Country Director

Background

TDH Italy has been operating in Syria since more than 15 years, passing through different situations, challenges and scenarios which clearly influenced the size of operations, priority areas and modality of operations. Due to the recent developments of the political situation in Syria, NGOs need to reconsider their strategy in the Country, considering updated needs, larger areas of operations, new modalities of implementation, etc. Therefore, TDH Italy is looking for an experienced Country Director who can drive the Delegation towards this new phase.

Roles and responsibilities

1. Program development, supervision and coordination

• Regularly supervise the ongoing projects, revising the activities plan and budget forecasting, monitoring the achievements and the quality of the services provided. This includes field visits, coordination meetings, etc.
• Facilitate the collaboration and communication between all the staff involved in the project implementation, especially program and technical staff;
• Revise the projects reports and other documents before submission to the donors;
• Build the capacity of the program manager and project managers;
• Ensure the coordination between the different TDH programs in the country and the programs run by other NGOs in the same areas/sectors;
• Supervise and guide the process of needs assessments;
• Together with the HQ and the program/technical staff, develop project proposals considering the priorities and strategy of each donor;

1. Operation management

• Supervise the work of the administration, finance and logistics department, ensuring the quality, timely work and compliance with the donors’ requirements and TDH internal policies;
• Conduct regular internal spot checks of the procurement documents and administration/finance documents;
• Revise and approve payments and bank operations according to the thresholds and TDH policy;
• Supervise the movements plans and internal missions plans, ensuring the regular presence in the fields of program and technical staff;
• Properly plan the delegations’ costs, budget and financial visibility;
• Keep the security situation under strong monitoring, informing TDH Italy HQ about any significant change, incidents and challenges and ensuring the safety of all the staff members and beneficiaries;
• In case of emergency, coordinate the evacuation of the office(s) and of the expat staff.

1. Staff management

• Revise the organigram, structure and ToRs of the current staff, ensuring efficiency, clear lines of communication and management and efficiency;
• Organize and manage the daily work of the staff under the direct management;
• Ensure the transparency and fairness of the recruitment process and staff evaluation;
• Ensure that TDH policies and regulations are consistently applied.

1. Donor engagement and strategy development

• Map relevant donors at country level and engage with them to explore future opportunities;
• Map opened call for proposal which could fit within Syrian Delegation’s strategy and capacity;
• Keep regular contact with current donors and relevant UN agencies;
• Provide regular updates to TDH HQ about the strategy and priorities of the main donors;
• Work closely to TDH HQ to develop the country strategy, priority areas, sectors, modalities of operations, etc.

1. External relationships and coordination

• Ensure the participation of TDH staff to relevant clusters and coordination meetings;
• In coordination with the Country Rep, attend coordination meetings with other NGOs;
• Engage in bilateral meetings with international and local NGOs to explore partnerships, collaborations, strategies, etc.
• In coordination with the Country Rep, keep regular contacts and coordination with relevant ministries and local authorities.

Requirements

• University degree in International Relations, Law, Social Sciences or similar. Different study titles can be replaced by relevant experience;
• At least 10 years of experience in the humanitarian field, of whom at least 5 years of experience as Country Director/Representative or similar high level management role;
• Direct experience working on education and/or protection projects funded by UN agencies, EU/ECHO and AICS;
• Abilities in project development, proposal writing and reporting;
• Good understanding and ability to supervise operations, including logistic, finance, etc.
• Previous experience in Middle East is a strong asset
• Knowledge of Italian and/or Arabic is a strong asset
• Ability to work under pressure and in emergency contests

How to apply

Email your CV and motiviation letter to [email protected] by November 10th 2025. In the email object please indicate "Country Director Syria".