Syria - Deputy Country Director for Programs (M/F) - Damascus

## About us

**Desired start date: 01/08/26**
**Duration of the mission: 6 months**
**Location: Damascus, Syria**

**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

Solidarités International operates in Syria to address the urgent needs of populations affected by years of conflict, displacement, and economic collapse, while strengthening their resilience. Following the fall of the Assad regime, the context remains highly fluid, with shifting governance structures, uncertain security dynamics, and evolving humanitarian access constraints, requiring continuous adaptation of operational approaches.

The mission implements multi-sector programmes in WASH, Food Security & Livelihoods, Shelter, and Cash-Based Assistance, combining emergency response with early recovery. In Northeast Syria (Hassakeh and Raqqa), SI operates in a complex environment marked by damaged infrastructure, limited access to basic services, and persistent vulnerabilities.

## About the job

**General objective:**

In close collaboration with the Country Director (CD), the Deputy Country Director for Programs (DCD-P) provides strategic leadership and oversight to ensure the effective development, quality, and accountability of Solidarités International’s programmes. The DCD-P drives the strengthening of programme design and implementation, ensuring interventions are evidence-based, need-driven, contextually adaptable, and conflict-sensitive.
The DCD-P ensures coherence across all programme activities and guarantees that adequate monitoring systems and resources are in place to deliver impactful and timely responses. In addition, the DCD-P ensures full compliance with Solidarités International’s internal processes and standards across HR, Finance, and Logistics.
As a key member of the senior management team, the DCD-P actively contributes to the definition and evolution of the mission’s overall strategy.

**Specific 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

**Priorities for the first 2/3 months:**

-Support the Mission Strategy decision making for the period 2027-2032
-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
-To monitor the evolution of the mission based on humanitarian needs assessment findings, ensuring the continuity of operations and sustained access to areas of intervention

**Security constraints:**

Instable context, uncertainties about humanitarian space and funding

## Your profile

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

• Similar 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, DOS, UN, CDCS, EuropeAid; others desirable in view of donors’ portfolio diversification
(GAC, FCDO…)
• Previous experience in Middle East highly desirable
• Previous experience with SI is an asset.

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 learni