Programme Coordinator – Agriculture and Food Security Programme

Starting date: 1 March 2023 (pending funding decision)

Contract duration: 12 months full time position (3 month probationary period), with the possibility of extension

Based in: Damascus, Syria, with travel inside Syria when/where possible and applicable

BACKGROUND:

The Syria crisis has been described as the largest humanitarian crisis of the 21st century. 6.8 million Syrians were displaced internally and over 5.5 million Syrians fled outside the country. In 2021, Syria was ranked among the ten most food insecure countries worldwide.[1] Currently, 12 million people are estimated to be severely food insecure across the country and an additional 1,9 million people are at risk of sliding into acute food insecurity. Caritas Austria, through its implementing partners, has provided humanitarian assistance in Syria and neighboring countries since 2011. Today, Caritas Austria continues to be actively involved inside Syria with a work focus on basic assistance, protection, education and livelihoods. In addition, Caritas Austria is currently developing an impactful early recovery programme in the agriculture and food security sector, which is expected to be funded by EU DEVCO and will, once confirmed, be implemented by two national NGOs in Syria.

PURPOSE & RESPONSIBILITIES:

The Programme Coordinator will play a key role in developing and monitoring Caritas Austria’s agriculture and food security programme inside Syria. Responsibilities include programme development including needs and response analysis, building and maintaining partnerships, sector coordination, and providing technical guidance for implementing partners to help beneficiaries build productive and sustainable agricultural systems. All aspects of the position are governed by a strong commitment to humanitarian standards and Caritas Internationalis’ Partnership Principles.

The Programme Officer will be part of Caritas Austria’s Middle East/ Asia team, based in Damascus, Syria and will report to the Syria Programme Manager (based in Vienna, Austria).

SPECIFIC TASKS:

• Oversee activity implementation and ensure timeliness and quality
• Support implementing partners to comply with: programme proposal, logical framework and budget, agreements with service providers, and Caritas Austria internal policies and processes
• Provide regular (weekly or more frequent in case of need) updates to Programme Manager (PM) on implementation progress, challenges, as well as changes related to context and partners
• Support the development of annual work plans that include an annual procurement plan and an annual risk matrix in close cooperation with the PM
• Support the development and implementation of annual MEAL plans in close cooperation with the MEAL officer
• Integrate research and MEAL findings in programme implementation and support programme revisions
• Support the mobilisation and recruitment of external technical experts
• Organise field visits, including for donors, media and partners, etc.
• Frequently travel to project sites inside Hama, Latakia and Tartous governorates and monitor field activities and conduct field assessments
• Monitor implementing partners’ financial management and support the implementation of project-related financial audits
• Promote awareness of and adherence to professional standards and good practices in the field of agriculture and food security
• Prepare and present reports in cooperation with the PM
• Frequently meet and closely cooperate with implementing partner organisations; link partner staff with opportunities for capacity building
• Participate and represent Caritas Austria in relevant working groups, coordination mechanisms and clusters
• Contribute to the communication strategy in coordination with partners, the PM and HQ communication departments
• Ensure compliance with Caritas Austria security policies for Syria and contribute to reviewing security plans
• Conduct research and support the development of new programmes/ projects
• Provide a positive and enabling spirit

SKILLS & QUALIFICATIONS:

• Be a resident of Syria, with the ability to work inside Syria;
• Bachelor’s degree in development studies, management, agricultural science/ engineering or biological engineering
• A minimum of 5 years’ experience of implementing and managing humanitarian and development projects in Syria, coupled with a strong understanding of programme cycle management and MEAL principles and processes; experience in the agriculture and food security sector is a plus
• Previous experience with donor reporting and participation in coordination mechanisms
• Previous experience in working with farmer collectives and supervising Farmer Field Schools (FFS) is a plus
• Experience in delivering capacity building trainings
• Good command of Arabic and English and excellent numeracy skills with ability to produce excellent written and oral reports/ presentations to a range of audiences
• IT proficiency (Windows Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and proficiency in online research.
• Flexibility and ability to handle multiple tasks simultaneously in a fast-paced environment, set priorities, and meet deadlines; organizational and management skills
• Analytical thinking skills and strong environmental awareness
• Strong attention to detail, flexibility, and organizational- and time management skills
• Willingness and ability to travel inside Syria (up to 30%)
• Experience in liaising with partners organisations, stakeholders and authorities and experience in building and maintaining professional relationships
• Strong understanding of humanitarian standards

[1]UN OCHA (2023) Humanitarian Needs Overview Syria 2023.