Director of Programs, Syria - Consultant

Description

Location: Damascus, Syria with travels to field offices

Position Status: Consultant

About Mercy Corps:

Mercy Corps is a leading global organization powered by the belief that a better world is possible. In disaster, in hardship, in more than 40 countries around the world, we partner to put bold solutions into action — helping people triumph over adversity and build stronger communities from within. Now, and for the future.

Purpose / Project Description:

Syria stands at a critical juncture following the dramatic political transformation of December 2024. This transition reshapes Syria's humanitarian landscape, demanding a radical reimagining of approaches to displacement, return, and recovery. Syria remains is in the midst of a major humanitarian crisis but opportunities for access and impact along new programmatic strategies are increasing. In line with our global Pathway To Possibility strategy, the main thrust of the work of Mercy Corps along with its national and international partners will be focused on meeting urgent humanitarian needs while building resilience, engage on early recovery and promote social cohesion across the country. With a large and complex portfolio of work across the country, Mercy Corps Syria (MCS) has established itself as an analytical, strategic and flexible responder, adapting continually to operational realities to respond effectively and efficiently.

Consultant Objectives:

STRATEGY AND PLANNING

• Work with the Country Director, the Senior Management Team and other team members to translate MCS’s strategy into relevant fundable and impactful projects.
• Recognize opportunities for innovative action while bringing and promoting creative ideas
• Set direction by prioritizing and organizing actions & resources to achieve objectives and contribute to countrywide strategy development.

PROGRAM MANAGEMENT

• Manage and oversee all program activities in cooperation with senior program staff and key project stakeholders, including local non-governmental organizations, local government officials, community-based organizations, other international agencies, and key donors.
• Ensure program implementation is on time, scope and budget, using effective M&E systems to reach desired impacts
• Collaborate with the Program Quality, Evidence and Learning (QEL) team and the Country Director to promote learning and an evidence-based culture while driving a compelling esearch agenda for MCS in line with the regional Evidence and Learning Agenda
• Create and maintain systems ensuring effective and transparent use of financial resources for timely and informative reporting in line with donor and Mercy Corps policies and procedures
• Implement and model Mercy Corps’ philosophy of social entrepreneurship and leverage Mercy Corps’ best practices.
• Build national staff capacity by designing and leading technical training sessions for Mercy Corps staff and local partners and providing ongoing coaching and mentoring.
• Promote learning and knowledge management through documentation and knowledge sharing around best practices and lessons learned;

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

• Drive a resource development strategy to ensure the portfolio remains funded and aligned with strategy with a strong focus on nexus approaches while prioritizing longer-term recovery and development vision and program designs
• Pro-actively identify new business opportunities and translate these into concepts by leveraging in-country and regional/global technical resources when needed
• Lead / write new proposal development to ensure a fully funded portfolio

TEAM MANAGEMENT

• Participate in recruitment and selection, orientation and training of key personnel
• Create and sustain a work environment of mutual respect where team members strive to achieve excellence.
• Promote accountability, communicate expectations and provide constructive feedback via performance reviews.
• Contribute to country team-building efforts, help team members identify problem solving options and ensure the integration of all team members into relevant decision-making processes.
• Provide team members with information, tools and other resources to improve performance & reach objectives.
• Supervise and regularly coordinate with project staff and support departments to ensure smooth planning, preparation, implementation, and monitoring and evaluation of program activities
• Provide coaching and mentoring to team members with an eye to building national staff leadership

FINANCE & COMPLIANCE MANAGEMENT

• Collaborate with program, finance and administrative staff to ensure systems are in compliance with donor and Mercy Corps policies and procedures.
• Draft and/or review scope of work to hire and manage any technical consultants, including review for technical efficacy and contract budget.

INFLUENCE & REPRESENTATION

• Identify, build and manage collaborative partnerships with consortium partners, sub-grantees, donors, local governments and other stakeholders.
• Communicate effectively to ensure overall project targets and donor obligations are met.
• Maintain good working relationships with donors, the host country government and local leaders, partner agencies, and other key stakeholders;
• Document and disseminate lessons learned and best practices to internal and external stakeholders, including at international conferences and similar forums.
• Represent MCS’s programmatic vision and strategy in internal meetings such as All Staff and Senior Management Team meetings.
• Lead the implementation of MCS’s policy agenda, together with the Country Director

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.

Timeframe / Schedule:

Twelve (12) months.

The Consultant will report to:

Mathieu Rouquette, Syria Country Director

The Consultant will work closely with:

Syria SMT, AMT, Deputy Regional Director, Regional Policy & Advocacy, Regional Comms

Supervisory Responsibility: None but oversees and works very closely with Program Managers, Grants Manager, QEL Manager, Partnerships Manager.

Knowledge and Experience

• Masters degree in international development, economics, agriculture, conflict mitigation, social sciences or other relevant fields.

• Minimum 8 years’ relevant professional experience implementing conflict management and/or governance programs, market development projects preferably in transitional environments. Interest in developing linkages between ‘development’ and ‘humanitarian’ is a plus

• Practical knowledge and experience in successfully leading and managing a thematically diverse portfolio of projects, as well as national and international staff

• Knowledge of key Mercy Corps sectors (e.g., market development, food security, water security, resilience, basic needs support) is preferred.

• Excellent experience bringing in new business and working with market actors (e.g., private sector, foundations, etc.); including innovative design and leading the proposal development process

• Strong written and verbal cross-cultural communication skills, presentation and representation

• Experience in working in conflict-affected/fragile contexts

• Fluency in Arabic preferred.

• Good knowledge of regional dynamics and contexts and deep awareness of the sensitivities of working in Syria.

  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. By applying for this role an applicant confirms that they have not previously violated an employer’s sexual misconduct, sexual exploitation and abuse, child safeguarding or trafficking policy. 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 e-learning courses upon hire and on an annual basis.

  As an applicant, if you witness or experience any form of sexual misconduct during the recruitment process, please report this to Mercy Corps Integrity Hotline (integrityhotline@mercycorps.org).