Head of Program Education and Protection – Syria At Triangle Génération Humanitaire

Information

Location

Syrian Arab Republic, job based in Damascus with frequent travels, as security permits, to field locations

Duration

6 months renewable (depending to funding), starting in December 2024 / January 2025

Conditions

Salaried contract, gross monthly salary from €2,369 to €2,884 according to experience, monthly per diem USD 850, medical coverage of 100% + repatriation insurance + provident fund, accommodation, international and local transportation as part of the mission, break every 3 months with break allowance. No family duty station.

TGH has chosen a deliberately simple and transparent remuneration policy, accessible on our website www.trianglegh.org.

The salary levels advertised in our job offers are set within the framework of the salary scale and are not open to negotiation.

More information on www.trianglegh.org, under “JOBS”.

TGH reserves the right to end the recruitment process as soon as a candidate is positioned.

Presentation of TGH

“Stakeholders in committed & sustainable international solidarity”

Founded in 1994, TGH is a French international solidarity organization based in Lyon. The association designs and implements emergency, rehabilitation and development programs in the following sectors: water, hygiene and sanitation, civil engineering, food security and rural development, socio-educational and psychosocial. TGH is currently operating in 13 countries in Africa, Asia, Europe and the Middle East.

Presentation of the mission

TGH has been working in Syria since 2017, and runs several projects which combine WASH, Education, Child Protection and Livelihoods activities across five governorates (Rural Damascus, Hama, South Idleb, Aleppo and Daraa). TGH works under the coordination of the Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC), mandated by the Government of Syria to coordination humanitarian affairs, and is funded by DG ECHO, the Swiss Cooperation, the UN (mainly SHF/OCHA) and private foundations.

TGH’s strategy consists in shifting to early recovery development-oriented programming, while maintaining the capacity to provide humanitarian assistance as needed. Our core program adopts an area-based approach, and integrates: school rehabilitation, teachers’ training, Non-Formal Education, psychosocial support, case management, access to clean water, improved sanitation, hygiene promotion and – where possible – cash transfers. Additionally, we implement emergency response projects e.g. in urban Aleppo after 2023’s earthquake, and we are currently developing interventions in favour if forcibly displaced people coming to Syria from Lebanon, including both Lebanese refugees and returning Syrians.

The mission is composed of more than 55 national staffs, 40 volunteers. The Education and Protection is the largest department of the mission in terms of human resources which includes Project Managers, Technical staff, field assistants and volunteers as well as incentive based teachers and school management staff under direct and indirect line of management of Head of Program. There are 6 expatriates in the mission: Country Director, WASH and Shelter Head of Program, Education and Protection Head of Program, Head of Admin, Finance and HR, Head of Logistics, and Grants Manager. Senior Management Team, including the Head of Programme for Education and Protection, is based in Damascus.

Job description

Under the supervision of the Country Director, the Head of Program Education and Protection is responsible of the overall implementation of the EiE and CP programs in Hama, Idleb, Aleppo, Rural Damascus and Dar’a Governorates, as well as program development.
The Head of Program Education and Protection will manage directly 3 Programs managers and 3 technical officers from TGH technical unit based in Damascus.
In direct collaboration with the Country Director, the Head of Program WASH and Shelter, Program Manager Cash & Livelihood, MEAL, Grant and the support services departments, the main responsibilities are:

Coordination

• [internal] Lead Education and CP programming, ensuring program quality through strategy development and participatory program design in close collaboration with the Country Director, the Grants & MEAL Department, and the wider Program team
• [internal] In close collaboration with the Program Manager Cash & Livelihood and Head of Programs WASH and Shelter, develop and adjust strategies for emergency, recovery and rehabilitation programming based on thorough humanitarian context analysis, TGH and partner capacities, resource availability and coordination with the sector and government line ministries
• [internal] Supervise the technical unit at mission level consisting of (Protection Officer, Education Officer and Training Officer) and delegate tasks to ensure they support field teams technically in close coordination with PMs.
• [external] Ensure regular program coordination with donors, including provision of regular project updates, preparation of modification requests and preparation of donors monitoring visits.
• [external] Ensure program coordination and complementarity with SARC, UN agencies, line ministries, INGOs and NNGOs (especially those working in the same geographical areas and sectors).
• [external] Contribute to the identification and development of partnerships providing an added value for Syria programs and support program team in effective partnership management.

Program development and program management

• Work with the Country Director and the Program team to prepare concept papers and grant proposals as well as mobilizing funds
• Support the Program Team in the implementation of operations and monitoring of progress on project indicators and outcomes, ensuring compliance with donor’s requirements and sector standards
• Develop and manage program budgets and ensure spending is consistent with resources available, donor commitments and co-funding requirements in coordination with the Head of Administration, Finance and HR
• Contribute to the improvement of comprehensive program monitoring systems ensuring that monitoring data are feed into management decisions and used in program management, in collaboration with the MEAL team
• Conduct field visits to Hama, Idleb, Aleppo, Rural Damascus and Da’ra (when security allows) Governorates for program monitoring and capacity building of field teams
• Prepare or assist program staff to prepare program reports for donors and partners as required. Ensure timely information exchange of emergency operations. Respond to internal and external requests for reports and information about programs.
• Exchange information and technical support with Education and Protection Technical Department Referent and the sector partners (clusters) in Syria ensuring compliance with sector standards and best practices. In direct link with the HQ Advisor, ensures the review of technical designs and the methodology of soft activity components.
• Contribute to relevant Protection, Gender and Environmental issues mainstreaming in Syrian programs.
• Evaluate program quality, including documenting best practices and lessons learned from Syrian programs and ensuring these are considered in program design.

Data collection and monitoring tools

• Pursue the review & continuous improvement of the technical documents, guidelines & procedures
• Review of the monitoring tools package and RACI structure (responsibility assignment matrix).
• Contribute to the elaboration of monitoring tools in coordination with MEAL and contribute to the capacity building of all Education and Protection TGH or non-TGH staff, SARC staff involved in data collection if necessary.
• On-the-job quality control of data collection methods based on observations, advice teams on possible improvement and share lesson learnt and best practices.
• From Damascus, provide continued support to field teams. In consultation with TGH Education and Protection technical unit in HQ, provide modifications to tools and structures in case practice show that improvements are needed.
• Regularly integrate lessons learnt from data analysis in activity implementation, in close collaboration with the Grants & MEAL Department

Staff management and skills strengthening

• Recruit and supervise directly the Education and Protection Programs Managers and Technical Officers and other team members as required.
• Adapt tasks and responsibilities within the Program team to accommodate program requirements or specific situations.
• Identify and address capacity building needs for staff and partners involved in the response. Take the lead on coordinating any formal or informal training for the Program Team and partners.
• Provide direct support to the Program team through training sessions and appraisals.

Representation

• Represent TGH in relevant UN cluster meetings, government coordination meetings and other programming forums in Syria, along with the sector program managers.
• With the Country Director, develop and maintain regular relationships with donor agencies and pursue funding opportunities for TGH Syrian programs.

General support to the mission

• Ensure that the conduct and work of the Program Team respects core humanitarian values of humanity, independence, neutrality and impartiality.
• Contributes to the respect of security measures applied by the Country Director.
• Supports the implementation of internal procedures in coordination with the Administration, Finance and the Head of Logistics.
• Supports internal improvement processes. Contributes to knowledge and information sharing within the INGO team.

Referent for TGH’s Safeguarding policies (PSEA, Child safeguarding)

• Supports the Mission in the coordination and implementation safeguarding guidelines and procedures.

This list of responsibilities could be modified according to the needs.

Security, working and living conditions

The current volatile and unpredictable context in Syria requires strict security rules in terms of movements and transmission of information / communication with the Country Director and the Headquarters.

Working and living conditions in Damascus are good but security has deteriorated since October 2023 and further deteriorated during the last quarter of 2024 as a consequences of the ongoing wars in the region. Communication means are satisfying (efficient internet, international phones).

The office is separated from the guesthouses. Individual rooms are available for each expatriate.

When in the field, international staff movements are strictly limited and under tracking. The Head of Program Education and Protection will perform short-term field visit.

Profile

• University level degree, preferably a Master’s degree in project management
• Humanitarian experience in the field, with at least 2 years in a coordination position
• Experience in at least one of the following sectors: Education / Protection.
• Experience in managing emergency and early-recovery operations in challenging security environments and understanding of the humanitarian environment (standards, stakeholders and mechanisms).
• Experience in grants management and knowledge of procedures of main donor agencies: ECHO, SDC, European Union, UN Agencies or others.
• Previous experience of program budgeting and budget monitoring
• Practice in analysis and use of M&E data for program decision making.
• Management, capacity building and mentoring
• Strong interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to work effectively on a team and to lead a team of specialists from a range of fields. Leadership skills and ability to inspire.
• Autonomy and rigor. Developed skills for work organization and tasks prioritization
• Capacity to represent TGH at high level coordination meetings with different stakeholders.
• Excellent communication and writing skills in English. Preferably competent user of French spoken and written.
• Experience in the Middle East and knowledge of the Arabic language is a distinct advantage
• Proficient user of MS Office pack, and ease with Google Workspace