribution of agricultural inputs to beneficiaries. Generate monthly project progress reports. Maintain comprehensive documentation of all agricultural activities using approved tools. Maintain organized files for procurement and program distribution records. Provide data and information for assigned projects in line with the MEAL plans designed jointly with the MEAL department. Contribute and participate in project monitoring and evaluation processes by documenting best practices, lessons learned, beneficiary interviews, case studies and capturing field photos/videos. Coordinate and assist the economic recovery Manager in the collection of data to measure indicators and ensure the reliability of the information.Project Implementation:
Ensure that work procedures and relevant standard operating procedures (SOPs) are understood and being carried out throughout the implementation by staff and partners. Provide technical support and coaching to field staff, partners, and service contractors to ensure field implementation is in line with agreed work plans, SOPs, and implementation guidelines. Review project work plans on a regular basis to ensure implementation is on track with agreed work plans. Work closely with safety and security focal points to ensure field implementation is in line with safety and security protocols. This includes preparing timely movement requests for field trips,reporting safety and security incidents from the field, and regular communication with safety and security focal points on-field movements.
Staff Performance Management, Learning & Development:
Hire, supervise, and build the capacity of team members in relevant technical and management competencies. Develop and implement remote management capacity building approaches to build the strengths the teams in Syria. Coach, train, supervise and mentor direct-report staff, including communicating clear expectations, setting annual performance objectives, providing regular and timely positive and constructive performance feedback, and providing documented semi-annual performance reviews. Maintain open and professional relations with team members, promoting a strong team spirit and provide oversight and guidance to enable staff to successfully perform in their positions. Approve and manage time, attendance and leave requests to ensure adequate departmental coverage; ensure monthly, accurate timesheet submission and carry out probationary reviews. Hold high-quality meetings with each direct report on a regular and predictable basis. Provide a measurable development plan including on-the-job learning with the aim of strengthening technical capacity, exchanging knowledge within the team and providing guidance on career paths. As required, identify staff performance issues and work with Human Resources to document and address these in accordance with staff Evaluation Policies. Maintain open and professional relations with team members, promote a strong team spirit and provide oversight and guidance to enable staff to successfully perform in their positions. Promote and monitor staff care and well-being. Support appropriate interventions in response to the identified staff care needs. Look for opportunities to support staff in their career growth, where appropriate. As part of succession plan and nationalization goals, identify, train and develop capability and capacity of national staff to successfully transition role and responsibilities, by the end of assignment.Job Requirements:
Education: University degree in agricultural studies , bachelorโs degree , or masterโs as asset .
Work Experience:
2 Years of previous related experience with one year of experience in team management . work experience in the field of preparation and ability to give agricultural training in all its topics particularly sustainable and climate-smart agriculture and its practices. Proven experience as an effective member of a team, able to maintain effective and professional working relationships in conditions that include different geographical coverage, to include assigning job roles in balance with the required tasks.Demonstrated Skills and Competencies:
A commitment to IRCโs mission, vision, values and IRC Way โ Professional Code of Conduct. Credible written, presentation and verbal communication skills; ability to convey information effectively and solid experience providing training and staff development. Excellent management and interpersonal skills and a solid ability to promote harmonious/cohesive teamwork, in a cross-cultural context. Validated ability to plan long-term, organize priorities and work under administrative and programmatic pressures with detail orientation and professional patience. Highly collaborative and resourceful; ability to establish positive working relationships with senior level management and all other partners to maximize cooperation and productivity. Curiosity, a desire to continually learn and develop is a must. Analytical ability in creating effective solutions to complex matters while adhering to labor laws and internal policies.Language/Travel:
Language: English and Arabic are required. Travel: 80% to field sites in NWS and new accessible areas, as well as attending workshops and meetings.Key Working Relationships:
Position Reports to: Agriculture Senior Officer
Position directly supervises: Agriculture Assistant
Indirect Reporting: N/A
Key Internal Contacts: MEAL, Supply Chain, HAS, and Finance
Key External Contacts: Partners, community leaders, cooperatives, and local government agencies.
Professional Standards: IRC staff must adhere to the values and principles outlined in IRC Way โ Global Standards for Professional Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, Accountability and Equality. In accordance with these values, IRC operates and carries out policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Anti-Workplace Harassment, Respect at Work Fiscal Integrity, and Anti-Retaliation.
Returning National Candidates: We strongly encourage national or returning national candidates to apply for this position. If you are a citizen of the country where this position is based and are currently residing outside of your home country, you may be eligible for an attractive relocation package. Eligibility is determined based on IRC's operational needs and specific role requirements. IRC strives to attract, motivate, and retain qualified national staff in our programs.
Accountability to Clients: IRC staff must adhere to the commitment of contributing to the sustainability and development of its (CR) Client Responsiveness Mechanisms, preserving the culture of prioritizing the needs of our clients and affected communities by systematically listening to their perspectives and using their feedback to make programmatic decisions and giving them greater influence over programming design and delivery.