Country Director, Syria

**The Organisation**

Plan International is an independent development and humanitarian organisation that advances children’s rights and equality for girls. We believe in the power and potential of every child but know this is often suppressed by poverty, violence, exclusion and discrimination. And it is girls who are most affected.

Working together with children, young people, supporters and partners, we strive for a just world, tackling the root causes of the challenges girls and vulnerable children face. We support children’s rights from birth until they reach adulthood and we enable children to prepare for and respond to crises and adversity. We drive changes in practice and policy at local, national and global levels using our reach, experience and knowledge.

For over 85 years, we have rallied other determined optimists to transform the lives of all children in more than 80 countries.

We won’t stop until we are all equal.

Our global strategy has a specific focus on girls, as they are often the most marginalised and most often left behind. We have committed ourselves to the ambitious target of reaching 200 million girls over 5 years, to ensure they can learn, lead, decide and thrive. This is our contribution to reaching the sustainable development goals, and in particular the goals on gender equality. Our organisation is transforming itself to meet the enormous challenge everywhere we work.

We need bold, forward-thinking, and innovative individuals to lead our country operations, driving change and delivering results that will allow us to reach our target of 200 million girls.

Syria remains one of the world’s most complex humanitarian and political contexts, shaped by over a decade of protracted conflict compounded by the February 2023 earthquake and a significant political transition in late 2024. Plan International has been operational in Syria since 2022, working through implementing partners, and reached over 1.5 million crisis-affected people in the earthquake response alone. Our current programming spans education in emergencies, child protection and psychosocial support, youth economic empowerment, WASH, and multipurpose cash assistance, delivered through a network of local and international partners. The political transition of early 2025 has opened new opportunities but also introduced significant uncertainty around regulatory frameworks, access, and the funding landscape.

Navigating this environment requires a seasoned leader with a clear-eyed understanding of Syria’s political economy, the ability to mobilise and manage funding from a diverse base of institutional donors, and an unwavering commitment to the safety and duty of care of staff operating in a volatile and unpredictable security environment. Plan International is at a pivotal moment in Syria, and this role is central to shaping what comes next.

**The Opportunity**

The Country Director will lead Plan International Syria’s strategic and operational efforts to deliver high-quality humanitarian and early recovery programming that addresses the needs and vulnerabilities of children, girls, youth, and affected communities across Syria, in line with the Country Strategic Plan.

The Country Director will ensure that:

- Our programmes are well-funded, contextually relevant, and responsive to humanitarian and early recovery needs, with a growing and credible presence recognised locally, regionally, and internationally.
- Our teams are motivated, skilled, and supported, and that our organisation operates effectively, efficiently, and in compliance with Plan International’s global policies, standards, and expectations. This includes ensuring robust and adaptive risk management systems suitable for a highly complex and evolving operating environment.
- Our work is guided by effective operational systems, strong financial stewardship, and sound programme management to deliver accountable, timely, and impactful interventions for children, youth, and their communities.
- Our governance and oversight structures are actively engaged and contribute effectively to organisational accountability and strategic direction.
- Safeguarding Children and Young People and Gender Equality and Inclusion are fully embedded.

In Syria, Plan International will focus on humanitarian and early recovery programming in child protection, education, and youth economic empowerment, working primarily with and through national and local partners while strengthening local capacities and systems. The Country Director will play a leading role in establishing and positioning Plan International in Syria, building the organisation’s reputation, operational presence, and funding portfolio, while fostering strong and constructive relationships with key stakeholders, including local partners, UN agencies, donors, civil society organisations, and relevant line ministries and authorities.

The Country Director will also drive Plan International Syria’s localisation and partners