SYRIA - DEPUTY COUNTRY DIRECTOR FOR PROGRAMS (M/F) - DAMASCUS

• Job number: SRH06389
• Status: Employee
• Area of expertise: Regional Coordination / Country Director
• Position: Missions
• Country: Syria
• Contract Type: Short term contract

  About us

  Desired start date: October 1st, 2025
  Duration of the mission: 8 months
  Location: Damascus

  SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL (SI) is an international humanitarian aid association which, since more than 40 years, has been providing assistance to populations affected by armed conflicts and natural disasters by meeting their basic needs for food, water and shelter. Particularly committed to the fight against diseases linked to unsafe water, the leading cause of death in the world, SI's interventions provide expertise in the field of access to drinking water, sanitation and hygiene promotion, but also in the essential area of food security and livelihoods. Present in 26 countries, the SI teams – 3200 people in total, made up of expatriates, national staff, permanent staff at HQ, and a few volunteers - intervene with professionalism and commitment while respecting cultural norms.

  About the mission

  There are 4 implementing offices in Syria (2 in North East Syria(NES), 2 in North West Syria/NWS) with the coordination based in Amman. Syria Mission is currently in process of opening an office in Damascus to support it's operations in Syria, and support operations in new areas in the South of the country.

  Syria Mission is dedicated in challenging contexts to provide lifesaving activities to the population affected by the conflict. A turn from lifesaving activities to more postemergency/development has also been undertaken.

  Additionally, SI has a contingency and capacity to respond to emergencies in NWS and NES.

  About the job

  General objective:

  The Deputy Country Director Programs supports the Country Director in setting up and monitoring operations. He/she is responsible for supervising and coordinating Solidarités programs in the country of assignment.

  In close collaboration with the Country Director (CD) and the DCD Support, the DCDP’s prime objectives are to provide leadership and management of the strategic programming and implementation (including MEAL) according to SI global and mission strategies and frameworks. The DCDP is in charge of overseeing the strengthening of SI’s program positioning and profile externally (coordination bodies, local stakeholders, donors), with a strong attention to ensure cross-cutting issues are mainstreamed.

  The DCDP ensures the internal coherence between program activities and harmonization between operational hubs, as well as he/she is responsible for ensuring that programs are driven by needs, based on evidence, adaptable to contextual changes and conflict sensitive, monitored closely and resourced appropriately.

  Based in Damascus with regular visits in project locations, the DCD is part of SI Syria Senior Management Team, and has direct line-management of the Technical Coordinators (WaSH & Infrastructure Coordinator and MEAL coordinators) and Grants and Partnership coordinator.

  The main challenges:

  • New structure and transition period which will request some flexibility while setting up the new communication channels
  • Large-scale mission (financial budget, HR volume), with numerous interlocutors at coordination and field level.
  • Recent context change leading to the adjustment of the programming (towards early recovery)
  

  Priorities for the 2/3 first months:

  • Continue to support the development of activities’ portfolio with objectives of timeliness, integration and internal / external compliance in mind, in alignment with the Country Strategy for 2025-2026;
  • To monitor the development of the mission based on the findings of the humanitarian needs assessments to secure continuity of operations and access to the areas of intervention;
  • Support strategic decision-making for future mission development

  Security constraints:

• Instable context, undertainties about humanitarian space and funding

  Your profil

  DIPLOMAS AND EXPERIENCE

  Bachelor's or Master's degree in a related field (Humanitarian Assistance and Programming; International Studies, international Affairs). Previous experience in Middle East (recommended).

• Experience in the humanitarian sector : 3-4 years

SKILLS

TECHNICAL SKILLS

• Substantial experience in a senior management position in an overseas NGO environment, ideally in both emergency and developmental contexts;
• Previous experience in strategy development
• Experience in leading program development across multiple bases, multi-sector with multiple donors, preferably with knowledge of using contextual understanding and evidence to strategically guide the mission’s development with regards to programs;
• Experience of managing large teams in multiple locations with various challenges;
• Experience of budget management;
• Experience of establishing strong working relationships with colleagues from different functions and cultures;
• Experience in Donor relations (ECHO, OFDA, UN, CDCS, EuropeAid; others desirable in view of donors’ portfolio diversification (GAC, DFID…)
• Previous experience in Middle East highly desirable
• Previous experience with SI is an asset.

TRANSVERSAL SKILLS

• Extensive knowledge about project cycle management and monitoring tools;
• Extensive knowledge of humanitarian programming, in emergency and development context
• An ability to reflect on and learn from own performance and the performance of the program; and to act upon that learning;
• An ability to analyze information quickly and accurately;
• Good problem solving skills in day to day and crisis situations;
• A flexible approach to managing and prioritizing a high workload and multiple tasks with tight deadlines;
• Confident and proficient in the use of MS Office, Excel;
• Extensive report writing skills in English;
• Strong representation / public relation skills.
• Highly diplomatic with excellent political awareness and understanding
• Demonstrate personal and professional integrity in all interactions
• Highly sensitive to a Humanitarian needs-based programming approach
• Strong oral and written communication skills
• Be prepared to travel to implementation sites and regional, global meetings as required
• Capacity to deal with many different issues, programs, sectors, to self- update and learn very quickly from a highly and
constantly evolving environment;

LANGUAGES

1. English (fluent - mandatory)
2. Knowledge of Arabic is an asset
3. Knowledge of French is an asset

SI Will Offer you

A salaried position:
According to experience, starting from EUR 3080 gross per month (2800 base salary + 10% annual leave allowance paid monthly) and a monthly Per Diem of USD 750.

SI also covers accommodation costs and travel expenses between the expatriate's country of origin and the place of assignment.

Breaks: During the assignment, a system of alternation between work and time off is implemented at the rate of 7 working days every three months (with a USD 850 break allowance, allocated by Sl). To these breaks periods, SI grants one (1) additional rest day per month worked.

Insurance package: Expatriates benefit from an insurance package which refunds all healthcare expenses (including medical and surgical expenses, dental care and ophthalmological expenses, repatriation) and a welfare system including war risks. Essential vaccination and antimalarial treatment costs are refunded.

LIVING CONDITIONS:

Living conditions in Damascus are good but power supply remain unstable. Security to be closely monitor following regime change.

Application process

Do you recognize yourself in this description? If yes, please send us your CV and cover letter!

Please note that CV-only applications will not be considered, and that the vacancy may close before the deadline.

Thank you for your understanding.

To learn more about Sl: www.solidarites.org

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Solidarités International (SI) est déterminé à prévenir et à combattre tout type d’abus – tout acte d’exploitation, d’abus et/ou de harcèlement sexuels (SEAH) à l’encontre des membres des communautés bénéficiaires ou de ses collaborateurs et collaboratrices, atteinte aux personnes et/ou aux biens, fraude, corruption, conflit d’intérêt non déclaré, financement d’activités portant atteinte aux droits de l’homme - qui pourrait être perpétré dans le cadre de ses interventions. SI applique une tolérance zéro à l’égard de tout type d’abus, particulièrement des actes de SEAH.

Solidarités International est un employeur équitable qui combat toute forme de discrimination. SI ne demandera jamais une rétribution quelconque en vue de participer à un processus de recrutement.

Solidarités International (SI) is determined to prevent and fight all type of abuse – all act of exploitation, abuse and/or sexual harassment (SEAH) against members of beneficiary communities or collaborators, fraud, corruption, violation of persons and/or property, funding of activities harmful to human rights – that could be perpetrated in the frame of its interventions. SI implements a zero-tolerance policy regarding acts of abuse, notably acts of SEAH.

Solidarités International is an equitable employer committed to find all forms of discrimination. SI will ever ask for any remuneration to take part in a recruitment process.