Mercy Corps is powered by the belief that a better world is possible. To do this, we know our teams do their best work when they are diverse and every team member feels that they belong. We welcome diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be stronger and have long term impact.
The Program
Mercy Corps has been committed to support humanitarian coordination structures in Syria and has been hosting the Northeast Syria (NES) NGO Forum since 2016 to lead on coordination among NGOs. The NES NGO Forum was established in July 2016 as the leading coordination body for international and local NGOs in Northeast Syria and is recognized as formal coordination hub within the coordination arrangements under the โWhole of Syriaโ coordination approach. The Forum is currently comprised of approximately 40 members, and continues to grow, with responsibility for a number of core functions, including operational response coordination, representation with external stakeholders, engagement with authorities, policy development and advocacy, humanitarian access negotiations, and information management.
The Forum engages in multiple work-streams, such as area-based coordination, forming linkages with UN counterparts and the broader whole of Syria approach, and hosting and supporting a local NGO coordination platform to improve linkages with local organisations.
The Position
Over the past few years, the NES Forum has expanded and in tandem its areas of focus have grown. An increase in Forum membership has required a renewed focus on specific inter-agency work streams, such as increased representation of priorities in Northeast Syria in internal and external advocacy, humanitarian policy development, and the monitoring and resolving of humanitarian access constraints given the dynamic operational environment in Northeast Syria.
The NES Forum is seeking an Advocacy and Humanitarian Access Coordinator to be based in Hasakeh City, with frequent travel to other locations. This person will hold responsibility for the delivery of access and advocacy workstreams, alongside supporting the coordination of other inter-agency and inter-sector workstreams, as needed. The person is responsible for the management of the NES Forum liaison team and works closely with the Forum Director, and the wider team. The person is expected to have excellent interpersonal and coordination skills, strong writing capabilities, an ability to work independently and to take initiative, and proven skills in negotiation and influencing to support policy and advocacy.
Essential Responsibilities
COORDINATION
Support operational and strategic coordination, working closely with the NES Forum Director, Inter-Sector Working Group (ISWG) coordinator, and Liaison Coordinator. In collaboration with Forum membership, sector focal points, the UN and WoS architecture, coordinate the development and delivery core advocacy messaging and joint positions regarding the NGO response in Northeast Syria, lead on humanitarian policy development, and ensure the collection of information to inform evidence-based advocacy. Monitor and track humanitarian access dynamics, lead on collective access negotiations, and provide strategic advice to the NES Forum Membership on access constraints. Participation and representation coordination meetings, convened by both humanitarian and non-humanitarian counterparts, including regular meetings conducted by local authority offices, as required. Support on civil-military coordination when relevant to operational environment for NGOs in Northeast Syria.EXTERNAL REPRESENTATION AND ENGAGEMENT
Work with the NES Forum Director and Inter-Sector Working Group coordinator to maintain appropriate relationships and communication with relevant coordination stakeholders (United Nations, Whole of Syria coordination forums, donors, etc).In coordination with the NES Forum Director maintain a healthy relationship with local governance structures as required โ with a focus on enhancing authoritiesโ knowledge of the NGO response, and take the lead on negotiations as required in order to maintain humanitarian access and space to conduct humanitarian operations.Attend regional-level coordination meetings to represent advocacy priorities as identified by the NES Forum membership, and provide briefings to external stakeholders on advocacy or humanitarian access issues.Develop regular contextual and policy analysis updates, relevant to the activities of Forum membership, for communication with key stakeholders.Work with developing policy positions and recommendations on issues relevant to the work of the Forum.Support in preparation for high-level events to promote the NES Forum and its policy recommendations.Engage privately with media to mobilise public awareness, as appropriate.SUPPORT TO THEMATIC WORKSTREAMS
Lead on the overall design, coordination and delivery of the NES Forum advocacy strategy, in collaboration with NGO membership, the Forum Director, the United Nations and the Whole of Syria (WoS) architecture and other stakeholders as relevant. Lead on workstreams related to the monitoring, analysis and maintenance of humanitarian access for NGOs in the NES context, including the bi-annual Access Severity Analysis led by OCHA Regional Office for the Syria Crisis (ROSC).Support the review and roll-out of the NES Joint Operating Principles (JOPs), including sensitizing partners and key stakeholders to the JOPsProvide advice and support on development of sector or thematic-specific advocacy and policy messaging, as requested.Increase NES Forum participation and support to specific task force and working groups, as well as increased support to specific sectors, if necessary.Support efforts to improve engagement with authorities, in close collaboration with NES Forum Director and liaison team, including with the delivery of established humanitarian principles training packages across Northeast Syria.REPORTING
Provide regular reporting on meetings, discussions, external engagement with authorities which can be disseminated to a wider audience, including NES Forum members. Provide inputs and support to the drafting of ad hoc and regular access reports, as well as providing analytical input and support to Whole-of-Syria documents led by the OCHA Access Unit.SECURITY
Ensure compliance with security procedures and policies as determined by country leadership. Proactively ensure that team members operate in a secure environment and are aware of policies.
Supervisory Responsibility
Liaison Coordinator and Senior Liaison Officer
Accountability
Reports Directly To: NES Forum Director
Works Directly With: NES Forum membership, United Nations, Donor and Third-State representatives
Accountability to Participants and Stakeholders
Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our program participants, community partners, other stakeholders, and to international standards guiding international relief and development work. We are committed to actively engaging communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.
Minimum Qualifications & Transferable Skills
BA/S or equivalent in relevant field required; MA desired 3-5 years of field experience in international relief and development, including demonstrable Syria experience. Demonstrated success working effectively and respectfully with host country authorities, NGO partners, and other stakeholders in complex conflict environments. Strong contextual advocacy, analytical and writing skills, with attention to detail and the ability to translate complex issues into a level appropriate for various audiences. Knowledge of and adherence to humanitarian principles and relevant international norms. Demonstrable knowledge of and experience managing and/or advising on humanitarian access. Successful and proven negotiation, communication and organization skills. Demonstrated experience in coordination roles, preferably within formal coordination structures. Proven understanding of the international humanitarian response architecture, including coordination mechanisms, humanitarian reform and action, and funding mechanisms. Ability to work effectively with an ethnically diverse stakeholder base in a sensitive environment. Excellent oral and written English skills required; proficiency in Arabic and/or Kurdish is a plus.Success Factors
The successful candidate will have the ability to network effectively and influence and inspire others. It will have excellent communication and interpersonal relationship building skills, will be highly motivated and possess ability to work independently. Will have the ability to undertake strategic analysis and translate thinking into practice. It will work with sensitive issues in a multi-cultural environment and with virtual or/and dispersed teams and will have the ability to build confidence and to find creative and constructive solutions to difficult issues. The successful candidate will be build trust and alliances and will empower others. It should like traveling, possess a good sense of humour, must be fond of coordination and understand its critical role for the more efficient humanitarian response. In addition, as the NES Forum is reflecting the needs and priorities of members, which also shift, the successful candidate must be flexible and adaptable to shifting demands and priorities, with the ability to multi-task and work under time pressure.
Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions
The position is based in Hasakah, North East Syria and it requires up to 50% travel to other locations. This position is unaccompanied and eligible for hardship, R&R, and home leave allowances as well as regular employment benefits. Living conditions are in group housing: water, electricity and internet are present with occasional cuts.
Ongoing Learning
In support of our belief that learning organizations are more effective, efficient and relevant to the communities we serve, we empower all team members to dedicate 5% of their time to learning activities that further their personal and/or professional growth and development
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Achieving our mission begins with how we build our team and work together. Through our commitment to enriching our organization with people of different origins, beliefs, backgrounds, and ways of thinking, we are better able to leverage the collective power of our teams and solve the worldโs most complex challenges. We strive for a culture of trust and respect, where everyone contributes their perspectives and authentic selves, reaches their potential as individuals and teams, and collaborates to do the best work of their lives.
We recognize that diversity and inclusion is a journey, and we are committed to learning, listening and evolving to become more diverse, equitable and inclusive than we are today.
Equal Employment Opportunity
Mercy Corps is an equal opportunity employer that does not tolerate discrimination on any basis. We actively seek out diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be collectively stronger and have sustained global impact.
We are committed to providing an environment of respect and psychological safety where equal employment opportunities are available to all. We do not engage in or tolerate discrimination on the basis of race, color, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, disability (including HIV/AIDS status), marital status, military veteran status or any other protected group in the locations where we work.
Safeguarding & Ethics
Mercy Corps is committed to ensuring that all individuals we come into contact with through our work, whether team members, community members, program participants or others, are treated with respect and dignity. We are committed to the core principles regarding prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse laid out by the UN Secretary General and IASC and have signed on to the Interagency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. We will not tolerate child abuse, sexual exploitation, abuse, or harassment by or of our team members. As part of our commitment to a safe and inclusive work environment, team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner, respect local laws and customs, and to adhere to Mercy Corps Code of Conduct Policies and values at all times. Team members are required to complete mandatory Code of Conduct elearning courses upon hire and on an annual basis.