Programs Director

Job Title: Programs Director

Job code: VI-HR-REC 2838

Workplace: Damascus

Last date for receiving applications: 10.01.2026

Job Purpose

The Programs Director provides strategic and operational leadership for Violet’s large-scale, multi-sectoral portfolio in Syria, spanning seven integrated sectors, including Food Security and Livelihoods (FSL), Early Recovery and Livelihoods (ERL), Shelter and Non-Food Items (SNFI), WASH, Health, Education, and CCCM. The role ensures the high-quality design, implementation, and evolution of programs that respond to humanitarian needs while advancing early recovery, community resilience, social cohesion, and youth empowerment, through community-led and inclusive approaches.

As a core member of the senior management team, the Programs Director is responsible for planning, overseeing, and strengthening Violet’s humanitarian and recovery-oriented programming, leading program managers, and providing strategic and technical guidance to both field and headquarters teams. The position also holds overall leadership responsibility for Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) and Information Management (IM) functions, ensuring evidence-based decision-making, accountability to affected populations, and adaptive program management. The Programs Director reports to the CEO and works in close collaboration with support departments to ensure impactful, coordinated, and sustainable program outcomes.

Key Responsibilities

1. Program Strategy, Planning, and Development

• Lead the development and implementation of integrated, multi-sectoral program strategies, goals, and objectives in alignment with Violet’s mission, with a strong focus on early recovery, community resilience, social cohesion, and youth empowerment.
• Contribute to the design and development of high-quality proposals, concept notes, detailed work plans, and budgets, ensuring efficient and strategic use of resources.
• Ensure comprehensive program documentation, reporting systems, and data management, in coordination with MEAL and IM teams.

2. Program Implementation, Quality, and Risk Management

• Oversee the timely, cost-effective, and high-quality implementation of all assigned programs across sectors.
• Ensure effective coordination between Programs and Operations departments throughout the full project cycle, including implementation, compliance, and financial management.
• Supervise and guide program teams to ensure activities and outcomes meet organizational quality standards, donor requirements, and intended impact.
• Identify operational, programmatic, and contextual risks, and lead the development of mitigation and adaptation strategies.

3. Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, Learning, and Information Management

• Provide overall leadership and strategic direction to MEAL and Information Management (IM) functions across all programs.
• Ensure the use of evidence-based decision-making, adaptive management, and learning to continuously improve program quality and relevance.
• Promote accountability to affected populations through effective feedback and complaints mechanisms, data use, and learning processes.

4. Partnerships, Donor Engagement, and Advocacy

• Maintain and strengthen strategic relationships with donors, partners, and stakeholders, ensuring transparent and effective communication for successful program delivery.
• Identify, assess, and pursue new program opportunities, partnerships, and funding sources aligned with Violet’s strategic priorities.
• Represent Violet Organization in high-level donor, partner, and coordination meetings, advocating for the needs, priorities, and voices of Syrian communities, particularly youth.
• Ensure follow-up on donor and partner requirements and provide support to Program Managers on compliance, reporting, and coordination.
• Support the preparation of ad-hoc or non-routine donor and partner reports as required.

5. Team Leadership and Capacity Strengthening

• Supervise, mentor, and support Program Managers (typically 4–6 direct reports) and, when required, field-based program teams.
• Foster a positive, inclusive, and collaborative working environment that promotes professional development, leadership, and performance excellence.
• Champion organizational values of transparency, accountability, participation, and ethical conduct across all programs.

6. Budget and Financial Oversight

• Lead the development, monitoring, and management of program budgets in compliance with donor regulations and organizational policies.
• Ensure financial accountability, value for money, and transparency in all program expenditures, in close coordination with Finance and Operations teams.

Others:

• Commitment to the path and values of the Violet (Faith in youth and volunteers, Integrity, and honesty, sacrifice and altruism, teamwork and team spirit, innovation and creativity, elegance handling and beneficiary dignity, responsiveness and initiative).
• Respect and apply all the PSEA and child protection principles, and show high commitment to report any PSEA & CP action.…etc.
• Commitment to implementing policies by taking them into account when planning and designing activities, as well as when receiving complaints or noticing issues related to this matter, and fulfilling their obligation to report them directly through designated channels or directly to senior management. Raising awareness among designated staff about the child protection policy and the protection from sexual exploitation and abuse, as well as the reporting mechanisms and how to handle them.

Note: the above-mentioned key responsibilities / accountabilities are illustrative ones. Other future responsibilities/accountabilities may be assigned to the job depending on the department’s organizational chart.

Qualification (Education/Work Experience)

Essential:

• An advanced university degree (Master’s or equivalent) in Development Studies, Humanitarian Assistance, International Relations, Public Policy, Social Sciences, or a related field is required.
• A Bachelor’s degree combined with extensive and relevant professional experience may be considered in place of a Master’s degree.

Professional Experience:

• Minimum of 8–10 years of progressive experience in humanitarian and/or early recovery programming, with at least 3–4 years in a senior management or leadership role.
• Proven experience in leading large-scale, multi-sectoral programs, preferably across sectors such as FSL, ERL, WASH, Health, Education, SNFI, and/or CCCM.
• Demonstrated experience in early recovery, livelihoods, resilience, and community-based programming, including the transition from humanitarian response to recovery-oriented interventions.
• Strong experience in localization, including leading or supporting locally led responses, strengthening national and local partners, shifting decision-making power, and promoting equitable partnerships in line with localization commitments.
• Proven track record in youth leadership and youth-centered programming, including the design and implementation of initiatives that promote youth participation, leadership, employability, and entrepreneurship.
• Strong experience in program design, proposal development, donor compliance, and strategic planning with institutional donors (e.g. UN agencies, EU, GIZ, BHA, FCDO).
• Solid experience in managing and overseeing MEAL and Information Management (IM) systems, ensuring data quality, accountability, learning, and evidence-based decision-making.
• Proven ability to build and manage partnerships with donors, INGOs, NGOs, local authorities, and community-based organizations, with an emphasis on locally rooted collaboration.
• Experience working in complex, conflict-affected, and fragile contexts, preferably in Syria or similar settings.

Core & Managerial Competencies &Technical

Core Competencies:

• Communication
• Planning and Organizing
• Commitment to Continuous Learning
• Stakeholders Orientation
• Accountability
• Technological Awareness

Supervisor/Managerial Competencies:

• Empowering Others
• Building Trust
• Managing Performance
• Judgment/Decision-making

Technical Competencies:

• Computer skills (Microsoft Word, Excel, Access, Power Bi, PowerPoint, ArcGIS, KoBo Tool Box Outlook).
• Creative problem solver who thrives when presented with a challenge.
• Strong understanding of the humanitarian–development–peace nexus, with practical experience in integrated, area-based, and recovery-oriented programming.
• In-depth knowledge of project cycle management, donor regulations, and compliance requirements.
• Excellent analytical, writing, and reporting skills in English; Arabic proficiency is a strong asset.

Child Protection Policy

Child abuse is unacceptable to Violet, which recognizes its responsibility to protect children from harm in all areas of its work. Violet is committed to ensuring a child-safe environment and is applying a zero-tolerance approach toward any kind of child abuse and exploitation.

Discrimination, Abuse, and Harassment Policy

Violet expressly prohibits and will not tolerate any form of discrimination, abuse, or harassment (sexual or otherwise), based on race, ethnicity, religion, national origin, gender, age, sexual orientation, marital status, citizenship status, disability, or military status. Violet employees and related personnel must under no circumstances participate in any form of discrimination, harassment, or abuse (physical, sexual, or verbal), intimidation or exploitation, or in any other way infringe the rights of others inside or outside Violet.

How to apply

Interested candidates, please attach a CV in English (in a separate file of no more than two A4 page) describing how your skills and experience match the requirements of this post.

Applications in languages other than English will not be reviewed:

https://forms.gle/f8nmLXeXfGKdxPn48

Only short-listed candidates will be contacted. We aim to fill vacancies as quickly as possible. This means that we will close adverts as soon as we have found the right candidate and this may be before the published closing date. We would therefore advise interested applicants to submit an application as early as possible.